Is your virtual party attire at the ready? Today is the day of the Project HOPE UK VIRTUAL BALL (www.virtualball.org) and the site is up and dancing, ready for you to visit and pass on to all your contacts!
The UK may be passing through difficult economic times, but not to be compared to the challenges faced by millions of orphans and other vulnerable children across Africa and Asia - the children Project HOPE UK is totally committed to support. Together with our supporters, we made the decision not to have our glittering fundraising ball in London this year (originally scheduled for today), but to ask you to be generous in supporting the Virtual Ball, so we can still serve the children.
Please, please ...... visit www.virtualball.org right now and send the link to all your colleagues and friends. You can bid in our online auctions for exciting lots from as little as £1.95 up to a £000s. And you can make on online donation through the site, or https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/projecthopeukvirtualball# - every penny raised will be used to change the lives of children forever!
Thank you for your generous support. By visiting www.virtualball.org, you will be part of a world first; the first-ever fundraising event of its type!
News from our team on the ground in Munsieville, South Africa
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Just 3 days left to bid in the e-Bay auction for this year's Virtual Ball
There are just 3 days left to bid for the exciting items in our e-Bay auction which is part of this year's Virtual Ball - take a look at what's on offer now, ranging from fine art to vintage jewellery or a fantastic night out for four.
If you're not an e-Bay member, why not take part in our Silent Auction where we have a wonderful selection of lots to choose from, including a case of champagne or a Fortnum and Mason hamper, ideal for Christmas.
It's not too late to sponsor a page on the site or book a table, so send us your reservations now and check back on Nov 19th to see your own or your company's name on display.
Don't forget that you can also support this innnovative online event by making a donation - all funds raised will be used for our work helping to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa.
Thank you for your support
If you're not an e-Bay member, why not take part in our Silent Auction where we have a wonderful selection of lots to choose from, including a case of champagne or a Fortnum and Mason hamper, ideal for Christmas.
It's not too late to sponsor a page on the site or book a table, so send us your reservations now and check back on Nov 19th to see your own or your company's name on display.
Don't forget that you can also support this innnovative online event by making a donation - all funds raised will be used for our work helping to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa.
Thank you for your support
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Virtual Ball e-Bay auction now live
As part of the exciting and innovative Project Hope Virtual Ball, we have an auction running on e-Bay until Nov 19th.
Take a look at the limited edition prints and lithographs by artists such as Renoir and Dali, or bid for some vintage jewellery or a fabulous night out for four people at the exclusive Mahiki night club in London's Mayfair.
If these items aren't quite your thing, then how about bidding for a luxury Fortnum and Mason hamper, six bottles of champagne or some beautiful jewellery in our silent auction. With Christmas not far away, this is an ideal way to do your shopping.
Don't delay - there's only just over a week to go before the auctions close, so get your bids in now!
All proceeds from this online event will go to support Project Hope's work helping to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa.
Thank you for your support.
Take a look at the limited edition prints and lithographs by artists such as Renoir and Dali, or bid for some vintage jewellery or a fabulous night out for four people at the exclusive Mahiki night club in London's Mayfair.
If these items aren't quite your thing, then how about bidding for a luxury Fortnum and Mason hamper, six bottles of champagne or some beautiful jewellery in our silent auction. With Christmas not far away, this is an ideal way to do your shopping.
Don't delay - there's only just over a week to go before the auctions close, so get your bids in now!
All proceeds from this online event will go to support Project Hope's work helping to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa.
Thank you for your support.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Project HOPE's 2009 Virtual Ball - we need your help!
Dear Friend of Project HOPE UK,
We know you share our passion for improving the health of disadvantaged communities around the world - something that has become increasingly difficult in these recessionary times when everyone is feeling the pinch!
That's why we created our unique and brand new website - www.virtualball.org, a fun and innovative way to raise vitally needed funds for our work in support of orphans and other vulnerable children in the developing world.
WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS. Would you please do one or all of the four things below - you really can change a live in Africa forever!
