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Welcome to Ahead's blog (Ahead's website is http://www.ahead.org.uk>

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Ahead’s Appeals

Ahead would kindly like to appeal to its supporters to help fundraising for the following projects.

Support the girls’ hostel
We need to build a common room and a small store room near the Shakiso hostel so that the girls can study in the common room within reasonably comfortable space and also without disturbing each other in their already congested dormitory. The girls will use the small store room for storing their items such as food since there is almost no room left on top of three bunk beds. We would also like to buy small materials such as knitting needles, wool, one sawing machine so the girls can produce some goods which they can sell and buy things such pens, pencils and exercise books for themselves. They will be trained, in these skills and provided with a small fund to help them start up their handcraft “businesses”. We hope that this initiative will boost the girls’ self-esteem, an entrepreneurial spirit and self confidence. The estimated cost is £1,400.

Promote micro-financing (interest free revolving loan)
The success of Wadara district micro-financing project has encouraged Ahead to launch a similar project in Odo Shakiso District in collaboration with the Oromia Credit Association to support, 40 poor families in the first instance. £1,200 is needed to lend £30 per family. Many more families will continue to benefit from this money over many years to come, as it is passed on to other poor families as soon as the loan is paid back.

Build 2 Workshop rooms
Ahead has been experiencing difficulties to organise training in its operation area due to a lack of space to store training materials and conduct training sessions. We would like to build two workshop rooms where various practical training aimed at poor youth and adults will be undertaken. The training sessions will aim at locally identified needs, e.g. HIV/AIDS, improved/sustainable agricultural practices, financial literacy/diversifying income generation activities, solar cooking, etc. These training sessions will also lie the foundation for Ahead’s future community college. The estimated cost for the workshop rooms is £9,600.
Support with these projects will further Ahead’s work significantly and address the needs of our beneficiaries. Therefore, we would highly appreciate any assistance with the projects. We are very happy to clarify any issues raised in this report and consider various ideas that our supporters may offer us. Please kindly pass on this appeal to anybody who might support us with these endeavours. This appeal can be also emailed if supporters can help us with forwarding it to their families, friends and contacts.
For more information please contact us:
Elfneh Bariso
0794 659 2607