GVN Foundation

Keep up to date!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:40:00 +0000

Here at GVN Foundation, a large majority of our work revolves around a global fundraising campaing called Eat So They Can, which many of you will have heard of. Preparations for the 2011 Eat So They Can campaign are well under way, and we are looking forward to what will hopefully be a very successful rest of the year.

We just thought we should let you all know that the best way to get all the news on what is happening at GVN Foundation and Eat So They Can is to follow the Eat So They Can blog, Twitter, or Facebook page. Links to each of these can be found below.

Thanks, and have a great weekend!

http://blog.eatsotheycan.org/
http://twitter.com/#!/EatSoTheyCan
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eat-So-They-Can/107563699287923

Mission: Accomplished!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:13:00 +0000

We finished! After some serious "hills" (right Andrea? HILLS, not mountains, just tell yourself hills!) yesterday we completed the cycling portion of the trip. Ending in Hoi An, the cyclists were enthusiastically greeted by the cycling support crew with banners and champagne to congratulate every rider as he/she arrived. As my injury had caused one butt-cheek to double in size, I was unable to ride and was waiting to toast the riders as they came in.

Champagne finish for the cyclists!

Our "tourist" day in Hoi An started the following morning with a short tour of the city; Hoi An was a very busy commercial port in the 16th and 17th centuries and merchants from Japan, China, Holland, India all came here to trade. Almost all of architecture including streets, ports, and civil and religious buildings are still intact. Hoi An is also well known for their amazing tailors and seamstresses. Many tourists come here with an idea in mind they pull from a magazine and see it come to life, custom-fit for their shape.

Woman at the market in Hoi An, Vietnam

The afternoon was left open with the purpose of allowing everyone to run errands, shop for souvenirs and tour the city at their own pace. Another tempting option was to head to the beach or get a massage! This was the last night with our amazing cycling support crew so of course a nice dinner followed by a little Vietnamese accoustic singing and a spontaneous performance by our favorite male cyclists, Steve and John which left us...um...speechless, we went to bed with the realization that though the heat and long days of cycling were a challenge, we were leaving with new friends and a mission, accomplished!

Caitie Goddard

Day 7: Banh Mi and Babies!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:30:00 +0000

The morning started with our first banh mi opla experience. Banh Mi Opla (pronounced 'bahn me o-plah') is a traditional Vietnamese breakfast sandwich sold on virtually every corner. It usually consists of 2 eggs inside a baguette along with the option of beef, cucumber, tomato, and cilantro topped with soy sauce. It's delicious! We sat down in a Vietnamese café and enjoyed being the only tourists in the entire place. The other must-try treat of Vietnam is their coffee, much different than a Western style morning brew. There are 2 traditional options; café Saigon (iced espresso with condensed milk) or café da (espresso on ice with sugar) Both will have your heart pumping and enough energy to last for hours. Fully fueled, we were ready to head to the Tam Ky Baby Orphanage. I knew I'd probably have to drag a few cyclists out once they got to meet the kids!

Natasha and Steve demonstrating proper Bahn Mi Opla form

Since I had a minor (minor mom, MINOR) incident a few days earlier, I was out of commission for the biking aspect and arrived early to the Orphanage. I wish the cyclists could have seen the massive effort the caretakers made to have the kids ready to greet everyone as they cycled up to the door! Unfortunately, the attention span of 1-5 year old kids is the same across cultures and continents and after realizing that the van is a biiiit faster than cyclists, the enthusiastic greeting had to be forgotten.

After 5 minutes, the only 2 curious kids left!

When the cyclists did arrive, the attention returned fully and I'm sure we'd all like to believe these young children were so enraptured with us due to our incredible athletic accomplishment or our wonderful fundraising initiatives but I have a feeling it was more the frozen yogurt and stickers that came with us. Shireen's clever idea to brings heaps of stickers and the bikers handing out yogurts to each and every kid meant we again were the stars! After helping everyone to their snacks, it was time to head in and learn more about the kids and the Orphanage they call home.

Betsy and her new admirer

The Tam Ky baby orphanage houses roughly 35 children ages 0-6 from around Vietnam. The term "orphan" is used in Vietnam to indicate a child either has no parents or 1 parent still alive. For many single parents or children raised by extended family, especially those living and working in the countryside, they cannot afford to take care of their children and realize they have a better opportunity and quality of life if they are in an orphanage. The bad news is that not all orphanages are well taken care of or have enough staff to fully support the children. The good news is that the Tam Ky baby orphanage is not one of them! The ultimate goal for the Tam Ky baby orphanage is for every child to attend and complete elementary school while still in the orphanage. GVN Vietnam sends volunteers to the orphanage to provide vitamins, extra food and to teach English and music. Part of the fee volunteers pay also helps to cover the salary of the teachers and nurse. What I'm so excited about is that through the fundraising efforts of the cyclists, further educational and medical needs of the children will be met. Their hard work will change the lives of 35 children who deserve the very best foundation for their future!

Still trying to figure out how to sneak this one home with me!

Caitie Goddard
GVN Foundation
Program Development Coordinator

To support the children we are fund-raising for, click here!

Day 6: Not Everyone is a Cycling Fan!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:28:00 +0000

We've never felt so welcomed!

After three very tough days cycling hundreds of kilometers, I think everyone was excited to have a "light" day of cycling and meet more of the children their fundraising supports! We started off the day cycling to Little School where we could not have asked for a better greeting. Dressed in some of their best outfits, the children showed off their talents including singing and dancing for all of us. It was hard not to be impressed. Well choreographed routines by children younger than half my wardrobe were amazing! It was also a wonderful opportunity to see how talented and creative these kids are.

Jazz hands!

Some of the funding raised from the cyclists will go to support nutrition programs at the Little School. Perhaps for some, this might be the one meal a day that provides needed vitamins and protein to help them concentrate, stay active and give them the best opportunity to learn. The staff and students really showed their appreciation and in turn, were a bit...impressed themselves; it seems the idea that we chose to bike when we can afford a motorbike or car does not always translate. "So you sweat and bike for hours when you could afford to just get a taxi and get to the next spot in an hour?" While the staff appreciated our contribution and enthusiasm, I think we also left them with the impression that we are a bit crazy!

I don't see this working out...

Our next stop was the Home of Affection where we met with disabled children who will receive funding for a food program including daily milk and fruit to increase the nutritive content they receive. We had a chance to meet 2 GVN volunteers who have spend over a month working with these kids as well as their 24/7 caretakers who have a very challenging job of making sure these children are loved and taken care of. I think everyone left feeling fortunate for their health and by comparison, wealth- but also with the sense that it is absolutely possible to make an impact in the lives of others!

Joy spreading her contagious enthusiasm to the kids!

With a bit more biking to do (and I'm happy to report at this point we now refer to a "bit" as being 40km!) everyone jumped back on their bikes to finish out the day's cycling. It was one of our longest days as after cycling for a few hours, we jumped in the vans to head to Tam Ky where further project visits and cycling awaits! I believe the several hour trip was a memorable one for all and while I take the blame for the music (who burns 5 cds and accidently makes them all the same? What can I say, it's a talent) I will not take the blame for the van to van theft of cold drinks. Vietnam has no rule on beverages while NOT driving (we never condone drinking and driving!!) so the trip was much more entertaining as a result. "Oi Joy Oi!"

We know how to ride hard but we also know how to rest hard!

To support our cycling trip and donate to the Children's Fund, please visit http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/projects/vietnam/

Caitie Goddard
Program Development Coordinator
GVN Foundation

Day 5: All's well till.....