1) Visit www.virtualball.org right now. We don't pretend that it is the flashiest site in the world, but it was created on a shoe string and yet captures the flavour of one of our real-life Fundraising Balls, but at a tiny fraction of the cost.
2) Consider one of the many sponsorship packages for your company - they represent excellent value because your logo and URL will be seen by thousands more visitors than we would ever get at an actual Fundraising Ball - www.virtualball.org is getting thousands of hits every day!
3) Make a personal donation online through the site - even a small amount will be gratefully received and put to use immediately in our child-centred projects in Africa.
4) PLEASE, PLEASE ... send the link to www.virtualball.org as far and wide as you can. Tell your friends and colleagues and send it out through Facebook and Twitter.
The Virtual Ball is just that - a virtual event. But the potential impact in the lives of children is massive, so thank you in advance for anything you can do to spread the word and increase the impact.
With very best wishes.
Paul H Brooks
Executive Director
We know you share our passion for improving the health of disadvantaged communities around the world - something that has become increasingly difficult in these recessionary times when everyone is feeling the pinch!
That's why we created our unique and brand new website - www.virtualball.org, a fun and innovative way to raise vitally needed funds for our work in support of orphans and other vulnerable children in the developing world.
WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS. Would you please do one or all of the four things below - you really can change a live in Africa forever!
1) Visit www.virtualball.org right now. We don't pretend that it is the flashiest site in the world, but it was created on a shoe string and yet captures the flavour of one of our real-life Fundraising Balls, but at a tiny fraction of the cost.
2) Consider one of the many sponsorship packages for your company - they represent excellent value because your logo and URL will be seen by thousands more visitors than we would ever get at an actual Fundraising Ball - www.virtualball.org is getting thousands of hits every day!
3) Make a personal donation online through the site - even a small amount will be gratefully received and put to use immediately in our child-centred projects in Africa.
4) PLEASE, PLEASE ... send the link to www.virtualball.org as far and wide as you can. Tell your friends and colleagues and send it out through Facebook and Twitter.
The Virtual Ball is just that - a virtual event. But the potential impact in the lives of children is massive, so thank you in advance for anything you can do to spread the word and increase the impact.
With very best wishes.
Paul H Brooks
Executive Director
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Virtual Ball site now live
The Project HOPE UK Virtual Ball site is now live, but you don't need to wait until the 19th of November to join in the fun!
Take a look now at what's in store and sponsor a page, bid for some of the wonderful auction items or make a donation.
As this is an online event, all proceeds will go directly to our work helping to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa.
And help us spread the word about this innovative virtual event via your own blogs, Twitter sites, Facebook or Myspace pages and other social networking tools.
You can also get an exclusive preview of next year's real-life ball to be held at the refurbished Savoy in The Strand, London on Thursday 18 November 2010.
Take a look now at what's in store and sponsor a page, bid for some of the wonderful auction items or make a donation.
As this is an online event, all proceeds will go directly to our work helping to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa.
And help us spread the word about this innovative virtual event via your own blogs, Twitter sites, Facebook or Myspace pages and other social networking tools.
You can also get an exclusive preview of next year's real-life ball to be held at the refurbished Savoy in The Strand, London on Thursday 18 November 2010.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Latest Project HOPE UK newsletter now online
Project HOPE UK's latest newsletter is now online on our Web site - check out the updates on all our activities, including our signature programme helping to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children in Munsieville, South Africa.
There's also more information about our upcoming 'Virtual Ball' on 19 November, where 100% of the funds raised will be used in support of this flagship programme.
http://www.projecthopeuk.org/newsreleasedetails.asp?ReleaseID=5E338165-1E39-4E8A-B372-449B9323DF54
There's also more information about our upcoming 'Virtual Ball' on 19 November, where 100% of the funds raised will be used in support of this flagship programme.
http://www.projecthopeuk.org/newsreleasedetails.asp?ReleaseID=5E338165-1E39-4E8A-B372-449B9323DF54
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Village Saving Fund Mentoring Day
In early 2008, Project HOPE used the successful experiences of its Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project in Mozambique to launch a pilot Village Savings Fund (VSF) project in Munsieville, in partnership with The Haven (a local NGO).
