Nzirambi Photo Exhibition Fundraiser

Nzirambi, an intimate glimpse into the lives of orphaned children in Uganda as captured by leading Canadian photographer Johan Hallberg-Campbell, is slated to open at CONTACT Gallery. This multimedia art exhibition will be unveiled Nov. 21 during a fundraiser for the Nzirambi orphanage -- home to more than 120 orphaned and vulnerable children living at the this Ugandan family-run centre.

You’re invited!

Tickets for the Nzirambi photo exhibition fundraiser on Nov. 21 are on sale now: https://guestlistapp.com/events/266466.

Event includes wine, beer, food, silent auction and an incredible art exhibition.

All proceeds go toward helping boys and girls from the Nzirambi orphanage go to university.

#CONTACT14 #NZIRAMBI

Special thank you to our event sponsors:

Hold the Date: Oct. 24 Fundraiser

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Photo

 

Sponsorship request for upcoming event

Dear friends,

On Oct. 24, 2014, the Nzirambi Education Fund will be hosting a photo exhibition/silent auction fundraiser at the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival gallery in Toronto. More than 100 people are expected to attend this special event to show their support for the boys and girls of the Nzirambi orphanage in Uganda.

The exhibition includes the work of renowned Toronto photographer Johan Hallberg-Campbell who recently travelled to the orphanage. Through his images, we hope to inspire our supporters by sharing the stories of the children whose lives they are making a difference in.

I hope you will consider showing your support for Nzirambi Education Fund, by offering a gift for a silent auction.

We are particularly looking for gifts that will be suitable for our targeted demographic: Toronto based food lovers, arts and photography enthusiasts, social media communities, and general interest items such as travel, spa, restaurant, shopping. Our target audience will be age 35+, with 60% of the attendees being women.

All sponsors will be included on an invitation that will be emailed to thousands through the CONTACT Photography Festival, Nzirambi and Johan Hallberg-Campbell membership lists. CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world, and a premier cultural event in Toronto, sponsored by Scotiabank. Sponsors will be recognized through name or logo recognition on our day-of-event signage, as well as through our vast social media networks.

Your gift, which will be used in the silent auction at the fundraiser, will go a long way toward helping us reach our goal to raise $15,000 in 2014 so that we can ensure the children at the orphanage will be able to attend senior levels of education. To date, the Nzirambi Education Fund has raised more than $60,000 to fund 8 children from the orphanage in university, college, vocational programs, and senior levels of high school.

In 2014, our Fund will support five young women in university and one boy finishing his final year of high school. Higher levels of education are especially critical for these children, giving them additional resources to become leaders in their communities and break free of the cycle of poverty that has defined their families for far too long.

Check out this video about the orphanage.


Sincerely,
Karen Snider,
Nzirambi Education Fund 416 518 2844 / @karensnider

Getting a jumpstart on school

At the Nzirambi orphanage, small children get a jumpstart on their education and are tutored before they reach the age of starting regular school. Check out these cute photos:

Good Karma Meditation- Feb 15

Valentine’s Day Meditation Workshop Fundraiser

Join us Saturday, Feb. 15, for a special hour-long meditation workshop with meditation/yoga instructor Vandana Juneja.

Meditation: A Walk Through the Chakras Check in with your heart post-Valentine’s Day! Lay back, relax, and sink into your mat as you are guided through a healing meditation to balance each of the seven chakras, with a focus on Anahata, the heart chakra. This warm, healing journey will leave you calm and centered, ready to face the days ahead with an open heart.

This special class is a fundraiser to help children from an orphanage in Uganda go to school. The Nzirambi Education Fund currently sponsors five young women in university and one young man in his final year of high school, all of whom have grown up at the Nzirambi Orphanage.

Who can come: This class is suitable for anyone interested in meditation; new or experienced.