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:31:00 +0000

Note: Due to lack of internet, and the whole "cycling" thing, all posts are delayed. This post was written by Jen Flynn, co-leader of the cycling challenge with GVN Foundation's Caitie Goddard

Well, we all knew there would be some hills on this bike trek but REALLY??? We drove out from the hotel to bypass some dangerous spots along Hwy 1 and dropped out bikes about 20 km out from our first 'hill'. (we refused to call anything a mountain just for psychological reasons!) Once our legs were warmed up from the semi flat riding, we approached our first 'hill' - the smaller of the two.

Pep talk time! Guys, this "hill" might be tough...

Hill #1 was a challenge in itself, partly because you don't know how steep or long it is... There are continuous curves that make you think you've just hit the peak, then surprise..... more climbing. But we all conqured the hill and felt great! Despit the heat, we were ready for our biggest challenge yet - Hill #2. This hill took every ounce of power and determination.. you know it's steep when you can out pedal a semi truck that is struggling to make it to the top! I think my average speed up this hill was about 7 km/hr... I went through all my Kick Butt Music to make it up - Mostly following Steven and Mr. Khai we finally made it up to the summit! High fives all around... then just moments later - we got to enjoy the massive downhill! I'll admit, I hit the brakes more than once to ensure I'd stay on the road at the turns but it was an awesome downhill.

Bike tour leader and cycling guides get tired too!

Upon reaching the flats - we were able to see once again the beautiful scenery of Vietnam - the rice fields, old women drying rice (still in the husks) out in the road, the kids biking to school and the water buffalo in the fields. As some of us were resting about 10 km or so after the downhill, we got a call from Caitie about an accident that occurred just up the road. Caitie had been biking alone for a bit and had been hit from behind by a drunk moto driver! By the time we got to her, the police and ambulance had arrived and they were 'marking the scene' with white paint to show where Caitie's bike and the moto lay, the man's body (he wound up being ok after a trip to the hospital), his shoes and Caities 'stuff' that flew from her bike. Thankfully, Caitie was ok - VERY bruised and scraped up but otherwise very lucky.

Miiiiles and miles of rice fields!

This was our only real scary event of the trip - despite losing Joy for about an hour - Hey - if you're gonna have a big day, let's make it a good one huh?? (So said Joy upon reaching the hotel....) Oi troi oi!!

After quick showers and an intro from Mr. Viet the E.D. of GVN Vietnam, it was time to introduce the bikers to the kids!! We arrived at the Tuy Hoa Home of Affection 5pm to about 40 kids who clapped and cheered for all of us. Three kids sang some songs and danced and we saw the results of sponsorship from donors around the world who are paying $300 USD per year to sponsor these kids. Many started their lives in broken homes and wound up out of school and working on the streets as young as 6 yrs old. They did everything from beg for money to collect recycled cans to peddle lottery tickets. Thanks to the sponsors, they are OFF the streets and not only in public schools but also attending night school to catch up on VN subjects and to learn English from GVN Vietnam volunteers. The bikers raised money and some of the funds are going toward school supplies and dinner that is served 3 x per week at this school.

Cyclists at GVN supported Home of Affection

After the meet n greet, we all 11 bikers, staff and 40 kids - went across the street to the fresh spring roll shop and stuffed ourselves for an hour! Eating with the kids is a treat as they love to make the rolls for their guests and see just how many we can eat! We finished the night on a yacht (bear in mind, this IS Vietnam) drinking beer and vodka, getting to know each other better and celebrating our accomplishments thus far.

Cyclist Natasha at dinner with 2 new friends!

To support the children we are fund-raising for, click here!

Day 4: Meet the Cyclists

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:26:00 +0000

Cycling wise, today was the hardest day of our trip. Waking up in Phan Tiet we started out the morning with another delicious Vietnamese style breakfast including noodles, rice, an assortment of meats and stews and the only thing familiar to me-the omelette station! Battling whether to try everything and fill up for the ride or eat in moderation, I went with Steve’s mantra of “time for another plate” and enjoyed 2!

Ready for our longest cycling day!

Biking started out exactly how it finished yesterday; right outside of the hotel. Everyone hopped on their bikes and cycled out of the gates to begin over 6 hours on the roads. The middle of the day from about 11:30-2:00 is extremely hot so our goal was to accomplish about 80 kilometers in the morning, before the heat set in. Along with guides who ride in the front and back, a routine has been established; for the first 20 minutes, we ride as a pack with everyone going about the same pace. Soon Steve, the aptly nicknamed, “the mayor” (for not only his physical stature but also his tendency to wave to everyone he sees in the villages we pass) breaks away from the pack and pedaling at half the speed as everyone else, still manages to double our pace. Following behind is you'll find:

Super-athlete Shireen who humbly states that she’s not that fit because the triathlon she did was in November and since then, she’s ONLY done a 50 mile run. No, not 50 miles total, 50 miles ALL AT ONCE.

Group leader Jen who claims she is out of shape or "not as young anymore" but will come out of nowhere and lead the pack for miles.

Our portable computer technician John who consistently plugs along, always near the front.

Narelle AKA “Lance” who you won’t see for miles until a massive hill comes along and all of a sudden while you are giving all your energy just to keep pedaling, she will blow by you as if she’s on a flat surface and smile while at it.

I’m usually somewhere in this group pretending I belong. Rounding up the group are:

Determind Natasha, our youngest team member who even after suffering from the heat, jumped back into it and never loses her smile.

My personal hero Betsy who although one of the older team members, is always willing to go and give it a shot, never complaining and even mastering some serious hills!

Event attired Joy who has been in enough running and cycling events that every day she has on another example of how awesomely involved and sporty she is and an explanation of how she supported one cause or another through her efforts.

Barbie professor Andrea, who not only loves to coordinate her outfits and have a great tan but also has to think about which of the 6 tops schools she wants to go to for her MBA all while going through an intense physical challenge. Oh, and she dances and sings while biking too. This girl does everything!

Following the group in one of the support vans is Kate, a former GVN Vietnam volunteer and nurse from Australia who not only cheers and supports us for every kilometer but also brought her med kit, drugs (the legal ones) and an amazing assortment of trail mix, gummies and muesli bars to keep us going. All cyclists should be so lucky to have themselves a Kate. We are a very fortunate group!

The routine includes 1-2 hours of biking followed by a short break including a fill-up on water bottles and snacks before heading out again. Mastering 80 kilometers in 35 degree heat, we hopped in the van for lunch on the go and headed to the afternoon portion of cycling.

Appearances are deceiving. At this point I was exhausted!

The afternoon involved us having to make some tough decisions: while we wanted to push ourselves and ride as long as possible, we were also aware that we had a limited time before it became dark and cycling became more dangerous in the cities. For the mayor, this was not a problem. This former professional rugby player could have been (and probably still has some potential) to become a professional cyclist. Determined to ride until we dragged him in or he reached the next hotel, we dropped him off early. Another group, including myself, ventured out at the next drop-off point to cycle another 45 km until reaching Nha Trang and the third group went to the 25 km mark. All groups (and Steve) managed to make it back to the hotel before it got too dark and to be honest, I think we were all pretty impressed with ourselves and proud we had toughed out a very challenging day!


Steve and Shireen, ready for any challenge!

Caitie Goddard

GVN Foundation

Program Development Coordinator

To support the children we are cycling for, click here!

Day 3: I'm Basically Professional

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Our first day of cycling! Waking up we grabbed a quick breakfast and jumped into the van to head about 2 hours out of the city, away from the busy Saigon traffic. Around 9:30, we arrived at a small village where we finally got introduced to our bikes and had adjustments made to get ready for a looong day. Feeling very "cycly" in my outfit and gloves, I didn't really think anything of the people who brought their own pedals and shoes. My thought was it seemed kind of like wearing sweat bands in basketball; adds some style but can't help much, right? I'll continue this thought process later.


