2016 Giving & Donations

AidAfrica

Aid Africa is working to bring help and hope to the poorest of the poor in Uganda. Their vision is to rebuild 1,000 sustainable communities by providing clean water, efficient, cleaner burning stoves, farming and reforestation, and other household necessities.

Project: Clean Water Saves Lives in Gulu, UgandaIn
rural northern Uganda, 60% of people do not have access to clean water and across the entire country more than 22,000 children die each year from waterborne disease. With World Centric funding, AidAfrica will create and maintain ten clean water sources to serve 10,000-20,000 people each day. http://www.aidafrica.net

Burma Humanitarian Mission

BHM supports community-based backpack medics who administer village health care services in Burma, grassroots education projects that empower the youth of Burma and projects that promote cross-cultural sharing and collaboration for refugees from Burma living in the U.S.

Project: Fixed Clinic in Eastern Burma
World Centric is partnering with BHM’s Backpack Medics to build the first fixed clinic in eastern Burma, which will provide care to over 4,300 people annually - preventing hundreds of deaths from diseases like malaria, pneumonia and dysentery. http://burmamission.org/

CEJUDHCAN

Centro por la Justicia y Derechos Humanos de la Costa Atlántica de Nicaragua (CEJUDHCAN) provides educational programs, legal support, and practical assistance to indigenous peoples and afro-descendant communities on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua.

Project: Agroecology for Awas Tingni Women in Nicaragua
Armed with machetes and guns, non-native settlers regularly threaten and perpetrate violence on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. As a result, the Awas Tingni are being forced to abandon their food-crop fields. With World Centric funding, CEJUDHCAN will support community wells, roof water catchment equipment, and gardening tools needed to launch a new agroecology project focused on bio-intensive agriculture in the land directly surrounding homes for 82 individuals.

UPDATE: The project has been expanded to provide gardening tools for an additional 118 women in the 12 most highly impacted Miskito villages in the territories of Tasba Raya and Wangki Il Aubra.

Project: Miskito Bean Seed Aid
In April 2017, Miskito farmers who were able to maintain some parcels, despite the armed settler takeover of land, experienced a catastrophic bean crop loss due to unseasonably early rains (which moistened the beans drying in the fields causing them to sprout and rot). More than half of the already diminished bean crop failed, creating a wave of panic throughout Miskito villages fearful they would not be able feed their children nor have enough bean seed to replant in November 2017. World Centric funds will purchase 20,000 pounds of regionally-sourced bean seed for 650 women in 20 of the impacted communites. Over 3,500 people will have their food security increased by aiding the 650 women. Additionally, focusing the aid on women supports their role as critical food producers and their power as decision-makers.

Project: Miskito Youth Wellness
As their communities continues to experience violence and injustice, Miskito elders areconcerned for the well-being of their youth. They want to provide opportunities for young people to have fun, exercise and take their mind off the current situation. Like many Nicaraguans, the Miskito national sport is baseball. World Centric will provide 4 villages in the Wangki Li Aubra territory with gear to start youth baseball and softball teams. http://cejudhcan.org

Food Not Bombs Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer project that recovers produce and plant-based foods that would otherwise be discarded and prepares vegan meals that are shared with the community twice a week.

Project: Feeding the Hungry and Homeless of Santa Cruz, California
FNBSC currently uses a local restaurant’s space to cook 1,800-2,200 meals each month for the hungry and homeless in Santa Cruz. Our funding will enable them to rent their own kitchen and storage space, expanding their meal program by 1,600 meals per month.

Hope Through Health

Hope Through Health (HTH) provides HIV care and treatment services in northern Togo, where these services were previously not available. They focus on involving community members in the dynamics of the organization, ensuring that the programs are responding directly to patient priorities.

Project: Ending Preventable Deaths of Women & Children in Togo, West Africa
Nearly 1 in 10 children born in Togo will die before their 5th birthday from diseases that are entirely treatable, such as malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia. With World Centric funding, HTH will train and equip 27 community health workers and 11 clinic-based nurses and midwives to provide fast, free, and high-quality maternal and child healthcare services to over 8,000 women and children in 4 communities in the Kozah District of northern Togo for 12 months.

Jubliee USA

Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations, 550 faith communities, and 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee is building an economy that serves, protects and promotes participation of the most vulnerable. The Network has won critical global financial reforms and more than $130 billion in debt relief for the world's poorest people.

Mayan Families

Mayan Families works to educate, feed, shelter and heal the impoverished populations of Lake Atitlán. Their mission is to facilitate enduring, sustainable programs that promote community development.

Project: Well Child Initiative at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
When indigenous Guatemalans need a doctor, often their only option is to see someone who does not understand their language or culture, leading to avoidable medical complications and a deep mistrust of doctors. Indigenous people cannot afford life-saving expenses like medications, lab tests, or transportation to a hospital. 5The Well Child Initiative provides yearly child check-ups to each of the sponsored students, starting with a pilot program for our 482 students in our Preschool Nutrition Centers.