When: Feb. 15 from 12:30PM – 1:30PM

Where: Toronto Yoga Mamas, 1402 Queen Street East, Suite D, Phone: 416 406 0116

What you need: Yoga mat, comfortable clothing, water. Also, bring a writing journal if you wish. TIP: Dress in layers to stay warm as body temperatures tend to lower during meditation.

Admission: Pay-what-you-can donation. All donations will go directly to helping orphaned children go to school. You can make a donation with credit card on paypal on this blog, or by emailing nzirambifund@gmail.com. (Suggested donation: $10-$20). Please RSVP to reserve your space

About the instructor: Vandana aspires to a healthy body, focused mind, and open heart, and is inspired by the power of yoga and meditation to transform these three pillars of life. “Yoga and meditation teach me so much, not only on the mat, but in everyday life. My practice helps me to cultivate joy, relieves stress, and encourages me to live mindfully in the present moment.” She seeks to empower students, encouraging a light-hearted, nurturing, non-competitive environment for personal growth. Drawn to find a deeper understanding of the mind/body connection, Vandana is combining her studies with the Coaches Training Institute based in California with her meditation practice to offer a guided meditation experience to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. She teaches yoga, pilates, meditation and various workshops across the city. In her day job, Vandana enjoys working for a non-profit organization focused on the advancement of women.

Ellen from Kampala

Ellen Kabugho is a very sweet and smart young women. She had one large hurdle to overcome in her life: she was born a girl. According to some members of her family, this makes her unworthy of receiving a full education. Some of her brothers had left home and moved to the city for good paying jobs but refuse to contribute to her school fees, just because she is a girl. While Ellen’s family was never well off, after her father died, her family’s situation got worse and there was less food in the house. Some days she went to bed very hungry, having only had dried tea leaves to eat.

Ellen struggled to get through her senior levels of high school; she suffered hallucinations from untreated pneumonia. But she kept trying. And she worked so hard that she was accepted to university in 2013. The Nzirambi Education Fund pays for the university fees. To support Ellen and the rest of the students click this link. Thank you.

Your own garden in Uganda!

Imagine having your own garden in Uganda! For a donation of $150, the Nzirambi Education Fund will make it happen for you – we’re going to commemorate your donation by naming a patch of the orphanage garden after you. This garden is pretty special because it ensures that more than 100 children at the orphanage have fresh vegetables in their diet. It helps them be self sufficient so that they don’t have to purchase fresh produce elsewhere. When it comes to naming your garden patch, there are lots of crops to choose from – everything from cassava and cabbage to onions, eggplant and bananas.

 

There are lots of gardens to choose from – here are some examples!

 

Brunner’s Bean Way

Kerry’s Cabbage Patch

Cecile’s Cassava Corner

Nancy’s Nightshades: Eggplant Row

What’s up doc! It’s Colleen’s Carrot Bed

Barb’s Beetroot Bulbs

 

As the holidays approach, please help us to make dreams come true for children of this Ugandan orphanage and show your support. Visit our Rockethub fundraising page to find out more information on how to name your garden.

Help children go to school this holiday

Five years ago, the Nzirambi Education Fund was established, inspired by Veronica. At the time, she was 16-years old-and the third highest scoring student in the district with dreams of going to law school. These were especially big dreams considering her unfortunate start in life -- she had been left at the orphanage when she was just a baby after her mother died of AIDS.

I met Veronica on my first visit to Uganda; we were working in a new garden behind the orphanage preparing to plant crops and she shared with me her dreams of becoming a lawyer. I could tell she was a bright young woman, but when I asked how her university would be paid for, I realized there was no funding in place. 

I knew right away that I would help her. When I returned to Canada, I shared Vero’s story with so many of you, and you were also inspired. And if we could help one girl, why not try to help others? And so, the Nzirambi Education Fund began.

 Help this holiday. Click here to make a donation.

Five Years On

Vero was accepted to law school – in the best university in the country, I might add! She is the first child from the orphanage to go to university. Our Fund supported her through her final years of high school, and three years of university. In 2014, she will finish the program.

