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VSA Project Friendship is back on again in August 2008.
The dates are set - August 11-18. New and exciting colours and patterns are being worked out now!
This is a fun, straightforward and symbolic campaign, and we are NOW seeking energetic, globally responsible individuals to coordinate this appeal at your school or community group.
We would be delighted to have your school or group take part, and we encourage you to register your interest today. This is the type of campaign a group of keen students could run at your school - so go ahead, GET INVOLVED! Mark it on your wall planner!
Project Friendship is all about New Zealanders taking friendship to the world. VSA provides your school with a wonderful range of colourful hand-woven friendship bracelets, which are sold for $2 each during friendship week. The proceeds come back to VSA so we can send more skilled New Zealanders to assist striving communities in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
There are fantastic educational resources available - teachers and students who have used these in previous years have found them interactive, thought-provoking and engaging.
VSA has around 100 assignments on the go at any one time. Here is a sample of assignments VSA Project Friendship would help support, from Asia, Africa and the Pacific...
In the Pacific
Bridget Olssen is working as a pre-school trainer on the island of Santo, Vanuatu. She is working with teachers at the community-owned kindergartens, helping them develop their programmes. The importance of pre-school education is that it helps set up learning patterns for life, and involves parents in their children's formal education
.
In Asia
Rachael Lowe is a management adviser for the Rural Economic Development Association in the Svay Rieng Province of Cambodia. One of REDA's main aims is to empower people living in slum dwellings. Much of the work centres around HIV/AIDS - raising awareness and providing care and support for people and their families. REDA also supports self-help groups to set up, and provides some training in ways people can earn a living, like fish and frog farming.
In Africa
VSA is currently looking for a fish-farmer who can work with the Amalinda Fish Centre and help them with their goals. We have had a volunteer, Jenny Wadsworth, working with the Amalinda Fish Centre for the past year as an environmental awareness trainer. Jenny has been helping the Centre to adopt environmentally sustainable practices.
About VSA Project Friendship
There are many different ways you can help people living in poverty. You can help them out with things or money...or work with them, sharing skills so they can do things on their own. We think the skills-share way is a powerful way of making a lasting difference. Skills can be learned between people and can be passed on, in a way that crosses cultures and time. Here is what you can do NOW...and what you can be part of in the future.
We're asking you to help the world's poor by getting everyone at your school or group to wear a $2 friendship bracelet.
When? Anytime between the 11-17 August 2008 (but we can also organise for you to run the campaign outside of this time).
This will be the 4th year that VSA has engaged with schools and groups. It's an enjoyable and easy campaign to get behind - and the "Kiwis helping to end poverty" and "friendship" messages are something good and positive for students to support.
Money raised through this year's campaign will be used to support the work of VSA volunteers, helping some of the world's poorest communities.
Development education is a strong part of VSA Project Friendship and we have fun and interactive resources for all levels. Schools who made use of the materials last year commented that they helped open young people's eyes to what is happening in developing countries. Please visit www.friendship.org.nz for more information on these resources which link to the curriculum for teaching purposes.
Schools that have taken part in VSA Project Friendship in previous years have enjoyed the quality, colours and messages that the bracelets convey, and comment that the bracelets sell themselves. The colours and patterns for 2008 will be new and more vibrant than ever before.
We ask you to involve your school or group - working together with the Kiwi spirit to make a positive difference in the world.
Please support Project Friendship 2008 - and help take Friendship to the world. Register your school or group today. Contact the VSA Project Friendship coordinator on 0800 872 8646, or use the Contact Us form.
To see what happened in this year's Project Friendship appeal, please visit www.friendship.org.nz
REGISTER HERE - ENTER AS YOUR SUBJECT LINE: PROJECT FRIENDSHIP
Thousands of school students around New Zealand showed solidarity with the world's poor by wearing VSA friendship bracelets in August 2007.
The bracelets cost just $2 and the profits will support volunteers like occupational therapist Sarah Wallis. Sarah - who was the face of VSA Project Friendship 2007. Now on her second VSA assignment in Tanzania, she is helping establish an orthopedic hospital in Arusha.
1. Safe Water 2. Reliable Incomes
3. Improving education
It's not too late to support VSA Project Friendship. Contact the VSA Project Friendship coordinator on 0800 872 8646, or use the Contact Us form.
