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PAGAC Featured Organizations Portland Area Global AIDS Coalition
Ancient Ways envisions a future where people celebrate ancient knowledge and cultures, and uplift each other through mutual learning, respect and empowerment. WE VALUE
Ancient Ways provides services locally, in Peru, and Zimbabwe. Our current focus stateside is a Zimbabwean music program offering weekly classes, serving the mid-Willamette Valley since 1993. In a Zimbabwean partnership we have been collaborating to provide rural services since 2000 in Mhondoro, and since 2005 in Dewedzo to over 2,500 people. Through grass-roots donations we: 1) offer basic health care opportunities and well being education including HIV/AIDS and public health, 2) sponsor children to attend our own preschool, supporting their education through university level, 3) assist with facilities improvements (huts, toilets, wells, stoves), and 4) promote sustainable practices for longevity.
Upcoming events:
Vision Statement Mission Statement
Swan House
Neighborhood Housing & Care Program (NHCP)
Esther’s Pantry Tod’s Corner Contact Information:
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Bolivia: Mike Wang/PATH |
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Burkino Faso: Monique Berlier/PATH |
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Birthweigh: Jessica Fleming/PATH |
Mission Statement:
Our mission is to support and advance the work of PATH, an international nonprofit organization that creates sustainable, culturally relevant solutions, enabling communities worldwide to break longstanding cycles of poor health.
Description of PATH and Friends of PATH: By collaborating with diverse public- and private-sector partners, PATH helps provide appropriate health technologies and vital strategies that change the way people think and act. PATH’s work improves global health and well-being by:
PATH meets the complex health needs of an expanding world with this multi-pronged approach that moves solutions from innovation to impact: supporting new ideas through inception, development, and testing; paving the way for introduction in low-resource countries; and working with governments and communities to integrate and expand the most successful ideas.
Friends of PATH advocates locally to raise awareness and funds for PATH’s global programs. Our organization holds friendraising and fundraising events in the Portland Metro Area, including educational panels, exhibits, multimedia receptions, and speaker dinners to promote local involvement in PATH’s activities.
Ways to Get Involved with Friends of PATH:
Help us table at local conferences and events throughout the year, come to our meetings, join us for World AIDS Day events by volunteering to staff a Friends of PATH table, hold a friendraiser or fundraiser event at your home, participate in our Portland Metro Thank-a-Thon on November 9 this year. Contact Judy Rea at diamorea@ix.netcom.com or Kathleen Maloney-Dunn at kmdnow@gmail.com.

Mission Statement
Women of Vision is a volunteer ministry of World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. General Information Women of Vision unites Christian women called to invest their time, intellect, compassion, creativity and finances so impoverished women and children might find hope and experience a tangible expression of God’s love. We are women of diverse ages, backgrounds, and circumstances – united in Christ to serve and walk alongside those in need so that, together, we can experience life in all its fullness. Recognizing the enormous needs in our world, we seek to educate and motivate women in our communities to become women of action in helping to create brighter and healthier future for suffering women and children.
The World Vision Partnership has six core values that are central to its identity and aspirations:
We are committed to serving the poor in three ways:
The Trauma Recovery Center for girls rescued from sexual slavery and
The Street Children Transformation project – both in Phnom Penh, Cambodia;
A microenterprise development project in Honduras
A Children of the Tunnels project in Mongolia
An HIV/AIDS prevention project in Mozambique
We currently support the work of the Children’s Relief Nursery in North Portland.
Contact Information
For more information or to become a Women of Vision partner, visit our website at www.cwwov.org or contact April Veit, Chapter Chair aprilveit@comcast.net 503-805-2768
Upcoming event
October 3, 2009; 9:00 – 11:30 AM at Sunset Presbyterian Church on NW Cornell Rd.
