Uh-oh I'm in trouble!!

Given that FORGE central managed to OVERESTIMATE my fundraising amount by 20% for the past THREE MONTHS, my project has suddenly come under question. UNLESS I can raise $2,000 by June 1st, it is in jeopardy of not happening. As angry as I am at whomever FORGE calls their "finance person" I need to make this project happen.

Many of you have donated generously and I am SO THANKFUL for that (and if you haven't received a "thank you" card from me yet, then you will. It is likely due to the fact the FORGE has managed to lose donors here and there - no biggie, RIGHT?!?!? ggrr - sorry, internal monologue)

Regardless, if any of you are connected to people with money ooorrr churches ooorrr rotary clubs oooorrrr circuses (who doesn't love that big bear on a ball wearing a tutu? heh heh) please please please go out on the limb and see if they are willing to help. I have one page descriptions of the project, presentation books, 6 page descriptions. Anything they want, I will provide.

PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE

TO DONATE: Go to http://www.forgenow.org/
Click "Join our Cause - Donate" and proceed.
PLEASE NOTE "Kala - Rachelle" as the Project Facilitator

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!! :)

A Month and a Half Left..A PANDA!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is updated info on my portion of the project. This is the content of a one-sheet that a professor of mine is passing on to his Euro chronies who specialize in refugee issues (betterment, law, human rights, etc.) for input and possible internships, connections, yadda yadda. This is, however, the ex-World-Bank-employee-professor who told me that I am far too realistic and sceptical to be a part of FORGE. Apparently he has known past participants with 19 years of "life experience" (10 years of which they can't remember) who want to "help the poor black people." Ouch - not a good impression to leave on your development economics prof who happens to be academically and professionally well connected. Well, thanks for making me look good past FORGies! (Disclaimer: everyone I've ever personally met in FORGE is mature(ish), professional(ish) and doing what they are for the right reasons. Hence my surprise at the professor's comment)

6 Weeks until finishing at Lehman
7 Weeks before US departure

oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy
TO DONATE: Go to http://www.forgenow.org/
Click "Join our Cause - Donate" and proceed.
PLEASE NOTE "Kala - Rachelle" as the Project Facilitator
_________________________________________________________________
Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment (FORGE) is an implementing partner of UNHCR.
FORGE is founded on both a US-based Domestic Advocacy program and a Camp Operations department. The Camp Operations model is a project-driven approach to injecting sustainable knowledge, acquisition of skills and economic stimulation into refugee communities. Sectoral concentrations include health, education, business, agriculture, micro-finance, sports, arts and gender equality. Recent shifts in the Southern African situation has encouraged initiatives specific to repatriation from Zambia, Tanzania and Botswana to ease community emplacement in the secured areas of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Angola.

With this in mind, the Entrepreneurial Affairs branch of the Center for Community Driven Repatriation (CCDR) will incorporate culturally appropriate activities and classroom based curriculum to assist DRC nationals currently living in UNHCR camps, prepare for their repatriation to the Southeast Katanga province of DRC. The first CCDR initiative will be implemented on Kala camp near Kawambwa in northeast Zambia over the summer of 2007. Research based preparation for curriculum of three courses began in November 2006 and will end in May 2007. These courses include:
1) Crash Course in Community Economics
2) Savings-led Micro-Finance
3) Social Entrepreneurial Development
The curricula for these will be finalized during the month of June. The implementation phase, beginning in July 2007 and ending in September 2007, will include training Congolese teachers on Kala camp to maintain and continue to develop the courses. Funding will be secured for two years of operation including teacher salaries, classroom materials and curriculum upkeep. According to the guidance of the Congolese teachers and participants, the project will be reevaluated every six months to ensure maximum need-fulfillment. Changes will be made to the program and funding secured according to their guidance as discussed with the FORGE Project Manager who will remain in the camp for coming years. Indicators of success, though difficult to obtain due to the nature of repatriation, are currently being developed.
************************************
Crash Course in Community Economics
• One, 4 Hour Workshop
• Prerequisite for other classes
• Overview of international market functions
• Economic and international law governing refugee camps, the repatriation
process and newly emplaced communities
• Historical patterns of repatriated populations in Southern Africa with a
focus on the development of petty trade
• Discussion of power determined by market share internationally and within a community
• Examine implications of wage labor opportunities focusing on Multi National Corporations in the Katanga region
***************************************
Savings-led Micro Finance
• Two-weeks, 2 hours per day
• Focus on recruiting marginal populations (single
mothers, disabled, elderly, orphans, illiterate)
• Mobile, non-book based course
• Curriculum and activities based on “Savings for
Change” published by Oxfam and Freedom from
Hunger in August, 2006
• Group savings and loan schemes
• Pros and cons of both group and independent saving
• Discuss security issues in Katanga and the safety
implications for marginalized populations connected
through savings
• Self-sufficiency through conscious finance
• Possibilities for business development
*************************************************
Social Entrepreneurial Development
• Two-weeks, 2 hours per day
• Social considerations in business models
• Considering your market on the camp and once
in emplaced community
• Cost/Benefit analyses of upstart
• Marketing and going to market
• Dealing with change and volatility in the community
• Saving surplus to weather downturn
• Resource thrifty accounting/bookkeeping
• How to ensure your business is not creating an
unsustainable need
• Hiring employees: when is the right time?
• Diversity in goods & services
• Preparing in the camp for business after repatriation

