Guess what? Giving Tuesday is only 35 days away! Redemption Song Foundation has exciting news to share this year that’s sure to keep you, and the Batwa, in good spirits! Can you guess what Program Area RSF will be raising funds this year?
Celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday is a day to give back to the world and share your gifts with those in need. Throughout the years, our organization has had raised money for various projects with our Giving Tuesday campaigns, including Sticks to Bricks, 10,000 Trees. Power to the People, and Clean Water for Christmas.
In our Sticks to Bricks project, we raised money to build two permanent brick homes for Batwa families in Kalehe village, each with three bedrooms, a living area and kitchen with an eco-stove and a porch. In our 10,000 Trees project, we planted a new tree for every $5 donation with an end goal of planting 10,000 new trees (we planted more than 1,400 native and fruit trees and plan to continue reforesting the village over the years), and our Power to the People campaign gave us the opportunity to add solar power systems to every home in Kalehe village—creating sustainable, lasting energy that also combats climate change. Clean Water for Christmas enabled us to fully fund a gravity-fed freshwater spring system that brings clean, safe drinking water to the village for the first time in their lives.
At Redemption Song Foundation, our Giving Tuesday campaigns have a main focus in one of our different specialty areas each year. Which do you think we should focus on this year? We will announce next week and we want to hear from you!
Sustainable, Organic Agriculture:
When the COVID pandemic started, we started giving food relief but more importantly, taught the indigenous Kalehe Village Batwa to do sustainable, organic tropical agriculture — from shade-grown coffee arabica to vegetables, fruit trees, and more. We sometimes call it our "Food Forest" program and it also includes rabbits and goats, which provide much-needed fertilizer for the crops.
Education:
We provide educational opportunities to Batwa children through a sponsorship program. You can sponsor a child, write them letters, and the children write back! The sponsorship covers their school fees, school supplies, transport to and from boarding school, uniforms, and much more. We also host a weekly Educational Soup Kitchen, have ongoing tutoring programs for them, and provide assistance with all aspects of their lives, from getting the healthcare they need to advocating for them at the school, and much more. our RSF Community House is a safe space where all Batwa children know they can go to play and get food if hungry.
Artisan Co-Op:
We buy handmade baskets, jewelry, and other goods from local women (and sometimes men) at a fair trade price, which are resold in the US. All funds go back to RSF and to community development projects for the indigenous Batwa in SW Uganda. These goods are sold online via our store and social media, at farmer's markets, and at "basket parties" at individual homes. If you want to host a fundraiser, let us know!
Community Development:
Community development encompasses our clean water and solar power projects, which require maintenance, as well as our home-building, digging pit latrines, and providing work for individuals. Our staff work alongside the Batwa families every week, teaching them about the tools and resources available to them in the community, advocating for them and their children when issues arise ranging from domestic and family issues to children wanting to leave school due to discrimination. We want to build a community center in Kalehe village at some point as a gathering spot.
Redemption Song Foundation can’t wait to announce this year's new project! Can you guess which area we’ll be focusing on this Giving Tuesday? Where would you like to see us focus efforts? Email us!
Don't wait to donate! Get in the giving spirit early this year and make a donation through our websites donation page (click button below), or mail a check to RSF, PO Box 876, Frisco, TX 75034.
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