CWWOV Fall Kickoff Brunch with Angela Mason, award winning speaker and World Vision Special Advocate for Women and Children. Check our website for more information; no charge or tickets required
Makindu Children’s Program (MCP) is a charitable 501(c)3 non-profit organization headquartered in Eugene, Oregon that operates a day resource facility called Makindu Children’s Centre (MCC) in a rural region of eastern Kenya. The Centre provides nutritional, medical and emotional support, access to basic education, and opportunities for vocational training for over 444 destitute AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children. The children live in guardian homes in the community, and can come to the Centre daily for food, recreation, bathing, and laundering facilities, emotional support, and crisis intervention.
Contact Information
Cindy Ingram
Stateside Executive Coordinator, Makindu Children’s Program
NEW CELL #: 541-515-8939
PO Box 51556 Eugene, Oregon 97405
makindu@peak.org
www.makindu.org
Upcoming Event
Makindu Children’s Program is thrilled to announce its NEW Sponsorship Program!
MCP has made a difference in the lives of over 400 children in Kenya. Our programs have proven to be successful in providing AIDS-affected children with loving stability and consistency. We invite you now to get to know these special children personally though our new sponsorship program.
Sponsored children receiving services at Makindu Children’s Center are orphans and other vulnerable children. MCC provides direct aid to children in the form of health care, payment of school fees and associated costs, nutrition, social services, HIV education, medical treatment and medication. In addition, children live with guardian families who care for the children and assist with the provision of their basic needs. Monitoring as well as advocacy is also provided. Please join our community of support. They need your help!
Sponsors have various options related to the selection of the age and gender of the child whom they want to sponsor. In addition, a single child or sibling group may be selected. Sponsorship most frequently involves monthly contribution, however, it can be arranged on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. A child may have more than one sponsor due to her/his special needs such as HIV, mental/educational delay, physical disability, or a chronic medical condition . You will receive updates on your child/children’s status three times a year. A recent photo will also be included in the correspondence. Check or money orders are accepted. Sponsors can also set up automatic withdrawals from their bank accounts or automatic payments from their credit/debit cards. Monthly support of the child will continue until the sponsor notifies the program manager that he/she wishes to discontinue support.
For the cost of one dinner out per month, you can change the life of a child who is in need. Sponsorships are $35 per month per child, or $50 per month for a sibling group or child with special needs.
Vision:
A World Without AIDS
Mission:
To Raise Awareness of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic and Inspire
People to take Action
Action:
A Fun Walk/Run in a festive environment that includes education/awareness and Fundraising for Global and Local actions.
General Information:
Lyles Myles serves the Vancouver, WA area by offering an opportunity to participate in an event that addresses the world wide HIV/AIDS pandemic and raises money to help out locally (Martha’s Pantry, which provides assistance to HIV/AIDS affected people in Clark County, WA) and globally (through Global Partners and a project that provides pregnant cows to HIV/AIDS affected women in Kenya).
How to get involved/contact information:
LylesMyles needs volunteers to help make the event happen and of course participants to take part and donate money. Contact Lyle Smith at 360-573-1549 or dsslbs@aol.com or through the website www.lylesmyles.com
Upcoming event:
In 2009, Lyles Myles takes place on October 10th starting with registration at 8:30 AM. The site is Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver, WA. 6th Street and Columbia.
Mission Statement:
Africa Bridge is dedicated to listening to Tanzanian children and empowering their communities to protect, support and care for orphaned and vulnerable children through an integrated sustainable development program.
Vision:
In every village where Africa Bridge is present, children will have shelter, nourishment, a loving family, healthcare, an education, and income opportunities for their families.
Core Values:
While Africa Bridge acknowledges the severe plight of children in the villages where we work, we are also inspired by and share their joy, laughter and passion for life. This belief is integral to our core values.
Upcoming events:
Contact Information:
Alexia Halen – Development Coordinator
alexiahalen@gmail.com – 503-699-6162
Please see www.africabridge.org for more details.
Hands to Hearts International (HHI)
Mission Statement:
HHI is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of orphaned and vulnerable children and economically disadvantaged women around the globe.
General Information:
HHI's simple and cost-effective program provides tools and resources for organizations and caregivers to improve the early development of children surviving in orphanages, refugee camps, and severely impoverished or conflict-ridden communities. Through HHI's support and training, caregivers improve their ability to nurture a child's language, social, cognitive and physical skills. Most importantly, HHI's specialized training program enhances the attachment and bonding of infants to caregivers, which establishes the base for all future relationships.