*************************************************************
TO DONATE: Go to http://www.forgenow.org/
Click "Join our Cause - Donate" and proceed.
PLEASE NOTE "Kala - Rachelle" as the Project Facilitator

So, I've gotten my shots (for $700!!), my plane ticket(s) (8 out of total 10 for $2,400), malarone, a lifetime supply of Cipro, I ALMOST have my French visa, the Zambia one is in process, yet there is so much more to do... I don't even have a mosquito net, a sleeping bag, imodium AD, hair product (i mean, have you seen this hair?!) - the devil's in the details, man!

Anyhoo - the budget is solidified and we (my group of three) are still $3,500 short of what we need to support the Repatriation Center for 2 years....still chuggin away (thanks to everyone who donated - you're so cute!). Most of that need is for the $500 a year teacher salaries (that is slightly above market wage....amazing). We have also applied for a $4,000 grant from the Audrey Hepburn Foundation specifically to cover the building we will need to house our project and the health project. We will know by the end of next week whether we get that (fingers crossed!!!! ...ow...)

On a funny note, one of the Project Facilitators on different project but same LA team, raised $10,000 by winning a bet she made with a porn producer at a Clippers game.......welcome to LA (please help me!! these people are crazy!)

Depart LA June 25th
Depart JFK July 3rd
Depart the other side of tha atlantic?.................nneeevvvveeeerrrrr.


TO DONATE: Go to http://www.forgenow.org/
Click "Join our Cause - Donate" and proceed.
PLEASE NOTE "Kala - Rachelle" as the Project Facilitator

FORGE Updates

1) A video feature of FORGE, The Edge With Jake, and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda is now up on the ONE blog. http://action.one.org/blog/

2) The Executive Director of FORGE will be featured on CNN's "People You Should Know" segment which focuses attention on people who do interesting and effective things. It is set to air on Paula Zahn soon. I will let you know when.

3) Lawyers, Law and Social Change - explores the impact of lawyers on social change and a portion of the proceeds will go directly to FORGE which will also be featured on the back cover of the books. It can be purchased at http://www.unlimitedpublishing.com/forge/

4) PROJECT UPDATE: The oppressive nature of refugee camps should not be normalized nor perpetuated by the implementation of FORGE projects on the camps. Taking this into consideration, I will now look to integrate the international laws and human rights regarding refugees into their education. I will look to explore the origins and underpinnings of refugee camps in an effort to help the refugees understand their situations and to know their rights as humans.

TO DONATE:
Go to www.FORGEnow.org
Click "Join our Cause - Donate" and proceed.
PLEASE NOTE "Kala - Rachelle" as the Project Facilitator

The Project Details

Community Driven Repatriation Association (CDRA)

Business Affairs

Mission Statement: The Business Affairs branch of the Community Driven Repatriation Association will pair with community leaders on the camp, to offer Congolese people culturally appropriate business skills that assist in the amelioration of their financial situation and in the creation of small market economies, which increase access to a wider variety of goods and services; all the while backing FORGE out of the structure to ensure sustainability of both the center and the knowledge by its participants.

