November 2011
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Violence in Isiolo
I received sad news this morning, from our friends in Isiolo (the town near our village of Gambella). Violence has been escalating in Isiolo, and the surrounding area in the recent weeks. As drought continues to crush the area, resources are becoming more and more scarce. People are just trying to survive, and are becoming desperate.
Due to the violence, the school in Gambella has been...
October 2011
4 posts
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Tensions in Isiolo
There have been tensions, including violence and a number of fatalities, in the area around Isiolo. Isiolo is the town nearest to our village of Gambella. The drought that is so severely affecting the horn of Africa is hitting Isiolo and surrounding villages as well. These are tough times, leading to desperate acts.
We’re praying for more rain, and that crops can grow and livestock can...
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Rain in Gambella!
After months and months of waiting for rain, the town of Isiolo, and surrounding villages finally have some rain. As I understand it, they haven’t had rain since we left there this summer—which has been well over two months! Even when we were there, the land was extremely dry. This has been a serious problem for them, and hopefully there will be more rain to follow, but for today,...
September 2011
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August 2011
8 posts
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Bush Volleyball
There are 12 hours of sunlight in Gambella. Every day. 365 days a year. The amount of sunlight on the shortest day in Gambella is only nine minutes less than on the longest day.
If you are a youth in Gambella, and are no longer in primary school, there aren’t a lot of options for how to spend your daylight hours. If you aren’t out with the animals, or fetching water, or preparing...
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Saving Lives in Gambella
This picture is of Kaltuma. She is a villager in one of the four villages in the Isiolo area of Kenya that GHNI works with. She, and a handful of other villagers, have been trained to be CHWs (Community Health Workers).
Learn more about their work at Jeff Power’s blog.
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New Gambella Photo Blog
There’s a new photo blog of Gambella, that is maintained by Abdi, one of the GHNI workers in Gambella. He regularly posts new photos from the village. Check it out! http://gambella.ghni.org
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Justice and Life in Gambella
The following is a post that I (Matt) wrote for my personal blog, justiceandlife.org. I’m re-posting it here, because it gives an overview of our trip to Gambella last week.
Justice and Life. There’s a reason this blog has that name. My life’s mission, or goal, or purpose, however you prefer to say it, is to lead and challenge others to create a just world, and come fully alive.
...
July 2011
3 posts
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Live from Kenya!
After four full days of travelling to Isiolo (which is the main town near Gambella), and visiting villages (Gambella, Ola Nagele, and Bulesa Dima), we finally have access to the internet to share an update with you.
Before we left, we feared that rain would make the roads to some of the villages impassable, but we have not had any such problems. In fact, the area is in the middle of a huge...
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Heading Out
We’re heading out today! Our team is here, the trucks are packed, we just finished breakfast, and we head out in just a few minutes. We start the 5+ hour drive north to Isiolo, where we will drop off our luggage, and then head to Bulesa Dima, where the team gets to have a dinner that will be hosted by the village!
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We are IN Kenya!!!
So it’s 4 of us traveling to Kenya - Matt and Mary (me) Lossau, Lydia Auch and Kelsey Moss. Three of our Algonquin neighborhood families represented… who couldn’t help ourselves. We had to come see our friends in Gambella.
we arrived in Nairobi about 6pm, got through customs pretty quickly (even though the price for a visa doubled…) We grabbed our luggage, snapped a...
May 2011
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Fun Run Pictures on Algonquin Patch →
Brook Mrkvicka from the Algonquin Patch came out to the run/walk, and took some pictures. Click the link above to see them. Thanks Brook!
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That Was a Blast!
Our first ever Run 4 Gambella 5K Fun Run and 1-Mile Pet Walk was a blast! There were dozens of runners and walkers that showed up, and the weather even cooperated with us.
It was so fun seeing so many runners completing their first 5K ever! We had kids decorating t-shirts, and true to our word, we did not time the run (much to the disappointment of the high school boy who was the first to...
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Come Change the World
Have you ever wished you could change the world? Have you ever wondered if the money you give to different charities actually makes a difference? Here’s a fun and easy way for you to truly be a world changer!
Come join us for our first ever “No Frills” 5K Fun Run and 1-Mile Pet Walk this Saturday, May 21, at 9am in Cornish Park in Algonquin. Every dollar that is donated for this event is going...