Reports from orphanages that receive HHI trainings have been as dramatic as “no babies have died since the training.” Additional reports from orphanages and village mothers demonstrate that simple changes in daily care-giving practices improve child health, increase weight gain and accelerate language development. The caregivers regularly report increased confidence and skills, improved nutrition and hygiene practices and more quality time spent interacting and nurturing the children.
Between February 2006 and February 2009, HHI has led 159 trainings for 2,264 women, bettering the health and development of 18,898 babies and children. HHI currently works exclusively in India, but has offered training and resources to Russia and Kenya.
Contact Information:
For more information, please visit our website at www.handstohearts.org, or contact Laura Peterson at laura@handstohearts.org.
Additional message:
HHl’s “Baby Massage ~ Nurturing & Bonding Through Touch” DVD is now available! This beautiful, educational and heartwarming DVD was filmed and produced by the Oscar Nominated Vermilion Films. This video includes simple, easy to follow baby massage instruction to soothe and bond with your new baby. With all proceeds benefitting HHI’s programs for women and children in developing countries, it is a resource and a gift with a global impact!
The Imani Project Mission Statement
To enable and empower rural Kenyan villagers to become teachers, caregivers and HIV/AIDS activists in their communities: to significantly reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS transmission, as well as providing support services for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and villagers living with HIV/AIDS. Guidance, leadership and funding will be provided by the American Imani Project.
General Information
The Imani Project is a vision of hope, faith, and inspiration; a demonstration of
what a small group of dedicated people across the world can accomplish to mobilize against HIV/AIDS. Imani is translated “faith” in Kiswahili, but exemplifies the faith and connection of African Villagers. The Imani Project is a partnership between Americans and Africans based on cultural understanding and mutual respect. The Imani Project is a registered 501C3 in the U.S. and an NGO registered with the Department of Social Services in Kenya. We work in the coastal villages of Kenya bordering the Indian Ocean. Areas of focus are:
Contact Information:
For Volunteer opportunities and/or interest in traveling to Kenya as an Imani Project Volunteer contact Marlene Anderson at 503 349-2596 or Marlenelcsw@comcast.net.
Homowo Mission Statement
Homowo offers programming that fosters cultural exchange and connection through the celebration of authentic African rhythms and traditions by bringing drumming, music, art and dance to the stage, schools and communities of the world.General Information
Based in Portland, Oregon and founded in 1986, Homowo is the Pacific Northwest region’s first arts organization fostering the creation, performance, preservation and teaching of African arts and cultures. We serve as a community resource for African arts and host Obo Addy’s Okropong – Traditional Music & Dance of Ghana. Under the artistic leadership of Ghanaian musician, teacher and composer Obo Addy, the work of Homowo has been honored with awards and fellowships, including the Master Fellowship from the Oregon Arts Commission & the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the Governor’s Award for the Arts. Obo Addy has also been recognized as a “national treasure” having received the National Heritage Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1996. This is the highest honor given to a traditional artist in the United States, and Obo Addy is the first African to receive this award.Homowo’s educational and outreach programs include: in-school, after-school and summer programs in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington that now reach more than 32,000 young people per year. Our educational programs include drumming and dance workshops, school performances, lecture/demonstrations and intensive residencies with music and dance students at high schools and colleges in the region and around the country. Throughout the years, we have served at-risk youth in Portland at the elementary, middle and high school levels through, Open Meadow Alternative School, George Middle School,Portsmouth School and many social service agencies.. Approximately 18,000 people, aged 3 to 99 from Oregon and Washington, attend our regional concerts and performances each year. We are currently beginning to plan for a library/resource center in Ghana.