Shireen doing some pre-bike shopping

Mr. Tuan, our incredible cycling tour guide had made the very wise decision to have us ride only about 20km before stopping for lunch and to make sure the bikes were adjusted properly and everyone felt comfortable. This allowed the group to make some minor changes including adjusting seats and handlebars before setting our for another 60+ km in the afternoon. Lunch was amazing; we ate at a restaurant overlooking the South China Sea and the whole group had an hour to eat and digest. In order to get all our riding done for the day, we had to cycle through the middle of the day (over 35 degrees!) and it. was. tough! It's one thing to sweat like crazy in spin class and curse the instructor for the continued scream to "challenge yourself! go up one!" thereby implying the resistance you're at where you're legs are hardly moving is just not difficult enough. It's another to be pedaling along for miles with the hot sun in your face and no end in sight. I never thought I'd say this but I missed my "45 minutes and done" spin class!


Lunch overlooking the South China Sea

I think there were three things that kept our entire group going today: knowing we had the support of family and friends back home, the encouragement from our support crew enthusiastically waving red flags at every intersection we came to with shouts of encouragement and the promise that a pool and wonderful dinner was waiting for us at the end!

The highly anticipated pool!

To return to my naive and I'll admit, ignorant opinion of personal bike pedals (in my defense, it does sound a bit silly, right? Personal pedals?) here is what I learned (sigh)

- If you choose to bike hundreds of miles, personal bike pedals are great. No, fantastic. So are straps. So are bike shoes. Real ones not sneakers. Would you play a serious soccer/football match without cleats?

- Without something holding your foot securely to the pedal, it would be easy to slip off the pedal and send your foot into the wheel. Not so likely to happen on a trip around the block, but on a longer ride, when you're tired.

- There is actually a correct place to put your foot on the pedal if you want to transfer power correctly. And believe me, 20+ miles in, that is exactly what you want to do.

- As Jen put it after I asked her why she wore real cycling shoes, "I should be 1/3 less tired than you at the end of the day." Greeeeaaaat.

- You look more serious in bike shoes. And looking more serious sometimes leads to feeling more serious.

Don't they look serious?

Lesson learned: delayed, but certainly learned. Now I'm ready for day 2!

Caitie Goddard
GVN Foundation
Program Development Coordinator

To support the children we are fund-raising for, click here!

Day 1: A Bit of History and Claustrophobia in One!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Note: Due to a lack of internet availability and our reasonably early start times (we are hardcore here!) these posts are a bit delayed!

The official start of the 2011 Cycling Challenge began this morning with an introduction from Jen and I welcoming everyone to Vietnam and thanking our amazing group for their hard work and fundraising efforts to make this possible! Mr .Tuan, our cycling expert and organizer went over all the necessary safety rules and regulations to prepare everyone for the experience. Luckily for those still recovering from jetlag (including Andrea who had a 48 hour experience to get to Vietnam,) that was all the cycling action we had planned for the day! A city tour was organized so everyone could learn a bit more about the country and history. We visited the former presidential palace where during the Vietnam War, the front gate was smashed down by a North Vietnamese tank. That tank is now a historical artifact on the front lawn. It was amazing to walk through the palace, now a tourist site only and try to imagine what it would have been like making decision that would effectively change the course of your country's history within those walls.

A bit small for a home, don't you think?

After our tour of the palace, a visit to the War Remnants Museum and a massive street market was planned. However, several of us (myself included) really wanted to visit the Cu Chi tunnels, the unbelievable 250 km maze of underground tunnels the Viet Kong called home for years. The experience is one I will never forget; our guide began the tour showing us various traps used by the Viet Kong to injure and kill American soldiers. To put it bluntly, it was terrifying. Their guerilla warfare tactics were we clever and well disguised, I can’t imagine what it must have been like to walk through the jungle trying to anticipate these traps! The trap below would not only puncture the bottom of your foot, it would also make it impossible to get out without severely injuring your leg!

Hidden under brush, these are unnoticeable!

Once we were properly intimidated, we had the opportunity to actually go inside the Cu Chi tunnels. At almost 5’10” I’m nearly double the size of some of the men and women of the Viet Cong. It was obvious as soon as we got underground, the magnitude of not only building these tunnels, but living in them. To be honest, the other thought I had was what a fantastic thigh workout! If you are not familiar with these tunnels, just imagine duck walking (essentially a squat and walk idea) in order to move. To make it more unbelievable, our guide mentioned the tunnels had been widened to make it possible for Western tourists to go inside! Even someone with a mild case of claustrophobia would be panicking inside these tunnels that once had up to 16,000 people living and working in them!

John barely fitting into one of the entrances to the Cu Chi tunnels!

Properly shocked and awed, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for a group dinner. Our first night together found us eating several dishes of traditional Vietnamese food at Restaurant 19. Another interesting fact we learned is how many of the restaurants get their names. The naming of restaurants, at least what we’ve seen in Ho Chi Minh, is far from creative. The number of the building becomes known as the name of the restaurant. I’m happy to say the food had a bit more creativity than the name and everyone left full and satisfied!

For everyone it’s an early night-115km tomorrow!

Caitie Goddard
GVN Foundation
Program Development Coordinator/Enthusiastic Cyclist

Interested in supporting the children we are riding for? Please visit http://www.gvnfoundation.org/gvn_changemakers/international_fundraisers/vietnam/caitie

Why We Decided To Drive to Saigon

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:45:00 +0000

***Note: Due to lack of internet and facebook being off-limits (communist country!) these posts are not from the same day posted)

The title of the blog is misleading because I actually don't really have an answer to that. Why did we choose to drive from Da Nang to Saigon to get ready for the cycling challenge when we could have hopped on a 1 hour flight? Uh...right. Oh well, we’re heeeeere! 21 hours, 5 ‘café Saigons’ and 2 well played cds later, Jen, Mr. Hoa (the driver) and I have arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, the city we will begin our cycling challenge in! Both Jen and I flew into Da Nang, the headquarters of GVN Vietnam and where many of the schools are orphanages we work with are located. Without thinking, I enthusiastically agreed with Jen that, “yes, driving down to Ho Chi Minh sounds great! We can catch up and go over the itinerary!” Helloooo understatement of the year! 21 hours gave me enough time to not only catch up with Jen but read an entire book, catch up on jetlag for the rest of my life and enjoy the 5 cds I made that actually turned out to have loaded all the same songs. 'You Shook Me All Night Long' played an unhealthy amount of times.

19 hours into our journey, stopping for lunch. Does Jen's face reveal her enthusiasm?

Once we maneuvered for 21 hours through the “speedy” 40km/hr traffic (yes, really) we arrived at the Saigon Hotel and were once again assured we were going to have an amazing experience; thanks to Mr. Tuan, our cycling challenge Vietnam coordinator, we are staying at a nice hotel in a wonderful location in the city. Most of the participants are already here or will be arriving today and we bumped into 3; John from London, UK, Natasha from Canada and Steve from Australia so we decided to all head to lunch together, and for some, experience Vietnamese food for the first time.

Instead of going one of the the numerous tourist locations, we found a great small traditional Vietnamese restaurant and within 5 minutes of ordering, the food started coming out. Knowing we weren’t locals, Mama came over and showed us how to eat every single plate that came out. She went so far as to take our chopsticks for us and put the food into our bowls, seasoning it to ensure the perfect taste. The best part was when a soup came out and each of us were given small bowls to divide up the larger bowl in the middle. Everyone that is, except Steve. Steve is everything a Vietnamese man is not; tall, very muscular and pale. Mama Vietnam took a special liking to him and instead of getting a small bowl, he was just given an entire big bowl for himself! It was a great start to the trip and an opportunity to meet some of the participants for some good food and conversation.

