The Realist Idealist

As I’ve started fundraising for our programs in Rwanda, people have continuously asked me “Well, what is your fundraising strategy?” I desperately want to pull out a glossy and laminated booklet that outlines our diversified set of donors and fundraising approaches, complete with detailed timelines and cute little bar graphs.

Instead, I sigh and say “Well, the other night I sent out a desperate and impassioned plea for help to my closest family and friends that raised a couple thousand dollars. That is getting us through the next few months. Does that count?” Sometimes I can use big words and pretend that I have it all mapped out in my head. In reality, I am thinking: ohhh shit.

The co- founders of Amani Africa have been operating their programs with children in Rwanda and Burundi for over 7 years, but we just recently received our 501c3 status as a registered nonprofit organization in the States. So for all intensive purposes, I am trying to build up a donor base and fundraising system from scratch.

How does a small nonprofit get start-up funding? I am lucky that I had money saved and incredibly supportive parents who have helped pay for my tickets to Africa, because otherwise there would be no way for me to do this.

An example of our current fundraising strategy is the email that I recently sent out at 3 in the morning:

Dear friends and family,

Just so y’all know, a proper update is in the works regarding my last few months in Rwanda and the never ending chaos that is my life. So let’s just consider this a preface…

I’ll cut to the chase and say that I’m asking for help with something incredibly important.

Our organization, Amani Africa, runs a small orphanage in Kigali, Rwanda. It was opened four years ago by Charles Nkazamyampi and Gasana Mutesi, the Rwandan/Burundian couple that I work with, when they realized how many of the kids participating in their sports teams and reconciliation activities were homeless. Some of the older ones lost their parents in the genocide, others were living on the streets after their parents died from AIDS or malaria, and some were living with families who just couldn’t afford to take care of them.

Charles and Gasana have been running it with their own funds and with the small contributions of friends. That money has now run out and we are currently two weeks overdue on rent for February.

I have struggled over whether to send this email. As most of you know, Gasana is coming to the States in April for fundraising and speaking events, to raise awareness for the new school that we are starting in a rural area of Rwanda. Building and operating the new school is a priority, but obviously there are many other programs currently running that need assistance as well.

I was going to give everyone a couple more months before asking for money, but I have come to the conclusion that there isn’t really another option.

It costs approximately $1,100 a month to keep the orphanage open. This covers rent and food. Their school fees have already been paid.

I realize that this email may come off as slightly panicked, but it’s because I don’t know what we are going to do if we can’t raise this money.

I do know that Gasana will resort to robbing a Kigali bank before she would let these kids go back to the streets, and I can’t let that happen. The only other option is to sneak them on a boat and bring them to DC to live with me, and I don’t know how my roommate would feel about that.

These kids are the joy of my life and they are extremely precious to me. A number of you have been to Rwanda and met them, and I know that you would agree they are a group of very, very special children. They have been through unbelievable amounts of pain and suffering in their lifetimes, and still have the most positive attitudes in the face of so many challenges. They are an incredible group of brilliant, energetic, and loving kids. And for the lucky few that have seen them perform, you will also agree that they are the best dancers in East Africa….

It would mean the world to me if everyone would consider helping us to support the orphanage. We recently registered Amani Africa as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in the States and I am working full time as the volunteer Director; it is obviously something that I am extremely passionate about.

I spoke with Gasana this morning and the landlord has threatened to evict the kids if we can’t pay the rent by the end of this week.

We need to raise $1,100 by Friday in order to keep the home open. This is about 36 dollars a day.

A donation of 36 dollars will cover all the costs of the orphanage for one day.
36 dollars is a nice dinner for us, yet that amount of money makes a world of difference in these kids’ lives.

http://www.africagrassroots.org/donate.html

(Our website is still a work in progress, so please forgive any mistakes on there… )

Charles and Gasana are also working unpaid until we can raise enough money or get grants for overhead. They are currently running all the other Amani programs that affect over 5,000 children in Rwanda and Burundi.

And of course, if anyone is interested in getting more information about our projects or the new school, please send me an email. I would be more than happy to talk your ear off. I am so excited about the recent developments with Amani Africa and can’t wait to share the details of this progress with each of you.

Thank you to everyone for being a constant source of love and encouragement in my life.

Lots of love,

Elizabeth

Please forward this to anyone who might be interested

http://www.africagrassroots.org/donate.html

I have attached a couple pictures of the kids.

Picture 1: Amani Africa staff with some of the Nyamirambo Home boys ( and Miss Rwanda in the center!)

Picture 2: Innocent and Claude, two of the boys who live at the Nyamirambo Home

Yes, I am still up working at 3:30 am, and yes, I know that (as my sister tells me) I need to get a life.