Contact information
Susan Addy at 503/288-3025
susan@homowo.orgUpcoming event
On March 13, 2009, Homowo will be presenting: “Africa Speaks-America Answers”, a concert bringing together African rhythms with American Jazz. Obo Addy and Thara Memory are collaborating to write new compositions to premiere at the 8pm show which will be held at the Kaul Auditorium at Reed College. Tickets are available at pdstix.net
Making Human Connections through Art
General Information:
Martha Kamunda painting
Zimbabwe Artists Project (“ZAP”) celebrates the artistry and accomplishments of women from rural Weya in eastern Zimbabwe. Through education, sale of their art in the United States, and special projects, ZAP helps these women become economically self-sufficient. Sales of their art helps women afford food, clothing, school fees, medicine, transport, seeds and fertilizer.
In the United States, we help our communities to see common humanity across boundaries of culture and privilege. We encourage our friends and customers to recognize ways in which we can use our own privilege to enhance the dignity and self-respect of others, including the artists of Weya.
Zimbabwe Artists Project’s Goals:
ZAP has two goals. First, we help the artists use their creativity to support themselves and their families. We assist the artists in getting art supplies, and we purchase art directly from them, paying more than twice as much as any other buyer. We provide health care for all artists, and we do special projects with artists to meet special needs.
Our second goal is to help our friends and customers in the United States to see common humanity across boundaries of race and culture and privilege. We encourage them to recognize how we can use our own privilege to enhance the dignity and self-respect of others, including the artists of Weya.
Zimbabwe Artists Project – Special Projects:
Albertina Nyamagoronga with her appliqué “Loice’s Children”
Our engagement with the artists has led us further into their communities. With donations from friends of ZAP and through the sale of our Guinea Hen Lady book and Mazhanje Pickers jigsaw puzzles, we provide school fees and uniforms for 80 community children who have lost their parents to AIDS, and we provide textbooks for their schools. We have done a clean water project in Weya, assisting the communities to rebuild clean water wells and drill new ones. In addition to providing schooling for AIDS orphans, ZAP provides testing, counseling, and medicine for all artists who have tested HIV positive.Zimbabwe Artists Project has a permanent gallery space in the Olympic Mills Commerce Center in inner southeast Portland. Visit us during normal office hours (call ahead to make sure we are around).
Contact Information for Zimbabwe Artists Project:
Zimbabwe Artists Project
107 SE Washington Street, Suite 162
Portland, OR 97214
www.zimbabweartistsproject.org
phone: (503)232-7057
Dick Adams, executive director
director@zimbabweartistsproject.org
Heather MacKenzie, volunteer & outreach coordinator
coordinator@zimbabweartistsproject.org
Please check for future events on our website:
www.zimbabweartistsproject.org/zimbabwe-art-exhibits-events

HARAMBEE CENTRE
Connecting With the People and Cultures of Africa
General Information:
“Harambee” is Swahili for “let’s pull together,” a concept representing the power of a group to act as a change agent. Harambee’s logo is the Ashanti adinkra for strength.
Harambee’s mission is to pull people together for the good of the global community. We directly support health and education projects in Africa, education and cultural programs in the United States, and seek to connect people and groups in both places.
Harambee believes multicultural education and intercultural exchange are essential to building genuine understanding, respect and enduring relationships among diverse peoples.
Harambee’s Goals
Support African communities to sustain and develop projects empowering women and children to realize better lives through health, education, and business enterprises.
Offer programs to North Americans that enhance knowledge, appreciation, and celebration of African cultures.
Provide multicultural education and cultural exchange experiences between the United States and countries in Africa including: Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, and Kenya.
Harambee’s Initiatives
Multicultural Education Increase knowledge and appreciation of African cultures and traditions through speaking engagements, cooking events, cultural presentations, art exhibits, book clubs, library services, music, and language classes.
Cross-Cultural Exchange Facilitate, organize, and support educational and internship programs that introduce Americans to Africa and Africans to people of the Pacific Northwest.
African Community Development Generate funds from U.S. donors to help African communities develop and sustain self-help projects that focus on empowering women and children to realize better lives through improved health, education, and business enterprise.
Watoto Wa Dunia Mission Statement:
Watoto Wa Dunia (Children of the World) is an international, grassroots organization committed to the emotional and physical betterment of children and communities all around the world.