I’ve met a few of the other participants by now and am getting excited for the trip that will have us completely exhausted but experiencing some of the most amazing and best parts of Vietnam. Vietnam Cycling Challenge 2011-here we come!

Caitie Goddard

Padded Bike Shorts Are Not an Option and Other Valuable Lessons

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 12:51:00 +0000

I leave in less than 10 hours for Vietnam and the beginning of what I think will be an experience of a lifetime. I'm excited to meet the participants and catch up with Jen Flynn, the other cycling leader. I'll spend a few days with Jen and Viet, the Director of GVN Vietnam preparing for the trip and going over all the bits and pieces to make sure we are ready however I already know that there is no way to prepare for everything and we are going to just, "go with the flow" and enjoy the ride :)

Preparing to leave for Vietnam has been a mission; only 2 weeks ago I actually had enough time to look over the 'what to bring' list and realized that um...hello! I'm going CYCLING for over 500 kilometers! I may want to buy some bike gear! Until that point, my standard spin class and cycling attire was leggings or shorts and a tshirt, not exactly ideal for riding long distances. I started to look around for possible places to buy affordable but good quality gear and yet again, I was reassured there are some generous people in the world when I walked into Cycle Science!

Wandering in on my lunch break, I think they instinctively knew I needed help and someone was with me in seconds. I explained that I was an athlete but a novice bike rider about to embark on a trip that would have me drenched in sweat and sore everywhere. "Oh ok, so do you have some good gloves and a top with spf" "No. I have soccer shorts and t-shirts from high school." This is the point that Stewart proved he knew his stuff. He took me over to the bike short rack and explained the difference in quality and style. Who knew you can bike shorts for over your other bike shorts so you look a bit more normal walking around town? I always knew it might be a bad idea to walk around wearing padded spandex but I never thought there was a solution-genious!

Light blue and butterflies-not your average cycling kit!

Stewart was extremely helpful but he saved the best part for last; I mentioned it was for a charity bike ride and told him more about the trip when he seemed interested. Next thing I know, he tells me that he will sell me the Cycle Science designed kit for half price. HALF PRICE-whooopeee! Not only was I excited about getting a discount (I work for a non-profit, this is HUGE people) but I was also excited to get the women's kit designed by an actual employee! How cool is that? Overall this was an exciting and very positive start to this cycling challenge and also to my bank account. Thank you Cycle Science for your generosity and willingness to support GVN Foundation-you guys are amazing!

The designer at the shop. (I made him do this!)

It's Been Awhile!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:58:00 +0000

For all of our dedicated followers (Hi mom!) and those who stumble onto our blog, you maaaay have noticed we haven't posted in awhile! No excuses but there have been some pretty important things we've been doing-like working hard on our Eat So They Can campaign for 2011 and blogging about our amazing distribution trip to Kenya this April! We've also been busy in the office with lots of changes and new things happening.


From Ho Chi Minh to Hoi An...yikes!

However, we're done with the excuses and we're back into it! Next week will be my last week in the office before I head to Vietnam to ~~survive~~ enjoy a cycling challenge that will take our group from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An. Along the way, we will have the opportunity to have lunch and meet many of the children supported by the Children's Fund all cyclists have contributed to. My partner in crime is Jenny Flynn, former operations manager for GVN Vietnam and one of the most passionate and dedicated women I have met trying to do her part to give these kids a chance at a challenging but fulfilling life. We've decided that we're going to make an effort to blog throughout the trip to keep you updated on how we're going and share some of our experiences with you!


Jen and I last year in Vietnam on a much easier bike ride!

"The Biggest Barrier to Creating Change is not Giving Yourself Permission"

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:43:00 +0000


Dr. Bill Drayton (photo courtesy of Annie Escobar)

Courtney Montague is GVN Foundation's Executive Director and simultaneously completing her Master's Program as a Reynold's Fellow at New York University. We know that she'd never brag, so we'll do it for her! The Reynold's Fellowship is highly competitive where the final applicants are flown to New York for personalized interviews. Scholars come from all over the world and are involved in everything from engineering to drama and art. Once you get in the program, the magic happens. From spending time in developing countries learning about fertilization techniques to visiting the Supreme Court chambers and working alongside Harvard Fellows discussing current events, the program provides their students ample opportunity to gain footholds in the international development field. One such opportunity occurred just recently when The NYU Reynold's Program hosted Dr. Bill Drayton for a series of events. Dr. Bill Drayton is the founder of Ashoka, an organization whose mission is " to shape a global, entrepreneurial, competitive citizen sector: one that allows social entrepreneurs to thrive and enables the world’s citizens to think and act as changemakers." Courtney was able to interview Dr. Drayton and wanted to share some tips she received!

1. The Biggest Barrier to Creating Change is Not Giving Yourself Permission

Our biggest barrier to creating change is actually ourselves. Dr. Drayton advises, “All those people who tell you you can’t do things. Be polite; but ignore them.” So stop listening to the naysayers. Allow yourself to look at a problem, develop a large scale solution, implement that solution and then constantly refine it as you work to change the system. Give yourself permission to be great, and just go do it.

2. Collaborative Entrepreneurship is Key

“We’ve learned (at Ashoka) how to create the most powerful force in the world- collaborative entrepreneurship.”

Five years after receiving an Ashoka Fellowship an average of 97% of Ashoka Fellows are still working on their project, 88% of their projects/organizations have been copied and 55% have changed government policy. These are extremely powerful people, correcting ineffective systems or simply creating new ones. Dr. Drayton explained that when these visionaries work in teams they have an even greater exponential effect on changing a particular system.

3. Learn it Young

Dr. Drayton also emphasized how incredibly important it is for children and young adults to learn that they can create change. Most, if not all, of Ashoka’s fellows started their changemaking path very early in life and can trace when their hunger for change first began. He noted how those experiences, at a young age, serve to enforce a person’s empathy, their confidence and helped to develop their changemaking skill set. This idea forms the basis of Ashoka’s Youth Venture Program. A program designed to give young people an opportunity to implement their vision of change and learn the associated skills before the age of 20.

So the next time you are working with a youngster, whether they’re your student or your younger brother, try to create conditions whereby they can realize their power to change the world.

4. Times are Changing and Everyone is a Changemaker

Dr. Drayton firmly believes that society’s traditional hierarchal structure, in which most of the world’s resources are concentrated in the hands of a few, is quickly disintegrating. As information technologies shrink the boundaries between cultures and countries Dr. Drayton firmly believes that the world will soon be a much ‘flatter’ place (I mean he’s right- just look at Egypt). And those who cling to the old, hierarchal way of doing things will be lost along the way. He emphasizes the need for the world to change into a place where ‘everyone is allowed to be a changemaker.’ From businesses that allow each employee, from the janitor to the CEO, to voice their vision for the company’s future to a country’s democratic, government structure, Dr. Drayton believe it is time we embrace every person’s voice.

To see more amazing photos from Annie Escobar, please visit her website, ListenIn Pictures and learn more about her desire to use photography to assist non-profits in spreading their message.