Muonde Trust

The Muonde Trust is a community-based organization dedicated to inspiring locally-driven creativity and development in the Mazvihwa and neighboring areas of south-central Zimbabwe (Zvishavane District). Through educational, agricultural and community extension programs, the Muonde Trust backs indigenous development efforts that maintain the connections between spirit, community, and ecology.

Project: Water Harvesting Indigenous Innovation in Mazvihwa, Zimbabwe
The Zvishavane District is situated in the driest agro-ecological zone in Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, unsustainable farming practices have led to the decline in vegetation and soils further increasing drought vulnerability. With World Centric funding, indigenous educators will lead farmer-to-farmer trainings on water harvesting and permaculture. They plan to connect with 400 farmers in 3 wards of Mazvihwa.

People for Progress in India

PPI is a Seattle-based, volunteer-run non-profit organization that supports development work in India. PPI was founded on the concept that help to the under-privileged should go beyond conventional charity. They fund numerous grassroots organizations in India executing innovative projects in the areas of sustainable farming, vocational training, skill training, providing basic amenities like clean drinking water, mentoring high risk children, microfinance loans, and more. World Centric has been supporting PPI since the beginning of our giving. Our grant goes into their general fund, supporting their upcoming projects.

Power of Love Foundation

POL funds and runs projects in Zambia, and India targeted toward helping women and children infected/affected with HIV/AIDS. Their vision is a world where the AIDS epidemic is in continuous retreat, and people living with HIV have access to loving care and treatment in an environment free of stigma and discrimination.

Project I: Mosquito Nets in Matero, Zambia
Globally, 429,000 people died from malaria in 2015. In Zambia, about 30-50% of the population is infected. This years’ funding to POL will supply 5000 nets, benefitting 20,000 children or 10,000 adults as a net can sleep up to four young children or two adults.

Project II: Pediatric HIV Care in Matero, Zambia
Over 1 million children have been orphaned in Zambia. Many orphaned children live with their grandmothers or relatives who themselves may be sick and have no source of income. This project provides food, medicines, and a package of life saving health care services to 350 HIV+ children, and training in HIV care and prevention to family members.

Project III: Micro Loans for Women Impacted by HIV in Matero, Zambia
80% of Zambia's population lives on less than $2 per day. Many women are not able to care for their families as they are uneducated, lack marketable skills, and have no source of income. With World Centric funding, POL will provide business training, small loans, and ongoing business mentoring to first-time women entrepreneurs. On successful completion of business training, the women receive loans to start businesses.

Sanitation and Health Rights in India

Over 600 million people in India defecate in the open and lack access to safe drinking water. This causes 12 million new cases of illness each year, hundreds of thousands of deaths, and has detrimental effects on India’s economy and society. SHRI constructs community toilet blocks in rural villages in India that are free to use.

Project: Community Sanitation Facility in Supaul, Bihar
This new toilet block will be built in a community that currently has no access to toilets or potable water. SHRI will build 8 toilets for men and 8 toilets for women with safe entrances. The construction will include a rain catchment and filtration system on the roof and a biogas tank. Sale of the water will be used to offset the cost of maintenance and operations.

Spark Microgrants

Spark supports rural, poor communities to design, implement and manage their own social impact projects. They provide micro-grants of between $2,000-$10,000 to enable project implementation, such as of a school, electricity line or farm. No interest or repayment of the funds granted is requested.

Project I: Goat Rearing Project in Mahaga, Burundi
The village of Mahaga is partnering with Spark to design and launch a goat rearing project that will help address the extreme poverty within the community. Manure will be used to increase crop yield, which will improve food security and increase incomes from profits made selling crops in nearby markets.

Project II: Produce Business in Bufuma, Uganda
The Bufuma community has designed a produce business where residents will contribute a portion of their bean, coffee, and onion crops to be sold in bulk in local markets. The business will contribute 80% of profits to the operational budget of the health clinic that was built with Spark previously and will invest the remaining 20% of the profits into the village’s savings and loans association.

Project III: Goat Rearing Project in Cinq Ma Yubu, Uganda
The town of Cinq Ma Yubu will use their microgrant to purchase 68 female goats and two male goats. They will breed the goats and then sell the offspring in local markets. A portion of the profit will be distributed among each household in the village and the rest will be invested in the village’s savings and loans association.

Project IV: Cow Rearing Project in Kagozi, Rwanda
Residents of Kagozi face extreme poverty, with household income levels well below the national poverty line and only 20% of the population able to eat more than one meal a day. The infertile soil in the region has prevented families from creating a viable income source. This cow rearing project will improve soil fertility in the region. The village will use the manure from the cows in their gardens, improving soil fertility and leading to increased crop yield, improved food security, and increased household income levels.

