Meet Maggie Hanson, Champion and Activist for the Batwa Indigenous People
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead You might have heard the above quote before. To me, Maggie Hanson is the embodiment of its meaning. Can you imagine...
“If I could see them, we could dance together” — a heartfelt thank you from Julietta
by Evariste Ndikumana, African Road Changemaker Evariste Ndikumana is a leader of the Batwa Indigenous People in Burundi. Long marginalized and left out of development efforts, the Batwa are among the poorest people in Burundi, a country that stands as one of the...
Why Togetherness?
By Donna Edwards Weber -- and Bryan Weber too! 2017 Learning Trip Participants At first, I had a hard time wrapping my head around the ongoing mission of the Togetherness Cooperative. The horrific Rwandan Genocide happened in 1994 — 23 years ago. The people affected...
What I’d say to someone thinking about a learning trip… by Grace McLaren
By Grace McLaren, 2017 Learning Trip Participant Here’s what I’d say to someone thinking about coming on a Learning Trip: Expect this to change your life in some way. The African Road Learning Trip recalibrates how you see things. I am really glad that I joined the...
The best travel experience of my life by Kathryn Gearheard
Guest post by Kathryn Gearheard, 2017 Learning Trip Participant Though my expectations for my African Road Learning trip were high, they were fulfilled the first day we were in Dar es Salaam. Little did I know how much those expectations would be exceeded again and...
New Hope for Girls by Glenda Montgomery
Guest post by Glenda Montgomery, 2017 Learning Trip participant The mandatory “feet on the carpet photo” at PDX marks my return to Portland from an extraordinary adventure with African Road this summer. During two weeks in July, a small group of us from the States was...
Grateful for the Opportunity to Learn by Rikki Baltes
Guest post by Rikki Baltes, 2017 Learning Trip Participant The learning trip changed my life drastically. I ended the trip with so much love and hope in my heart. The learning trip has given me the opportunity to meet some of the strongest people I have ever met....
VICOBA Training meets The Three Amigos: Savvy Business Women Launch a Sewing School
VICOBA training asks participants to identify what they have, moving from a mindset of hopelessness to recognizing resources. For the women of the Dorcas Cooperative, this was a tough question to ponder. “We live in a very dry part of Kenya where it is very difficult...
Project update — shop space leased for Sewing Hope for Girls!
We are thrilled to report that progress is underway! The first portion of funds raised in our March campaign, Sewing Hope for Girls, has been released to our New Hope for Girls partners in Tanzania. With these funds, Consoler Wilbert, Director of the New Hope for...
On ice cream, Scottish passports, and challenging stereotypes of poverty: an interview with David Clemy
Last week, I had the chance to sit down with David Clemy, the brilliant founder of VICOBA business and savings training and our guest speaker at this year’s Gala. David shared the inspiration behind VICOBA training, his impressions of the US, and his favorite food –...