We didn’t stop there. We raised more than $50,000, allowing us to pay for education for 6 other students, fund four other girls through high school; all of whom were accepted to university this year. We are supporting a young man named Oscar through a digital arts/advertising program. I am especially proud of 

Oscar because he has suffered great health challenges that made it nearly impossible for him to finish school. This program will change his life. We are supporting another boy through his final years of high school, and a young woman who is taking a care-givers course.

These students are ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ of more than 100 children who live at the orphanage today. They are children whose families could not – or would not -- take care of them: most of them are there because their mothers died in childbirth, some lost their parents to AIDS and sadly, some are there because they were abandoned – in bushes, once in a garbage dump on Christmas Day, and others tossed into latrines. These newborns are the most vulnerable of all -- brought to the orphanage, cared back to life by House Mothers. 

 Help this holiday. Click here to make a donation.

We can’t stop now.

Your donation will help us to ensure these children can go to school. It costs $2,500/ year for one student in university; $1,500 for a year of college; and $1000 for a year of senior high school. We need to raise $15,000 in 2014 to cover school fees for Veronica, Oscar, Pelucy, Patricia, Ellen, Priscilla, Dan and Yoneki.

Travels to Uganda

This year, I’m returning to Uganda, looking forward to spending time in Kampala where the children study in university. I’ll also be spending time at the orphanage to see the younger children and the House Mothers. I’m bringing photographer Johan Hallberg-Campbell and we have exciting plans to document the children’s’ stories.

I am hoping you will consider a donation this holiday to help the children in their education. I don’t even know how it would be possible for these children to go to school if it wasn’t for all of you. Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

To make a donation, please visit our special RocketHub fundraising page. 

Help Veronica attend university

Hi everyone! We just received an update from Veronica. She's completing her Year 2 exams in Law School and she's doing great in school. Bad news is that her hostel was broken into and all of her belongings, including a laptop, were stolen. And, her laptop had all her school notes on it. Thankfully, she is safe. We have received the funding request for Veronica's third year (and we're moving into a private room for safety). 

 

Veronica's education fees
We are trying to raise $2,000 to cover Veronica’s fees for her third year of Law School in Kampala, Uganda. Please visit our page on RocketHub to support Veronica in school: http://rkthb.co/27022

The $2,000 covers everything Vero needs for the year, including:

• $15,Transportation, including bus tickets so she can return to the orphanage and work on her breaks
• $30, Incidentals, including internet use and phone cards (so she can keep in touch with us)
• $35, Cooking supplies, including a small cooking stove, oil, salt, sugar and matches $35, School supplies, including books and pens
• $35, Personal hygiene items, including soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, etc
• $50, School documents and identification: all of Vero’s identification cards and school documents were stolen during the break-in and she must purchase new ones in order to return for third semester
• $100, Emergency medical: if Veronica gets sick on campus, we want to make sure she has funds available to see a doctor and purchase medicine if needed (in the past, we had 2 students suffer typhoid and malaria and neither could access a doctor) 
• $800, Tuition
• $900, Living costs including, groceries and accommodations for the year (we are trying to raise funds for Vero to have a small room to herself on campus because her previous room was robbed and we fear for her safety)

Any support you can give is always appreciated. Thank you! Monica and Karen

Meet the students we are supporting in 2013

In 2013, the Nzirambi Education Fund will be helping 8 youths from the Nzirambi Orphanage in Uganda to go to school. Below are new photos of the students we will be supporting.

This is Pelucy! With your support, our fund was able to help Pelucy finish her last two years of high school. Now, she is getting ready for university later this year and is hoping to study business administration.

We're very excited that Dan has done well in his studies and this year we will be supporting him through his final levels of high school. He's getting really great marks in class, so I'm sure he will be university bound in a few years as well!

This is Ellen! Our Education Fund supported Ellen through senior levels of high school and now she's getting ready for university. She is planning to apply for studies around community services to help give back to her community.