"Together We Can Make a Difference"

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:25:00 +0000


Volunteers at Happy Life Children's Home, Kenya

Every once in awhile we receive an amazing message from one of our partners telling us about a great project they are working on and how funds from our amazing donors have contributed to it's completion. Our most recent comes from Rosemary Kamau from Kenya. I wanted to let Rosemary share in her own words what having hardworking and caring volunteers coupled with donations meant to her and the children:

Kind regards. My name is Rosemary Kamau from Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi Kenya. HLCH is a home for abandoned babies which was started in 2002, with the sole aim of rescuing abandoned babies. These are babies who are abandoned mostly immediatley after birth in different places and at times in very harsh conditions. Most of the children we have cared for have been adopted into families, both locally and internationally, but others remain under our care and we still admit others every other time. We would also want to appreciate GVN partnership for the continued support by sending different volunteers over the years. These volunteers have been of great help since the work we do is a lot, taking care of very young children. Thanks also for all the donations you have given to the children and on behalf of every child I say thank you.

Tallest to shortest, and smile!

May you continue with the good work you are doing as you support the needy and offer that helping hand, 'together we can make a difference.'

As Rosemary stated, we really appreciate your support for all of our projects and thank you for "being the change you wish to see in the world!"

Caitie Goddard
GVN Foundation
Programs Development Coordinator

And I Thought Fundraising Was Hard!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:12:00 +0000

This April, I am going to voluntarily submit my body to a level of discomfort I haven't felt since my days playing college basketball. And...I'm going to love it. From April 14-23rd, I'm biking from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An, Vietnam in the spring heat and doing it for charity. In fact, spring heat might correctly paint the picture. Stand in the bathroom with the hot water blasting from the shower and as the room steams up start running in place. Imagine doing that for several hours a day and that is more like a spring cycling challenge in Vietnam! I'd like to say I'm prepared (not yet) and I've done this before (does spin class count?) but in all honesty, this is going to be a CHALLENGE!

The adventure began when I met a former operations manager at GVN Vietnam and now good friend while at a Be The Change conference in Taupo, New Zealand. We're both athletes, and we started chatting about some of the treks GVN runs to support projects in the local communities. She loved the idea of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds for GVN Foundation's partner in Kenya, Mt. Everest for Nepal, and Machu Picchu for Peru but her heart is in Vietnam and well, there aren't exactly massive mountains to tackle. "What are 'we' going to do about it," was her next question. As soon as she posed the "we," I knew I was in trouble.

Spending the next week with someone who literally glows (eyes widen, smile pops out, the works) when talking about the children in Vietnam, there was no way I wasn't going to help! We started brainstorming about alternative ideas that would pose a challenge but in a way that in the end, every single person could walk away feeling an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and pride in their efforts. Most importantly, proud of their efforts to raise funds to support a better life for some very deserving children!

As with all other treks, a major component to the trip is the fundraising aspect. Prior to arrival participants are responsible for raising $USD2,000 and we encourage all participants, even if they can afford it themselves, to engage their family, friends and community in the effort to spread the word and let others know about the incredible effort they are undertaking! If you're like me, you're happy to support your friends and family who are willing to go through the ringer for something they believe in (my most recent friend ran her amazing 5th marathon for charity...ridiculous, Brooke Alston!) but when you donate, you want to know they are serious and this is important to them!

Therefore, 540 kilometers of sweat and hard work will hopefully show these participants are serious: they are flying to Vietnam, taking vacation time away from home and hopping on a bike for more than 500 kilometers (think of it like this: If cycling 20 km/hr, they will be on a bike from the time you wake up tomorrow until the time you wake up the next day and still not be finished! I don't know about you but I couldn't even watch The Office for that many hours without feeling like I was participating in something grueling!) because they want to make a difference. By difference, I don't mean drop a dress-size (although hey, I'm not going to lie and say that isn't something I'm hoping I'll accomplish!) but profoundly change the lives of children that given the opportunity, will change the future.

There are a few self-motivated reasons I'm participating on this trip that include having the opportunity to really "see" the lush and beautiful country-side of Vietnam, finishing the trip off with some very well-made clothes tailored just for me and my goal to feel my muscles fully relaxed by a massive massage as a reward for roughly 1/6 the price I would pay in New Zealand. However, much more than that I get the opportunity to meet amazing like-minded individuals who appreciate what they have and want to provide that opportunity for others. I'm really proud to be doing this trip and so excited. Knowing that when we've completed this challenge, we will have contributed to nutritional programs to help the children grow physically and mentally and supported the work of the centers that care for children with disabilities makes me so happy. These are the motivating factors that get me to the gym at 6am to train!

If this sounds like something you're up for or if you want to accompany a friend/partner but just be on the support crew that rides in the nice air-conditioned vehicle, visits the projects, but doesn't have to cycle, leave a comment or visit the sign-up page for more information. Know a company who'd want to sponsor the trip? Send 'em my way and I'll take care of them :)

cảm ơn bạn (thank you!)

Caitie Goddard
GVN Foundation Programs Coordinator
Future Cycling Champion...or maybe just future cycler...

Knitting for the World; The Beanie Ladies!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:19:00 +0000

Recently, the staff at Global Volunteer Network and GVN Foundation had the privilege of welcoming 10 incredible women from various parts of New Zealand to the office for morning tea. For those who don't know the definition of morning tea, (I'm American and wondered why in the world we'd pause to all drink a cup of tea together!) 'tea' is not just a mug filled with a square packet of flavor but a simple word used to describe anything from a snack to an elaborate set-up of cakes, sandwiches, crackers, cheese, muffins, etc. There is, of course, tea as well!

Our morning tea was definitely along the lines of the elaborate set-up example because these women deserved nothing less! For 3 years now, they have decided to spend hours of their free time knitting clothing and toys for children around the world. It started with beanies, the little caps children wear to keep warm. Thousands of beanies have been delivered to Nepal, Peru, Kenya, Ethiopia, India, Rwanda, Honduras and Vietnam after a need was expressed in the communities. However, these ladies did not stop there. They began to get more creative and started knitting sweaters, booties and even teddy bears for the children! They work with the support of organizations that donate yarn and generous donors who fund the cost of the supplies.

They also rely on the amazing GVN volunteers to pack a few pieces in their luggage when they go! Diwen Cao, the Programs Support Administrator for GVN communicates with New Zealand volunteers before they leave for their placement and states, "a total of 48 New Zealand volunteers have taken at least 2kg of donations throughout the world. It's a huge testament to the volunteers and their willingness to help! Some are off for 3 months or more to foreign countries and every little bit suitcase is carefully used. Diwen says, "without the team of beanie ladies, staff at GVN and volunteers, none of this is possible. I read the responses of volunteers asked to help and it's always, 'I would be happy to take a 2kg bag with me to India,' or 'what a wonderful initiative! Yes, I am definitely keen to take some.' Together we are bringing love and warmth to children in need."

While the Foundation receives donations from all over the world and GVN places eager volunteers in Africa, Asia, the Americas and New Zealand, we rarely have opportunities to meet the amazing people that contribute to who we are. These ladies are fantastic individuals who have come together because they believe they have been given a lot in life and wanted a way to give support to others. Carol Pringle, the spokeswoman for the group told us, "some of us are meeting here for the first time. We work around the country and many of us work outside of our home communicating in email or over the phone. When someone needs more wool, I send it to them. We do it because we feel fortunate for what we have been given and feel it's just the right thing to do."

We love the beanie ladies and our volunteers who have helped the hand-knit goods reach their destination (and I love the much better-take on morning tea!) and want to say thank you for keeping us inspired and motivated to continue making a difference.

Happy Holidays :)

Caitie Goddard and the GVN Foundation Team

My Experience at Be the Change - Taupo, NZ 2010

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:13:00 +0000

Hi! My name is Emily Gregson, and I am from Montreal, Quebec. Just a few days ago I completed the week-long program Be the Change (BTC) of GVN. And I have to admit, signing up for that program was the smartest thing I've ever done.

