GAPS Australia & Brydges Centre Orphanage – Ngong Hills, Kenya

GAPS (Global Aid Partnerships) is an Australian non-profit organisation that aims to build sustainable partnerships between organisations and communities in the developed and developing world. GAPS has a number of development projects in Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana in the fields of education, medical development and community development.

GAPS is neither politically nor religiously affiliated and does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender or ethnicity. We found this organisation on the internet, and took interest in the microfinance projects after Kate had returned from a summit on poverty in Sydney where microfinance was high on the agenda.

Specifically, we’re hoping to assist in the ‘Women’s Handicraft Support Program’, based in Ngong, various sites around Nairobi and other outlying areas in Kenya.  Volunteers on this project have established a microfinance project aimed at assisting women who have created small businesses in their villages making handicrafts. GAPS hopes to assist the women with grants to support the start of their businesses, and then guide the women as to what styles and approaches would maximise their feasability in the Australian industry. Part of the role for volunteers is to assist, identify and create a database of cottage industry women.

Although we’re not aware of the stage these projects are in, we’re hoping that by the time we get to Kenya later in the year, we’ll be able to further the goals of this project, and help GAPS in any way we can!

Ruhanga Community Development Project – Ruhanga, Uganda

Back-to-School Foundation – Monkey Bay, Malawi

The Back-To-School foundation is an organisation started by a German woman by the name of Birgit Albers, that gives world traveler’s the opportunity to volunteer in Monkey Bay, Malawi…. with no administration costs! You finance your own travel expenses and organize your own visa and all necessary vaccinations and all the organistation asks is that you have a sense of responsibility, which is a given if you have come this far and are looking at opportunities where you can volunteer your time and skills to help make a difference.

Accommodation is free during your stay in Malawi at the Njobvu Backpacker Lodge, and as well as medical support the Back-T0-School Foundation places you within the local community and empowers you through social contact with the entire municipality.

After taking all of this information in and making contact with an old high school friend, we emailed Birgit from the foundation have been fortunate enough to be able to volunteer in Monkey Bay this year. We’re travelling to Malawi through the months of October and November during the middle of our seven month African adventure and will be participating in the ongoing projects that are so deeply needed on the southern most tip of Lake Malawi. The majority of our involvement will be based around helping in the local orphanage, building community structures such as wells and small houses, and volunteering with local teachers helping our in the Monkey Bay primary school.

On top of providing teachers, builders, gardeners, and brick producers, the Back-To-School foundation’s mission is to support Malawian students through graduate secondary school in the big city once they have completed eight years of primary education in their local village. Places are limited in secondary schools, girls are rarely accepted as boys have preference, and it costs the child’s family £ 75 for each year spent in education. This is where the Back-To-School foundation attempts to help out. The full mission statement can be read here and if you cannot get over to Malawi and offer up your time and skills to volunteer you can still make a difference and donate, helping send children to school and give them a chance at a better life.