Patricia also just finished her final levels of high school and is planning to attend university in the fall.

This is Priscilla, Patricia's twin. Both girls are also gearing up for uni this year. Right now they are studying a computer skills course.

In the middle is Yoneki. Our fund is supporting Yoneki to study a care-giving course in 2013. She is really great with the kids at the orphanage - it's such a natural fit for her!

Patrica, Pelucy and Priscilla

This is Vero - She's doing great! She's completing her second year of law school, which we have supported her through (and cheered her on quite loudly from Canada :)

This is Oscar! We are super proud of Oscar who we are supporting in his second year of college where he is taking a digital art program.

Educational Sewing in Canada’s Capital

Guest post by Aynsley Morris

When Karen and Monica started the Nzirambi Education Fund, I jumped at the chance to help. Not only is it a great cause, I love to sew and had some beautiful fabrics I’d picked up on my travels that needed to be put to good use.  For a few years I’d been experimenting with sewing bags for yoga mats and making baby quilts for nieces, nephews and my friends’ new arrivals.  My sewing could be my way to help. I sold some bags and offered a quilt and other items for the Fund’s silent auction. 

This year there are six youth pursuing higher levels of schooling, including Veronica, the initial inspiration for the Fund.  Next year, eight children are expected to need our support; this will take considerably more funding.

Karen challenged a bunch of us involved with the Fund to increase our efforts so I’m heading out to a few of Ottawa’s craft fairs to sell bags, eye pillows and quilts. My first show is the Suburban Craft Show (@suburbancraft) at Centrepoint in Nepean on November 17th from 10am to 3pm. The organizers are doing a great job promoting it and I’m honoured to be in the company of other exhibitors like VersaTile and Sassy Scarves. 

Some great pals will be helping me on November 24th at the McNabb Community Centre at 180 Percy Ave. (Bronson and Gladstone) from 10am to 4pm. My sister and nephew are helping at the last show for the season as part of the Perth House Tour on December 1st and 2^nd. Artisans will be set up at the Perth Best Western Plus Parkside Inn and Spa with free tea and cookies.

If you’re in the Ottawa area, please come out to support the Nzirambi Education Fund and amazing Ottawa (and Perth) artists at some of these events and pass the info along to all your friends!

Bags to carry your yoga mat!

Fundraising Goals: Dreams of Attending University

Dreams of attending university

When she was just a year old Veronica Nabasinga was brought to the Nzirambi Orphans Talent Development Centre in western Uganda. Her mother had just died of AIDS. Her father was unable to care for Veronica -- his youngest child, his only daughter. The orphanage took her in.

 
At the orphanage, Veronica has thrived.  She has grown into an ambitious young woman, committed to her studies. In 2011, Veronica was accepted to law school at the University of Kampala becoming the first of 100 children at the orphanage to be accepted to university. However, there was no funding available for her to attend.

Inspired by Veronica, the Nzirambi Education Fund was established to help ensure that not only Veronica, but the 100 children of the orphanage will have opportunities to attend university, college or senior levels of high school.

Higher levels of education are especially critical for these children, giving them additional resources to become leaders in their communities and break free of the cycle of poverty that has defined their families.

We need your support

Over the next three years (2013-2016), the Nzirambi Education Fund aims to raise $50,000 -- enough funds to see six youth through university, two through a vocational training program, one through college and another through senior levels of high school. Already, our fund has supported Veronica in university, four students through senior levels of high school and one in college.

Your support to the Nzirambi Education Fund is critical in helping these children so that they may be the next generation of smart, productive and well-educated Ugandans contributing to the future of their country.

For more information, you can connect with the Nzirambi Education Fund on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/nzirambi, follow the blog or email nzirambifund@gmail.com

** In this photo:   Veronica shown here with Baby Steven. Steven was found abandoned in a garbage dump on Boxing Day in 2010. Veronica, now 18, has lived in the orphanage since she was just one-year-old. The Nzirambi Education Fund helps these children go to school

Photos from Uganda

Monica was in Uganda over the summer and got to visit the girls we are supporting in secondary school at their schools. Here are some photos from her visit:

 This is Patricia.