Project V: Savings and Loan Association in Namakago, Uganda
Namakago has designed a savings and loan association project to increase communal income, build personal savings, and help mitigate tensions between households in the region. The community will use their micro-grant as seed capital for the association and require each household to contribute a small amount of money on a monthly basis. Individuals will apply for loans to start small businesses or pay for unforeseen expenses and will pay back the loans with interest, enabling the association to grow over time.

SPOUTS of Water

Over 10 million Ugandans, or 1/3 of the population, lack access to a clean water source, resulting in negative health, social, economic, and environmental consequences. SPOUTS manufactures and distributes ceramic water filters using local materials. This provides an affordable, effective, and easy to use solution to water access in Uganda.

Project I: Water Filters in Buvuma Island, Uganda
Although surrounded by Lake Victoria, clean drinking water in Buvuma Island (population ~20,00) is hard to access and, with rapid deforestation, the cost of boiling water is unattainable. SPOUTS will install locally manufactured ceramic water filters in public spaces and in households at the main island.

Project II: Water Filters in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement, Uganda
Kyaka II Refugee Settlement is currently home to just under 22,000 displaced individuals who severely lack access to clean drinking water, resulting in high rates of waterborne diseases. This project will place 400 filters in households and 200 filters in public spaces within the settlement.

SOPUDEP

SOPUDEP (Society of Providence United for the Economic Development of Petion-Ville) is a Haitian-founded and run grassroots organization located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. SOPUDEP’s focus is on providing accessible education to adults and children, supporting children’s and women’s rights, and creating programs of economic empowerment for members of their community.

Project: K-12 School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

SOPUDEP’s K-12 school serves approximately 1,000 students - some of the poorest in the hemisphere. The foundation supporting the school is no longer able to cover the operating costs. World Centric’s funding will support the school for 12 months of operations, thereby continuing the salary of 68 teachers and staff and the education of the students.

The Nubian Vault Association

Millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to decent and affordable housing. Deforestation has led to a scarcity of timber and straw for traditional roof construction. Families spend meager cash resources on imported and expensive sawn timber and sheet metal to put a fragile roof over their heads, further worsening the vicious circle of poverty in which they are trapped. The “Nubian Vault” uses only raw earth (largely available in the Dioïla region) as a building material, in order to construct cool, solid, comfortable and culturally-appropriate houses and community facilities, that improve daily living conditions and bolster social and economic growth.

Project: Better Building - Nubian Vault Entrepreneurship in Dioila, Mali
AVN will provide vocational training for ~34 farmers and masons. 14 of these trainees will receive additional entrepreneurial support to help them build their trade and develop a local market for sustainable houses. The project will result in 78 Nubian Vaults for 311 beneficiaries.

Trees, Water, People

Trees, Water & People's mission is to improve people's lives by helping communities protect, conserve, and manage the natural resources upon which their long-term well-being depends.TWP's unique community-based development model was founded on the philosophy that the best way to help those most in need is to involve them directly in the design and implementation of local environmental and economic development initiatives.

Project: Household Rainwater Catchment in Central Honduras
Small farmers in the highlands of Honduras are facing the most severe consequences to the country’s pervasive drought, where precious cloud forest watersheds are deteriorating quickly. With funding from World Centric last year, TWP began working with 220 families affected by the drought via fuel-efficient cookstoves, which are beneficial in areas devastated by pine beetle kill. This year, their goal is to work with the same 220 families to install household rainwater catchment cisterns which harness 600 gallons of clean water for every inch of rainfall and provide a clean, alternate water reserve for families during times of drought.

Women's Earth Alliance

WEA's mission is to equip women with the skills and tools they need to protect our earth and strengthen communities from the inside out. They work with local leaders who build up other leaders. One becomes two, two become four, four become eight, and millions.

Project I: WISE Women’s Plastic Solutions Project in Kaduna State, Nigeria
Plastic waste in Nigeria is a growing crisis, posing major health risks and environmental degradation throughout the country. This project will upcycle plastics while providing economically disadvantaged women and youth income generation opportunities. Trainings will focus on recycling skills such as crafting, plarn (plastic yarn)-making, knitting/crocheting, pluffing, and sewing. Women participants will learn how to create and sell floor/door mats, bags, rope, throw pillows, and bean bags.

Project II: Water for H20PE in Assam, India
Assam, in Northern India, is one of the poorest states in terms of access to safe drinking water and latrines. Fewer than 1 in 15 households have tap water. Many women and children walk up to 3 hours per day to collect and carry water for their families, facing security risks, poor health, and barriers to productive livelihoods. Through this project, all 6,500 people in 12 villages of Tonganagaon will drink clean water, eliminating water-borne illnesses. As a result, community members will improve their nutrition, strengthen their livelihood productivity, and improve children’s school attendance and learning.

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