Means of Achievement:
1) Economic Crash Course Workshop
2) Savings-led Micro Finance Courses
3) Business Development Training

Justification for Business Affairs Sub-Section of CDRA:
Sixty thousand Congolese refugees currently located in Zambia will be repatriated to the South-East Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) provinces of Moba and Pweto over the next two years. NGOs currently present on the ground report no security issues but severe lack of infrastructure including roads, schools, health facilities and housing. The UNHCR will support repatriates with food rations for three months following their strategic drop-off in or near their cities of origin. They will also provide initial necessities such as buckets, blankets, tarps, pickaxes, shovels and first aid kits according to funding availability and family size. The repatriates will be returning to neither housing nor developed areas and have been entirely dependent upon the UN for their existence for the past eight to ten years.
In order to allow the new communities a chance at survival, CDRA will implement three subsections on UNHCR Kala Camp, Zambia (population 25,000), all of which will control expectations and offer education and training to assist repatriates in the creation of reasonably healthy social infrastructures safeguarded against poverty. These three sections include Social Development Initiatives, Emotional and Mental Preparedness Techniques and Business Affairs Training.
The Business Affairs courses will give in depth training using self-perpetuating knowledge i.e. that which will not remain stagnant at the physical center of CDRA but will create a ripple effect so that all attendees can teach their communities within Kala Camp and the communities to which they will be repatriated the knowledge they have acquired. In this way, the cycle of sound applicable business practices will be spread outward as infectious transferable social change at the individual level. This section of the project was developed in response to research conducted by Operations Director, Diana Essex* in the summer of 2006 in the three refugee camps on which FORGE (Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment) operates as an Operating Partner of the UNHCR: Kala, Mwange and Meheba. Given the ability to develop appropriate market economies and the knowledge to use savings-led micro finance to stabilize sound business endeavors, the Congolese repatriates feel that they will be capable of sustaining their communities in DRC.
*Research reports and meeting with Diana available upon request.

Economic Crash Course Workshop
The ECC Workshop is developed to give a general knowledge of economics as applicable to the refugee paradigm. It will serve as a foundation of knowledge from which participants can continue their studies. It will address basic ideas necessary for both the Savings-led Micro Finance courses and Business Development training. It will give a global economic perspective and relate that knowledge to sustainable community economics using culturally applicable examples and simple language absent of unnecessary jargon. It will also give note to the change in economic situation that will be experienced in the move from Zambia to DRC. It will emphasize the affect of international aid on African communities and dispel common economic fallacies while encouraging strong belief in the idea of self-sufficiency.

Savings-led Micro Finance Courses
SLMF will teach groups and individuals the importance of pooling financial resources in order to create a means by which budgetary short falls within the community can be satisfied. Upon completion of the course they will have an understanding of how SLMF can work both on the refugee camp and how they can take the knowledge back to DRC to assist in the development of healthy market economies at the community level. They will understand their rights as contributing members of the fund, borrowers, business people and repatriates. SLMF was developed in response to the success of micro lending institutions in suburban India and Bangladesh and the desire of rural African communities to be free of international assistance. Its perpetuating knowledge system has proven highly successful in both South America and Sub-Saharan Africa allowing under developed communities to live and educate others self-sufficiently. We will work with refugees to tailor this concept to the refugee and repatriate paradigm.

Business Development Training
BDT will ensure that trade skills such as hairdressing, carpentry, fish farming, agro-farming and brick making, of individuals and groups are directed by a basic knowledge of entrepreneurial organization so that they might reach the ambition of moving from subsistence to a sustainable income. We will train the students in steps that will take into consideration all aspects of their current and future situation to establish a business model that suits the community, fulfills a need and is able to be carried on after repatriation. Though starting a business in rural Zambia and DRC has an entirely different connotation than that in developed areas, we will collaborate with the Congolese refugees to guarantee compatibility. Basic accounting and in-depth market considerations will be discussed. We will also demonstrate the interaction of businesses, the formation of a market economy and the link to SLMF.

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