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$1020 Raised at Garage Sale
Our 2nd Annual Garage Sale 4 Gambella was a tremendous success, as we raised $1,020! Special thanks to Mary, Beth, Michele, and Lee, for all of their time and efforts in planning the event, and for braving the cold each morning to sit outside during the sale. I also wanted to thank everyone who donated items to the garage sale—we certainly could not have done it without you! We do have a...
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Fundraising Updates
Our primary fund raising efforts for the year are in full swing. Last year, the bulk of the money that we raised went toward building a storehouse (pictured below), so that the villagers would have a place to keep the crops they harvest safe and dry until they can be sold to local produce companies. This year, we’re raising money to help the villagers replace more goats that were stolen...
2nd Annual Garage Sale 4 Gambella
We are having our 2nd annual neighborhood garage sale for Gambella! All proceeds will go to the village of Gambella, in Kenya. If you have an interest in donating items, please contact Mary via email
(garagesale@a4gblog.org).
Date/Time: Thurs, Fri, and Saturday 5/5 - 5/7; 8am - 3pm Location: 321 Lincoln St, Algonquin, IL
April 2011
1 post
We're Cleaning Ambulances to Raise Money for...
Our group will be cleaning ambulances this coming Sunday, April 10, beginning at 9am. The ambulance company pays us for each vehicle that we clean. We need to clean 18 vehicles by the end of the month, and we could use your help. Come help us, and enjoy some fun conversation, as we talk about the things that have happened in Gambella since they became involved with GHNI, as well as what their...
February 2011
2 posts
Another Live Video Call with Gambella!
We will be doing another live video call with our adopted village of Gambella, in Kenya, on Wednesday, February 16th. You are invited to join us to meet some of the people from the village. We’ll also spend some time talking about adopting a village, and about the Transformational Community Development model that Global Hope Network International uses. If you are at all interested in...
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January 2011
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December 2010
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Merry Christmas!
As the holiday season falls upon us, I find myself with a bit of time to pause and reflect on the things I am thankful for. Right up at the top of that list, is our partnership with Gambella.
What an amazing privilege it has been to be a part of this partnership. I love working with our neighborhood families, and watching their eyes light up as we talk about Gambella, and plan our fund raising...
August 2010
1 post
Back from Africa!
I’ve returned to the States, after my trip to our village of Gambella. We exceeded our goal of $3300 (we made $1000 at our neighborhood garage sale, in addition to the $2925 we raised through your generous donations)!
With the money raised, we were able to build a storehouse (for the crops that Gambella is growing now), build 5 homes for the neediest families in the village, and leave the...
July 2010
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Next Update...Live from Kenya!
I (Matt) leave for Africa on Saturday, 7/24. I can’t believe it’s finally here! The anticipation and excitement are still present, but now fear is joining the party. I have an idea of what to expect, but I have no idea of how it will impact me.
You have the opportunity to find out, first-hand, on Saturday, 7/31, at 8 AM. We will be doing another live video call with the village...
Garage Sale for Gambella
We are having a neighborhood garage sale for Gambella! All proceeds will go to the summer projects that we are funding in Gambella. If you have an interest in donating items, please contact Mary via email (marylossau@yahoo.com).
Date/Time: Thurs and Fri, 7/15 - 7/16; 8am - 3pm(ish) Location: 321 Lincoln St, Algonquin, IL
June 2010
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I'm Going to Gambella!
This summer, I (Matt) will be traveling to Kenya, to volunteer in our dear village of Gambella. I’ll be going with about a dozen other volunteers and GHNI staff. We’re trying to raise $3,300 before I leave, so that we can work on the following projects while I’m there (you can donate by clicking on the ChipIn Widget on the top-left of this page):
Using the money that we...
March 2010
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Goats, Widows, and Crops
I continue to be moved, every time I remember our video call with the village of Gambella. It was simply incredible seeing the smiles on their faces, as we cheered for their progress in the areas of education and farming—that was hope and pride that we saw on their faces! Many of you were involved in our fund raising efforts at the end of last year. We raised money to start a small animal...
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What a Night!
We had our video call with some of the leaders of Gambella last night, and it was a blast! The video call started at 9:30pm Chicago time, which is 6:30am in Kenya. We had a room full of people in Algonquin (which is a suburb of Chicago), and there were a group of leaders from Gambella, standing underneath the tree that used to serve as the school in Gambella. We were deeply moved by the call,...
Live Video Conference from Gambella
On March 13th, we actually get to meet (for the first time) some of the people from Gambella that we are working with, via a live, 2-way video conference-and we would love to have you join us! In addition to the live video conference, we will have some activities that will teach us about life in Gambella, demonstrate some of the ways Gambella has already benefited from our partnership, and...