General Information:
Watoto Wa Dunia is a grass roots organization that works with volunteers in local communities to find sustainable solutions to problems facing impoverished children and communities. We are based in Portland, Oregon and Nairobi, Kenya. We have an office in Nairobi, which is supported by a dynamic and dedicated group of Kenyans known as the Kenya Advisory Council. We work hand in hand with the Advisory council, supporting the programs they develop.
To date, we have developed a Child Sponsorship Program for Kenyan children, a micro enterprise program for poorwomen in the slums of Nairobi, and have begun constructing an Empowerment Village for street children, and a community center in Kibwezi district Kenya. Upon completion the Empowerment village will house up to 40 orphans.
Watoto wa Dunia's programs foster self-reliance by addressing the basic needs of disadvantaged children and communities such as: food, housing, and medical assistance. We provide educational, voluntary, social, and multi-cultural projects through which people may improve their own situations, and that of their community.
Our organization runs completely with the help of our amazing volunteers and board members. There is no paid staff, just passionate people that keep our engine running!
To get involved, contact:
Audra Bates, Volunteer Coordinator
wwdvolcord1@yahoo.com
Bola Moyo Mission Statement:
Supporting and mobilizing African communities in response to poverty, suffering, and inequality.
General Information:
In 2004, Bola Moyo (Chichewa for Better Life) was formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and, more specifically, its effects on Malawi, Africa. As we grew in experience and knowledge, we began recognizing this disease's complex relationship with hunger and food security, women's rights, poverty, cultural forces, etc. Bola Moyo is all about relationships. We don't erect big buildings, we don't use any long acronyms to describe what we are doing (and we call ourselves an NGO?), and our programs are certainly not flashy. We aren't looking to "save Africa" or even Malawi, and we don't mind that we can't list off a polished managerial list of our top ten objectives and the statistics that suggest they are being met.
We are interested in truly getting to know people and their community, learning their needs, encouraging discussion and assessment of local resources, and seeing what comes about, organically. So far, what's come about, is:

HANDZ
(Helping Academic Need and Development in Zambia)
Mission Statement:
Helping to provide equal educational opportunities and encourage sustainable development for communities living in poverty in Zambia, Africa.
General Information:
HANDZ is a group working together to form a nonprofit, tax exempt organization to help provide equal opportunity educational scholarships, tutoring programs, college tuition, career development resources, community development, and sustainability in Zambian villages.
HANDZ members work with Zambian residents and a Zambian HANDZ committee to gain insight on the communities’ specific needs, work with them to make goals for self-sustainability, and lay out means of communication throughout the year.
In 2007 HANDZ provided over 120 children, ranging from grades 6-12 with partial and full academic scholarships. These scholarships went toward their school fees, blankets and food, the cost of books and supplies, and helped pay for their mandatory school uniforms. HANDZ plans to strengthen the scholarship program by increasing the number of scholarships granted and by providing assistance for college students.
HANDZ also funded two community endeavors for the local women's centers, including a purse making project and a community garden meeting area. Our continuing goal is to support and help create income-generating projects for the villages, namely the women’s centers.
In 2007, all of HANDZ’ scholarship and community support projects took place in the Copper Belt region of Zambia and were funded with only $5,000 USD.
How to get involved:
HANDZ members work together to raise funds, educate the local community (mainly in Portland), and get involved with global poverty and AIDS awareness organizations.
HANDZ seeks to raise awareness of and help to combat the current poverty, hunger, and AIDS stricken situation in Zambia. Thus, our greatest need is assistance in organizing fundraising events, writing grants, and attending non-profit events as a HANDZ representative.
Please visit our website, HANDZambia.org. Check the “Get Involved” section for more ways to help out!
Website: http://www.handzambia.org
Email: handzambia@gmail.com
Emily Smith (President, International Relations Coordinator )
Jill Winger (Marketing Coordinator, Vice President)
Kimberly Lewis (Fundraising Coordinator)
Andrew Gross (Financial Coordinator)
