What kind of organization is Bola Moyo?
Bola Moyo is registered as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We are categorized as a general public charity. We try to look at individuals’ needs holistically– the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual elements. We believe that our greatest work is not “development” but rather encouraging individuals to tap into their individual and collective strengths for the good of themselves and their neighbors. We seek to instill critical thinking skills, creativity and confidence in all of our program participants.
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What does my donation cover?
These are just a few examples of your monthly donation “at work”!
- $20/month covers 5 children per month at the House of Many Stories youth program
- $40/month covers 6 children at our Adult Literacy and Continuing Education (ALiCE) daycare facility
- $60/month will put 10 women through our ALiCE program
- $100/month covers the cost of putting 5 secondary students through school
- $150/month would cover the anticipated cost of the forthcoming Lioness Girls’ Empowerment program (fall 2009)
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How many secondary school students do you sponsor?
We currently support only a few secondary (high school level) students. We’re working on revamping this program and hope to expand this effort soon.
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Can I sponsor a specific child through your school sponsorship program?
We don’t currently have the program set up to link specific supporters to specific children, but we do try to find personal ways to connect our donors with the kids (through their artwork, letters, photos etc).
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Can I donate clothes for you to take to Malawi?
We’re not crazy about bringing used clothing to Africa, due to the effect that it can have on the local textile trade. But we DO have a wishlist of other items we need to improve our programs. Most of the items we list are things that cannot be purchased locally. Please check out our GET INVOLVED section.
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Does Bola Moyo plan to extend its programs outside of Balaka?
Our philosophy is to get to know a community and its culture slowly and authentically. That being said, we have not been in Balaka for very long. We would like to continue to nurture our programs there with as much attention as they need to sustain long-term success. For the moment, we are content to work with this small community, but we are willing to expand to other communities once our Balaka programs are more firmly established.
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Does Bola Moyo work in conjunction with any other organizations?
At this time we do not have any formal partnerships, but we collaborate informally with other organizations both in the US (in Portland) and in Malawi. In Portland we collaborate and engage in dialogue with the PAGAC (Portland Area AIDS Coalition), Africa Bridge, Jubilee Oregon and other similar groups. In Malawi we informally partner with the Chufundo Artisans’ Network (by helping to sell their crafts). We are also in the process of cultivating relationships with a few village groups, whom we hope to partner with on youth and HIV-related programs in the near future.
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