 This is Pelucy

Pelucy and Ellen

Priscilla

Monica and Patricia

Monica and Ellen

Monica and Priscilla

All of our girls in boarding school!

Sadly, these are two newborn twins that came to the orphanage, but passed away a few weeks later. The babies were sickly and in hospital. 

The orphanage matriarch and founder, Monica's aunt Dorothy.

Nzirambi Holiday Raffle

Want to win cool raffle prizes? Check it out! We've got five prizes up for grabs - including an ipad2! Each prize package is worth more than $500. And you get to decide which prize packages you want to enter your tickets into. Just let us know how many tickets you want and which prize packs you want to enter.

Prize Pack #1, For the Ladies, value $600:

Tula Yoga Central

Robert Ashley Hair

Hair care package

Ugandan necklace and scarf

Ladies clutch

Women's Nike golf shirts

Jewellery by Grace & Angeline

Danier Leather gift cards

Kleen Kanteen

Meditative Arts Drumming for 2

Prize Pack #2, Toronto Foodie Package, value $650+

Bloom Restaurant

Starbucks

E11even

Embrujo Flamenco

Le Dolci Cupcakes

Ceili's Cottage

Frida Spanish Restaurant

5th Elementt

23 Degrees Roastery

Prize Pack #3, Gifts for the Family, value $650+

Evoke Hair Salon

Toronto Yoga Mamas

Marcel Dee Photography portraits

CG Monsters

Clay gift card

Kids Toys

Robert Rotenberg books

Me-To-We T-shirt

Eco gift pack, including: Therawise, Mini Organics, Wean Green, Strawsome Straws, People Towels, Quash

Prize Pack #4, Social Media business pack, value $525

3-hour social media business consulting with Third Ocean

Unmarketing's new Book of Business Awesome

Prize Pack #5, iPad2, value $700

ipad2

Tickets are: 

• $5 each
• 5 tickets for $20
• 15 tickets for $50

You can use paypal to purchase tickets on this blog.

The draw will be held on Dec. 1.

Good luck!

A day in the life

An update from Uganda:

This is an update on activities at NOTDEC in Uganda.

There are currently 99 children at NOTDEC. There were 101 children but sadly four month old twins, Jacqueline and Josephine, died at Kagando Hospital about three weeks ago. They developed suspected septicaemia.

The agreement between NOTDEC UK and NOTDEC Uganda has been that the Orphanage will stop accepting children when they reach 100 ch

ildren and that NOTDEC UK would find sponsors for 100 children. This is as many as the staff at NOTDEC Uganda can cope with and unfortunately a line has to be drawn somewhere.

When the twins were alive (and thus they had 101 children) they were turning babies away - some of whom they know have subsequently died.

However the Catholic diocese in the area has seen the need of care for further babies/children and are hoping to set up an orphanage or something similar in the area, but this looks as if it is going to be a little while before it actually happens.

The children at school

The final term of the academic year started this week and they will all have exams in November - even those in Primary One. If they fail the exam they will not be able to progress to the next class.

Important external exams are being sat by many of the children:

• Eight children are sitting their primary school leaving exams (Ross, Kakuru, Chris, Rahabu, John, Rona, Keneth and Ester). They have all been boarding at Kagando Primary School this year and receiving extra teaching in the evenings in preparation for the exams.The boarding fees have been largely paid for by friends of NOTDEC in the USA.
• Three young people are sitting the equivalent of GCSE's (Yoneki, Rhoda and Dan). They have been boarding at Kasese Secondary School. (These are the three our fund will be supporting in 2013)
• Four young people are sitting the equivalent of A levels (Ellen, Patricia, Priscilla and Pelucy). These are the four our fund has been supporting in high school.

