The other main focus of mine have been humanitarian projects.
There are two areas that I am focusing my efforts on. The first are micro grants for local business. These micro grants are for up to $5000 and are meant to help an business owner get over the initial cost of either starting up or expanding their current business. This will then help the community as a whole. For example, I can give a mechanic money to buy more equipment, like a floor jack, a set of tools, and an air pump, for his shop. He will purchase these items with the money we give him from the local economy and will then be able to serve more customers. Because of this, he will have to hire more help, thus employing more locals. They will then be able to support their families and support other local businesses. This small grant, that they do not have to pay back, will actually help multiple families when all is said and done.
The other area that I am concentrating my effort is helping the local schools. There are many schools in our area that are in dire need of help. Many of them were built around 50 years ago and have not been worked on since. Unfortunately, it does not appear that they get much support from the Ministry of Education. This is definitely one aspect where those of you who have asked can definitely help out with. What I am working on are projects that will help for years to come, not just temporary assistance. For example, instead of purchasing school supplies like crayons and pencils for the students, I am having broken doors, windows, and ceiling fans replaced. I am working on an interactive list to post on the internet that you all will be able to look at in terms of ideas of what is send and also check off so that we don’t get 100 posters of the solar system but no posters of the water cycle. There will, hopefully, be a place where you can also make suggestions of things to send since I am sure you all have some great ideas that I would never think of and it will hopefully spring more ideas. There are schools for all ages here, from kindergarten to high school. For the high schools, the school administrators all mentioned their lack of any type of science lab. Even though I think it would be much more beneficial for us to donate posters of different body systems (like the nervous system) than a ream of paper, candy and little toys are still appreciated by the little kids. Like I said, I will try to get that list out to you shortly. Here is a very interesting OpEd about this very idea written about Haiti: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/01/19/frum.aid.risks.benefits/index.html?hpt=T2
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