More highlights from 2009!

Tariro students and guardians with donated Christmas gifts of maize meal, purchased with funds from the Whidbey Island community

Dear readers-

I’d like to share with you a few more highlights from Tariro’s 2009 annual report, this time covering some of our activities in the US.  The previous post covers our activities in Zimbabwe, but what we do over here is also critical in sustaining our work!  Over the past year, here are some of our accomplishments:

• Drafted and adopted the 2010-2012 Strategic Plan for Tariro, establishing four primary goals for our growth over the next three years.  These goals are:

1. Strengthening the core of our program, consisting of educational sponsorship and HIV awareness and prevention activities.
2. Expanding the reach of our programs in Zimbabwe to assist greater numbers of girls in need.
3. Obtaining a permanent home for our programs and activities in Zimbabwe.
4. Increasing and diversifying our fundraising activities and sources of funding in order to sustain current and future program goals and activities.

• Presented on our work at a variety of including events held by Zimbabwe Music Festival, the University of Oregon, the West Cascade Peace Corps Association, the Eugene International High School’s Africa Day, South Eugene High School’s National Honors Society, Westminister Presbyterian Church, and the Eugene Public Library.
• Received grants totaling over $18,000 from foundations and organizations including the Zimfest Association, the Oregon Country Fair, the Cambridge Trust, the Schwab Charitable Fund, the Research Triangle Institute, and the Kutsinhira Community Development Project.
• Benefited from events held in several communities on Tariro’s behalf, including Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Boulder, Eugene, and others.

I’ve spent the last couple of posts describing our progress and accomplishments  in 2009.  In the following weeks, I will turn to what is happening on the ground right now, describing both the successes and the challenges we’re facing as we move into 2010!  If you’d like to get involved with Tariro, please contact us, and sign our mailing list to stay updated over email.