The schools want the children to board at these levels as most Ugandan children need to walk long distances to get to school and have no facilities to study at home (eg no electricity, no tables and a noisy environment).

It Takes a Village...

Have you ever heard the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child”? 

How true it is. In Uganda, the village does its part to help the boys and girls of the orphanage – everyone from the local matrons who started it more than 25 years ago, to the House Mothers who live there to support the children.

Here in Toronto, I was reminded of our own village that is helping to raise these children. It took real community spirit to pull the ‘Chocolate Affair’ fundraiser together – and I wanted to thank all of those who are now part of this ‘village.’

With your support, we raised $4000 during our night of all things chocolate. That’s enough to pay for two years of Veronica’s university tuition. Or enough to pay for six students to finish their final years of high school.

Your support truly does make a difference in the lives of the 101 boys and girls at the Nzirambi Orphanage in Uganda.

We never would have had this event if it wasn’t for these people who helped pull things together: Christine P (@wedding_crasher), Sandra B (@wallabina), Stella Z (@chocolachocola1) and Barb T (@barbturnbull).

 

 Thank you to our generous sponsors who made the night super sweet: ChocolaChocola (@chocolachocola1), Cocoa Latte (@cafecocoalatte), Le Dolci (@ledolci), Dragon’s Kitchen (@dragonskitchen), A Food Gypsy (@afoodgypsy), Steeped and Infused (@steepedandinfused), Cold Stone Creamery (@TOcoldstone).

And thank you to Caplansky for helping us bring some deli snacks to the party.

Thank you to these people who made generous donations that helped us with a successful and super fun raffle: The Chocolateria (@thechocolateria), The Body Shop, Nota Bene (@notabeneTO), ChocolaChocola, Grace and Angeline (@grancenangeline), Steve Roy at Solo Bace, Christine from Arbonne, Christine Cooper (@coopspeak), Iceberg Vodka, Live Food Bar (@livefoodbar), Starbucks (@starbuckscanada), SITAMAA (@SITAMAA), Clay (www.clayhouse.ca).

A very special thank you to Aiden Fearn and his mom, Terrellyn, for their incredible donation. Aiden asked his friends to make a financial donation in lieu of birthday gifts, and he raised $400, making him the largest donor of the whole evening! Way to go, Aiden!

Thank you to Lindsay T and Andre for holding down the fort during the party. And thank you to Kateryna (@katerryna) for being a fine bartender.

Thank you Rob (@robsarj) for bringing us beats!

Thank you to Farhan Dhalla (@farhandhalla) (www.farhandhalla.com) for being a special guest and bringing us Angel Readings.

Thank you to TNY Photography for taking photos, which will be posted here: https://www.facebook.com/TNyPhotography

Thank you to Stella for organizing party grab bags with donations from Chocolachocola, Blo, Goldwell and a CD by the lovely Fenulla. Thank you to Lawrence who helped get the kids’ stars ready so they could also be included in the grab bags.

What an incredible night! Thank you to everyone attended and making this night so special.

Our new friends at Cocoa Latte are already planning on a second Chocolate Affair....stay tuned!

(Please tell me if I’ve forgotten anyone – it’s a long list and highly possible! Don’t be shy!)

Chocolate, anyone?

** This event is now sold out

The Nzirambi Education Fund invites you to join us Thursday, June 21st from 7p.m. - 10p.m., for a night of chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.

Think of it like chocolate heaven.

Our chocolate sponsors will spoil you rotten. We'll have everything from ice cream, cupcakes and gourmet goodies for you to sample. And, of course, we will be serving chocolate martinis! All in the name of a good cause!

Tickets to this choco-extraordinare evening are $50, with all proceeds going to help the boys and girls of the Nzirambi Orphanage in Uganda go to school.

Get ready to indulge! 

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: 

http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/3545985137

Join us on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/nzirambi

Special thank you to our incredible sponsors:

Paula Costa from Dragon's Kitchen

The Chocolateria

Food Gypsy - Lisa Kates