February 2010
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Awesome Update!
We received the following update, from a friend who recently visited Gambella. It sounds like things are really progressing in Gambella!
“We had an encouraging trip to Gambella today. Seems the security is much better now, the school is back to normal, and they are actually finishing school kitchen facilities and toilets financed by WFP. Also the teachers’ dorms are close to finished...
January 2010
1 post
Gambella Update
We wanted to get an update out to everyone, to let you know where things stand with Gambella. The money that we raised (over $2500, WOW!!!) has been wired to the Gambella project account, and is all ready for purchasing animals once the conditions are right. However, the night raids have been continuing. Thankfully, there have not been any more human deaths since the attack in July, although...
November 2009
7 posts
We Did It!
Thanks to your generosity, we did it! We exceeded our goal of $1800. Our total as of this afternoon was $1920!
We were expecting our ChipIn widget to allow donations up until midnight CST, but apparently it ended early this afternoon. We know there are still some people who have expressed a desire to contribute to Gambella, so even though we are at the end of our first official...
Another Great Day!
Well, it’s been another great day for our partnership with Gambella! Thanks to your generosity, it seems that we may have set our goal a bit low. If you—or someone you know—are still considering giving $10 to help Gambella, please do so. We would love to blow away our goal, and help even more people in Gambella! Even if the thermometer goes past 100%, you can still...
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Last Days of Our First Project
We are in the last few days of raising funds for the first project in our neighborhood’s partnership with Gambella, and we have been amazed at the support we have received from our friends and family. You are the ones making this happen, and we are grateful to you! Just a few hundred dollars left to reach our goal!
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Our First Project with Gambella
We need your help! Would you be willing to spare $10, to make an immediate impact on an entire village? Click on the orange ‘ChipIn!’ button on the top-left of this page to make a contribution.
Earlier this year, Gambella village was attacked by 50-100 armed men. They killed 6 men to send the village scattering. Once they had the village to themselves, they proceeded to steal more...
What Is Involved in a TCD Partnership?
How Partnership Works (in GHNI’s words):
Direct: We facilitate your relationship with the village. It’s about you helping them in their journey to sustainable transformation. Relational: The idea is to get to know your village. We provide regular updates, coordinate volunteer trips, and offer live video communication from the village to your group. Investment: We never replace a...
What Has Been Done in Gambella so Far?
Repaired generator used for fetching water from a deep well
Built school for 180 school children, who had been learning under a tree
New shoes for all the school children
Repaired a water trough for their animals
Built a small, one-room clinic (the hospital in Isiolo (which is a 4-hour walk from Gambella) was so excited, they donated a bunch of supplies)
Two volunteer nurses saw 400 people...
Who Are We?
We’re a small group of friends and neighbors, in Algonquin, IL, partnering with Gambella village, in Kenya. We believe that a small group of people, who unleash their compassion, and work together toward a common goal, can change the world. We’re starting with Gambella.
We’re thrilled to be able to work with Global Hope Network International (GHNI) in this partnership, as we...
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What is TCD?
TCD stands for Transformational Community Development. TCD is the model that Global Hope Network International (GHNI) uses to help the poorest villages of the world transform themselves.
The goal is to help poor towns and villages achieve TCD Sustainability-holistic, sustainable transformation-in five critical areas:
Water - Secure enough clean water for every person, every day
Food - Grow an...
October 2009
10 posts
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Who Is GHNI?
Global Hope Network International (GHNI) is a non-profit, private humanitarian aid organization headquartered in Orlando, Florida and Geneva, Switzerland. Through a committed team of both staff and volunteers, Global Hope Network International is dedicated to serving the “hidden and hurting” in more than 38 countries around the world. They focus on the overlooked or hidden persons in...
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Who Is Gambella?
The village of Gambella is located in Kenya, near the town of Isiolo. It is just north of the equator.
Some facts about Gambella:
Population of approximately 2,000
One of 1,000 Borana villages
About 3 million people in these villages
The forgotten people
Adults speak Borana (sometimes also called Oromo, as they are a sub-group of the Oromo people), and some Swahili (but no...
WatchVideo of our signing ceremony—each of our families signed the partnership agreement that we entered into with GHNI and Gambella Village in Kenya. Jeff Power put this together for us (as he participated via a Skype video call). You can find his blog entry at his site (http://pangeo.typepad.com/pangeo/2009/10/neighborhood-to-neighborhood.html).