Most people turn to BTC when they have an idea for a social entreprise (or an NGO or NPO) but no idea how to go about getting started. This program is perfect for that, as it provides all the necessary tools and ressources you could possibly need in the social entreprise industry, all in a great learning environment. It also provides you with a community of like-minded people to bounce ideas off of, as well as essential connections that are very hard to find otherwise. Many people also found the confidence they were lacking, which is very important because it takes courage to put such big ideas out into the world. There were information packed workshops, a variety of inspiring lecturers brought in, and stimulating interactive activities which were balanced with evenings of hiking, hot springs, and culture. The people who brought this all together (the facilitators) were some of the most inspiring, intelligent and compassionate people I've ever met.

I was a little different from the usual Be the changer, as in I did not come with a predetermined idea for starting my own entreprise, nor did I develop one in the duration of the program. That is because I don't see myself as an entrepreneur, but rather as a builder. A builder is someone who supports the entrepreneur, and takes care of the things that the big brain of the operation doesn't have time for. Here is a little of my background, and how I came to sign up for BTC;

Last fall I graduated from Vanier College in Montreal with no intentions of ever going back to school, mostly because I had no idea what to go back to school for. It only took a few months of being out of school and working for me to realize that University was my best bet, but I still had no idea what to study. I knew what I liked, and I knew what I didn't like, but still didn't know in which direction to proceed. My older sister, Annie, had just spent two months of her summer in Rwanda, volunteering with GVN. I had been interested in the idea of traveling abroad for a long time, but wanted to do something that would lead to more than just a quick volunteer jaunt. It was then that she brought my attention to the BTC program, and I realized that if there was any program that could set me on the right path, this was it.

BTC gave me the direction I needed, and now I have a definite plan for...well, for my life. I now know exactly what I want to study (which is Communications and Culture, at Concordia University with a minor in Finance, as well as learning Spanish) and where I want to go afterwards. That alone is priceless to me, and something I had been searching for a long time.

And that's not even the only thing I got from BTC! I now also have this amazing, international family that will push me (as I will push them) to achieve our goals and we will always have each other to turn to when the going gets rough. My week spent in the house with the eight other participants was such an enjoyable experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to help the world be a better place by going further than simply volunteering.

Go, Be the Change!

Ambos for Africa

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:34:00 +0000

I'd like to start this guest post written by Hannah Donald by sharing with you a bit about how we got to know more about her. Hannah Donald was named a runner-up in the GVN Scholarship search and after sharing her amazing story and goals for her future, we wanted to see how else we could help. Hannah is a singer and ambulance driver from New Zealand who is determined to make her way back to Africa and give her time and effort to help in communities that could use her expertise and experience. She is headed to Kenya next year with a friend to work in the Masailand in a medical project. Hannah is someone who has inspired and amazed us with her dogged determination to reach her goals. We asked Hannah to write a blog for the GVN Foundation and when we shared it with the office, Global Volunteer Network decided to use it on theirs as well! Hannah's attitude and zest for making her life the richest she can is inspiring!

"In Jan this year while working an unusually quiet Friday night shift at Manukau Ambulance Station, New Zealand, my co-worker Janelle (a paramedic) was talking about how she wanted to go overseas and volunteer in a third world country. I (Hannah, an Ambulance Officer) had already been on a volunteer trip to Ethiopia, Africa in 2004. It was the most life changing, heart breaking, challenging but best thing I have ever done and I have always wanted to go back! After talking more and more about the idea we jumped online to see what we could find. That's when we came across Global Volunteer Network. We read about a little medical clinic in the Massilands of Kenya, Africa and it sounded like the perfect place to go!! We both applied and were accepted the next day! Wow it all happened so fast. And so the fundraising journey begins and we have decided to call this little adventure "Ambos for Africa".

We are both really excited about this trip and have received so much support from friends, family, co-workers even people we have never meet but who really believe in what we are doing. Fundraising is hard work but we have to get the $14,000.00 from somewhere and that hard work is paying off. We are over 1/2 way there and with only 5 months to go we know we will get on that plane!!

Someone once said to me 'people are paying thousands to get out of Africa, why are you paying thousands to get in'? Its simple. I've already seen first hand the destruction of AIDS and lack of healthcare and I want to do my part in making a difference. I come from a very privileged country and I don't want to become someone who takes life for granted and forgets about those in need!" -Hannah Donald

Thank you for sharing Hannah and we wish you the best on your trip!

Lynette's first week at GVN Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Hi, my name is Lynette and I am currently interning at GVN Foundation as part of my Post Graduate Diploma in Development Studies, which I am doing through Victoria University Wellington. One of my papers is to do an internship with an NGO (Non Government Organisation). This not only gives me experience in the industry I want work in but also helps out an NGO with no cost to them, so it’s definitely a win win situation for each party.

I met Eliza and Caitie when they came to Victoria to do a presentation on GVN Foundation and GVN. It was a great presentation, especially as I did not know about the Foundation and they also introduced me to Eat So They Can campaign. They were very friendly and open and it was clear that they loved their jobs and were passionate about what the Foundation and GVN are doing. It is amazing what information and knowledge you can gain just by turning up somewhere to hear a talk; sometimes it can even change your life, or in my case where I would do my internship. I was a very cheeky student and used one of Eliza’s suggestions ‘Not to take no for an answer’, when I asked her if they needed an intern to help them with their workload. So after sending in my CV and Eliza checking on her side that having an intern would be of benefit and help ease their workload, it was all go and a date was agreed upon for me to start.

After nearly a year of being a student, adjusting to a normal working day hasn’t been too hard and I have been gradually introduced to ‘the working week’ as I started on a Wednesday. As the majority of the hosts of Eat So They Can have had their events in October, the donations are now flooding in which is brilliant. As a result my priority has been to processing these cheques and internet payments. This is important not only for the Foundation but also for the host of each event. A great part of processing the donations is the final step when the amounts raised are reflected on the host’s page. This means that the host can see how much has been raised through their event. It has been great to process these donations as it illustrates how generous and caring people are and that this is being translated into funds that will go to important projects to assist those in need.

As part of my placement I will also be doing some work for GVN and I was lucky enough to share the experience of the current volunteers in the New Zealand Nature Programme based in Wellington. Volunteers can join the programme from 2 weeks to 3 months. The day I spent with them was a gorgeous Wellington day, hardly any wind (nearly unknown in this city!), beautiful blue skies and was lovely and warm. I was picked up at GVN offices in Lower Hutt by Ray (team leader) and her hardy band of 9 international volunteers and off we went to Breaker Bay to do weeding and then some coastal clean up work. The volunteers that I met on this project were from America, Switzerland and England and were a mix of ages and genders. They had had a very full week including trail construction and park maintenance within wildlife reserves and helping on a project to assist in controlling introduced predators for the protection of native wildlife. Very physical, varied and satisfying work I am sure. Their enthusiasm to get stuck in and take part in whatever activity they were asked to carry out was infectious and obvious to see.

We were greeted at our first site by local Wellington Councillor Ray Ahipene-Mercer who gave us information on the local area and its history. Ray is very involved in healing and conserving this area and it was wonderful to be given an insight into its history by a local. As I am from Dunedin and haven’t had much of a chance to explore around Wellington, the opportunity to get out and about last Friday with the volunteers was fantastic. This was then reinforced by the commitment of locals shown in this project to protect the beautiful surrounds of Wellington.