VSFs involve small groups of 10-25 OVC caregivers who pool small amounts of savings, and then use those savings to provide interest-bearing loans to each other for their short-term credit needs (such as buying seeds for the planting season, paying school fees so children can attend school, paying for medical assistance, and to take advantage of business opportunities).
The interest on the loans is essentially interest on the pooled savings, and goes back to the group members thus providing an increased revenue source whether they are borrowers or not. Local capacities are built because self-governing groups mobilise their own funds, manage them, decide on their loan terms, and receive interest return on their savings through investing in loans.
Because of the way the community is structured in Munsieville, Village Saving Fund (VSF) groups are based on the different nationalities in the settlement – i.e. there are groups from Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe etc. The groups generally tend not to interact with each other, and therefore lose out on benefiting from learning from one another. Over the past few months some of them have done extremely well by starting small businesses selling chickens and baking cakes, while others have struggled to get off the ground.
So that all the groups could learn from their counterparts in the community, a mentoring day was held recently, where they all came together
to share their successes and the problems that they have faced. To add to the excitement, there was a prize for the most successful group (based on weekly meeting attendance, savings & loans portfolio, initiatives taken to start up a business etc).
The day was a great success. The groups shared information about what they have been doing – one group started by purchasing 10 chickens a week to sell, and now they are up to 25 a week. Other groups shared frustrations about the lack of unity between group members which makes it more difficult for them to work together. The highlight of the event was the announcement of the winners – a Mozambican group called “Sizanani” which means “helping each other.” They received certificates and a prize of food and clothing and the video below shows you how excited the room became when the winners were announced!
The day provided the motivation needed for the groups who have been struggling to get on the right track, and a Project Hope team will be following up with house visits over the next few months to encourage them further as they discover the important difference that VSFs can make to the health and lives of people living in informal settlements here in South Africa.
VSFs involve small groups of 10-25 OVC caregivers who pool small amounts of savings, and then use those savings to provide interest-bearing loans to each other for their short-term credit needs (such as buying seeds for the planting season, paying school fees so children can attend school, paying for medical assistance, and to take advantage of business opportunities).
The interest on the loans is essentially interest on the pooled savings, and goes back to the group members thus providing an increased revenue source whether they are borrowers or not. Local capacities are built because self-governing groups mobilise their own funds, manage them, decide on their loan terms, and receive interest return on their savings through investing in loans.Because of the way the community is structured in Munsieville, Village Saving Fund (VSF) groups are based on the different nationalities in the settlement – i.e. there are groups from Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe etc. The groups generally tend not to interact with each other, and therefore lose out on benefiting from learning from one another. Over the past few months some of them have done extremely well by starting small businesses selling chickens and baking cakes, while others have struggled to get off the ground.
So that all the groups could learn from their counterparts in the community, a mentoring day was held recently, where they all came together
to share their successes and the problems that they have faced. To add to the excitement, there was a prize for the most successful group (based on weekly meeting attendance, savings & loans portfolio, initiatives taken to start up a business etc). The day was a great success. The groups shared information about what they have been doing – one group started by purchasing 10 chickens a week to sell, and now they are up to 25 a week. Other groups shared frustrations about the lack of unity between group members which makes it more difficult for them to work together. The highlight of the event was the announcement of the winners – a Mozambican group called “Sizanani” which means “helping each other.” They received certificates and a prize of food and clothing and the video below shows you how excited the room became when the winners were announced!
The day provided the motivation needed for the groups who have been struggling to get on the right track, and a Project Hope team will be following up with house visits over the next few months to encourage them further as they discover the important difference that VSFs can make to the health and lives of people living in informal settlements here in South Africa.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)