After the weeding, we had our break to eat our lunch while we sat on the rocks in the bay, enjoying the sun and sea and then it was off to do some coastal clean up. The clean up is not only to rid the beach and foreshore of rubbish so humans can enjoy the environment, but also for the animals we share this space with. I picked up a variety of items including plastic pens, bottle tops, empty biscuit containers and sadly quite a lot of broken glass. I was saddened that there was rubbish to pick up especially the glass as it is a danger to the health of both humans and wildlife. I was heartened by the fact that there are people willing to undertake the task of ridding the beach of rubbish. The experience has inspired me to take a leaf out of the volunteers’ book and I will be going out once a month to clean up a beach I walk on or a park I visit. We can all help our local community by taking some time out of our schedule to do something large or small to care for our environment. We all want to be able to enjoy the spaces around us, be it in a city or countryside and it does feel good to look after and respect the areas where we live and visit. Who knows, you could even increase your local community spirit by banding together and doing a small clean up once in a while.

We in New Zealand are known for our clean green image and we can keep true to this image. If everyone spared a small amount of time and effort to care for our environment, the task becomes a small and management one and not a monumental task that it may first appear to be. It was great to be given the opportunity to see how the local programme functioned if only for a day. There is nothing like experiencing something first hand to be able to understand it better and for me to understand how the local programme works.

So in a nutshell, my first week has been a great learning experience both inside the office and out. I have met some really great people who care for others and the environment and I am privileged to be part of such a great team if only for a little while.

ESTC goes global!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:38:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

It’s been all go in the Foundation office over the past few weeks with all our energy focused on Eat So They Can. We are so proud to tell you that this year is the first year in ESTC history that we have had events take place on all 7 continents of the world! From South African gumboot dancers performing in China to a bloody mary brunch on an American base in Antarctica, ESTC has truly become a global movement.

GVN Foundation’s own event took on a global theme this year with guests from all around the world enjoying Vietnamese food while listening to Congolese drum beats. We were proud to raise over $1,000 and spread the word to the Wellington region. Check out the video of our event here: http://vimeo.com/15916970

We are now into donation processing mode and fortunately have a wonderful new intern, Lynette Cochrane from Victoria University, to help us. Lynette started with us yesterday and is plowing her way through the incredible stack of donations… and still smiling! Thank you Lynette!

More soon,

Eliza

United Nations General Assembly

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 23:41:00 +0000

Whatever your politics are you have to give President Obama credit for being a charismatic and engaging speaker. I was fortunate to see him speak yesterday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

Walking to the UN yesterday morning was eerie. I’m now used to the honking, screaming, bustling, frenetic, yet somehow organized, streets of New York- it was peculiar to see only media vans and police cruisers on the street, and everywhere else UN dignitaries, staffers, and secret service.

The UN General Assembly Hall was packed and after navigating a mob scene to get into the actual General Assembly hall (people were frantic to get a glimpse of President Obama) I took my seat, put on my translator and sat back to take it all in. I’ve been in the UN before, but this time there was a kind of breathless electricity in the air- everyone was waiting for Obama speak. First we heard from the President of Peru, Alan Garcia who did a good job, I thought, of giving us concrete results regarding Peru’s work towards the achievement of the MDG’s. Since 2001 over 3.5 million people in his country have moved out of poverty, by 2021 Peru hopes that less than 10% of their population will still be living in poverty. Based on President Garcia's statistics, it certainly seems that Peru will meet their MDG goals.

The Chairman of Bosnia, the Prime Minister of Mongolia Nambaryn Enkhbayar and the Prime Minister of Micronesia Manny Mori were less compelling and, based on my interpretation of their speeches, unconvinced that the MDG’s were achievable for their countries. The Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Rasmussen focused on women’s rights as the key to the achievement of the MDG’s while the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK Nick Clegg sternly reprimanded those developed countries who have not kept their promise to financially support the MDG’s- a reprimand that was no doubt aimed at an American audience.

Directly after the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, President Obama strode onto the stage, amid raucous applause, shook the UN Secretariat General Ban Ki Moon’s Hand and began a 30 minute speech entirely from memory. Obama’s speech was filled with ‘classic American rhetoric’ (as one critic I just read put it) but this American was eating it up. He talked about the need to stop creating dependency through development and to start actually creating development through the promotion of entrepreneurship, economic prosperity and reducing corruption. Although these are the typical American lines when it comes to dealing with poverty, what heartened me, and made Obama’s words take on a new vibrancy, was the fact his administration is now launching a new US Global Development Policy. This is the first of its kind! With this policy it is my sincere hope that Obama has started walking the walk- instead of talking the talk like many of his predecessors.

Now am I sceptical about exactly what this means? Yes. Do I think that broad political statements get lost in the bureaucracy and the political power games of Washington? Sure do.

So why am I so darn excited?

The more the world’s leaders take active steps towards ending poverty:

1. The more the people of the nations around the world hold their leaders accountable for their promises.

2. The more people around the world become educated about development.

3. And, the more people around the world organize themselves to create change.

While there is a place for governments and their leaders to create change I believe that the responsibility for change ultimately rests with us- the people.

That is why Eat So They Can is so important. When you have an ESTC dinner you are joining a movement of people who believe poverty is wrong, and that poverty can be defeated. You are joining the Millennium Development Goal Movement and all of those leaders at the UN that are honestly working to create meaningful paths out of poverty for their people.

Thank you for joining us and the tens of thousands of others this October who are joining the fight.

Courtney Montague

Namaste!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:27:00 +0000

In just three weeks time I will be boarding a plane heading to Kathmandu, Nepal. I will be joined by two other GVN Reps, Erin Courtney and Paul Fletcher, and together we will be leading the Everest Base Camp Fundraising Trek! This excites me for about ten million reasons. I love Nepal, I love mountains, I love trekking, I love travelling, I love meeting new people, I love experiencing different cultures, and I especially LOVE visiting projects that GVN Foundation supports. I love visiting the kids and I also love visiting our partners who are working tirelessly on the ground to provide opportunities for the women and children they support.

Our inspiring partner organisation in Nepal is called Volunteer Service in Nepal (VSN). VSN works with hundreds of children in various orphanages in and around Kathmandu. They also run Brighter Future Children’s Home which supports 5 girls and 9 boys, aged from 7 to 17 years who live in the home. VSN opened Brighter Future Children's Home in 2004 and endeavour to provide the children with all their needs in order for them to become successful, compassionate adults and contribute positively to their community and country. During the past six years the VSN team have made an enormous difference in the lives of the children under their care and continue to work hard to realise their vision.

We have a team of 27 trekkers from around the globe and funds raised through the Everest Base Camp Trek will help ensure the children’s health, nutritional and educational needs are met.

I am so excited to meet the trekkers and share this incredible journey with them all. I already have the feeling that it is going to be ‘one of those’ life changing experiences. I am so thankful for this opportunity. I love my job!

I came across this lovely quote today when I was researching Nepal, which is linked to the birthplace of the Buddha.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Dalai Lama

I look forward to updating you from Nepal!

Namaste,

Lauren

p.s - By working with local partners GVN Foundation is able to have a direct impact on the day-to-day lives of hundreds of children in Nepal. If you can help by making a donation please visit the GVN Foundation website:

http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/projects/nepal/vsn/

Thank you Jordan Freda!

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:55:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

I would like to dedicate this blog post to an amazing guy called Jordan Freda. I met Jordan while I was working in Haiti this June. He was in Haiti for just a few days but he really immersed himself into the Haitian culture and jumped right into all the projects we were working on.

Jordan has since made an incredible educational travel series called Explore 22. The first episode is all about our work in Haiti. Jordan takes a look at the devastating damage of the earthquake with his own eyes while gaining insight into the realities of volunteering in the country among its people.

Please visit the Explore 22 website, watch the first episode, and sign up as an Explore22 fan! www.explore22.com

We are really grateful that Jordan is promoting GVN Foundation and Eat So They Can through his website. The GVN Foundation is working on a number of different projects in Haiti including schools, orphanages and community centers. Our main focus at the moment is on micro-grants which we provide to volunteers who wish to implement a project whilst in Haiti. These grants are an amazing way to utilize the skills and passion of volunteers and make sure that our donor’s funds are put to the best possible use.

We're also working to support Dr Robert's orphanage which is a project which I'm personally really attached to. The orphanage is located in Croix des Bouquets near Port Au Prince and was set up following the January 12 earthquake when thousands of children throughout Port Au Prince lost their families. We have set up a sponroship program for them here: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/gvn_changemakers/international_fundraisers/haiti/cdb/

A huge thank you to Jordan for helping us spread the word about our work in Haiti. Please support him by watching Explore22.

Have a great weekend,

Eliza

Eat So They Can and Vietnam

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:00:00 +0000

In May I had the privilege to visit our partner GVN Vietnam and spend some time at the projects in Da Nang and Tam Ky. While in both cities, I accompanied the GVN volunteers to the project sites and learned more about what they do on a daily basis and also saw what funds raised from Eat So They Can could do to support and improve the existing projects.

GVN Vietnam is over 5 years old and has helped close to 3,000 children and their families. They work in 3 cities; Da Nang, Tam Ky, and Tuy Hoa which are all supported by volunteers and funds from GVN Foundation's donors. I was lucky to be there for the May new volunteer orientation and see all the amazing people giving up their time to assist those less fortunate. Some of the volunteers had literally arrived hours earlier and looked a little overwhelmed (as anyone would be!) and tired. Others looked excited and enthusiastic if not slightly confused trying to meet everyone else and being bombarded with a Vietnamese, English and sometimes a mixture of both all around them.

I visited a majority of the placements and projects in both cities but I'd like to talk about one specifically; the disabled hospital in Tam Ky. My father is a director at an adult care facility that works with adults with disabilities to promote independant living. I worked there for a few summers when home from school and remember feeling frustrated and a strong feeling of unfairness that these men and women were given the so-called short end of the stick. Life can be challenging enough and for a variety of reasons, these men and women had to struggle physically and mentally to live their lives as independantly as possible. I always admired the staff who spent their lifetime empowering and encouraging others that they were important.

For these reasons, I am so grateful for the caring support and dedication of the staff and volunteers who work at the disabled hospital with children with disabilities. In a lot of developing countries adults and children with disabilities too severe to be considered "useful" in society are simply ignored or neglected. What I saw at GVN Vietnam was the opposite. One example is the nurse who (with a salary completely funded by donors) is in charge of one young girl, Duyen who was diagnosed with severe cerebal palsy. Without the support of donors, the best possible scenario would be for Duyen to be housed at the baby orphanage with the other children. At the disabled center, Duyen is able to receive 1:1 care by a trained nurse. Not only is the nurse a trained caregiver, it is obvious she cares deeply for Duyen and cares for her as if she were her own child.

Jen Flynn, operations manager explains the situation more in depth in Vietnam;

"Normally kids with disabilities are such a burden to poor families that the families are forced to leave them at an orphange. Or, they are left with older relatives to be cared for, then the older relatives get sick and need to put the kids in the orphanage. Once in an orphanage, the care can range from excellent to very poor. Depending on the ration of carers to kids, the budget, the management and the general overall vibe of the place, kids get a varied level of care. GVN volunteers provide care almost DAILY to many orphanages in 3 cities. Some of these orphanages have disabled kids who require special food, 1:1 exercise and help with basic daily care."

People with disabilities have many challenges others may take for granted. I have many memories of leaving work with an overwhelming sensation of gratitude that I was capable of living independantly and making my own decisions while at the same time feeling embarrassed at how often I took it for granted. However, in places like the United States where I am from, special care is available and financially feasible. In Vietnam, it is not often the case. As Jen again states;

"Without the special care provided, these disabled kids would deteriorate quickly. They need enhanced nutrition, skilled physio therapy and lots of love! Money raised goes toward extra protien for kids, special physio therapy equipment and medical care"

To learn more about the great work in Vietnam please visit the GVN Foundation or GVN volunteer page. To sign-up to host an event to support orphaned and vulnerable children including our projects in Vietnam, click here.

Thanks!

Caitie Goddard
GVN Foundation

Pictures:

1. GVN Volunteers and staff outside of the Volunteer House in Da Nang

2. Physical Therapy

3. Jen Flynn, operations manager with friends.

Update from Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 06:39:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

I recently returned from 3 weeks in Haiti and want to use this post to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our work in Haiti over the past months. The need in Haiti can seem overwhelming but being there I was fortunate to see what a difference GVN and GVN Foundations is making thanks to the support of our volunteers and donors.

One of the ways that we are supporting the Haitian people is through a series of Micro Grants. GVN volunteers are being given the opportunity to apply for $250 grants to develop and implement a project in line with GVN Foundation's mission of helping women and children. I'm really excited about the impact that these grants are having in the communities we're working with. It's incredible to see how just $250 can really change lives. By giving volunteers the opportunity to implement a project that they have expertise in and feel passionate about we are also ensuring that our donor's money is put to the best possible use.

I want to just give you one example which I personally found really inspiring. While I was in Haiti I met a volunteer called Julie who is bringing together a collection of stories generated by members of the community along with photos and illustrations. These stories will be published into a book called "Voices of Croix des Bouquets" thanks to a Micro Grant and will be distributed back to the community. We are hoping that this project will not only empower the authors but will also give the community a means through which to express their what they have been through.

There is so much more that we can do in Haiti and there are many more volunteers like Julie that will continue to have inspiring ideas. Now that I'm back in the office I'm going to be focusing my efforts over the next few months on how to raise more funds for Haiti through our Eat So They Can campaign. If you haven't yet signed up, please go to http://www.eatsotheycan.org/ and if you wish to support our work in Haiti, select the emergency relief cause.

Thank you,

Eliza

Being the Change in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (GVN Foundation Team) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:59:00 +0000

What a wonderful, inspiring, crazy rollercoaster of a week!

I just got back from the sunny, beautiful weather that welcomed us in Tuscany, Italy to the cold and windy winter month of June in Wellington making it very easy to want to remember the warmth of not only the weather but the people I met at the Be The Change Conference. Participants from all over the world (6 continents!) came together to share their ideas, goals and overall enthusiasm to make a difference. From a retired Canadian transportation executive to a 20 year old Australian taking a year to see the world trying to do it in a meaningful way, each individiual provided a unique perspective to benefit the group and provide insight and inspiration on how it is possible to come from all walks of life and bring about change.

Kimberly Jones, an incredibly inspiring BTC participant said it best;

"Global Volunteer Network’s (GVN) founder Colin Salisbury leads a program called Be The Change. I recently attended this program in Tuscany, Italy. For me Be The Change provided inspiration and focus, that I don’t think I could have discovered elsewhere.

17 people representing 13 different countries shared their desires to be catalyst of social change. Colin, Courtney and Nadine, leaders in the field of social change, led seminars and mentored participants during the week long course. They help us mold our thoughts, dreams and much confusion into a defined plan that we could put into action. My experience was phenomenal. Meeting like minded individuals and finding incredible mentors has inspired me to create this blog, invest in French language immersion and pursue social change with NGOs on the ground working toward solutions in areas I believe in. But most importantly I returned home with a sense of possibility; I can make a difference on a global scale…one person at a time. Be the change you want to see in the world. – Gandhi"

(Pictured: Kimberly Jones, BTC-Italy Participant)

Partly inspired by the conference as well as her genuinely evident love for life and people, Kimberly has started writing about her experiences and goals in her own blog, http://www.beaboutchange.blogspot.com/. Take a minute to keep up with her-we sure are!

Caitie Goddard
GVN Foundation