In South Africa!

Hello dear friends!
I am in Cape Town, South Africa, and will meet with the RGG women on Tuesday!!
Thanks to the effort and generosity of many, we have raised $2,880. This is a fantastic amount, but not enough for the Wendy House. At this point the plan is to meet with the RGG women and ask many questions, record answers, figure out logistics, and make a plan. The goal is to reach this fundraising goal by the end of January (we raised $2880 in less than 1 month, so I know together we can make this goal by the end of January!) and have a contract with the Wendy House company to deliver the house by a decided-upon date. Fundraising will not cease until we have $5,000 to purchase the house, please consider being part of this effort!
Happy Holidays!
Nikki

RGG children walking toward their first graduation

RGG Educare's 1st Graduation!!

Just received photos from the RGG women of the Educare's first graduation!!!

Almost Halfway There!!!

We have raised $2,136, meaning that we are almost halfway to our goal of $5,000!!!!! Today there will be a fundraiser bakesale at the Motley Coffeehouse for the RGG. Come stop by for a treat!

Support the RGG Educare!!

I started this blog tonight in order to make it easy for anyone and everyone to contribute to this effort and support the women of the Educare, who are directly impacting their community for the better!

About: Red, Gold & Green Educare + Me

My goal through this fundraising effort is to raise $5,000 to purchase a Wendy House (http://www.wendycape.co.za/), a solid wooden house with windows and an insulated roof, for the Red Gold & Green Educare.

So far we have raised $2,136!! $2,864 to go!! Allow me to provide some background and context to this effort.

This past summer I interned for a not-for-profit organization in Cape Town, South Africa, which educates women living in the townships (low-income communities on the outskirts of the city) on important business and finance skills as they start and/or expand their small businesses. I came into contact with a group of women who founded and run an educational daycare in their community, which they called the Red Green & Gold Educare. The Educare is located in the Marcus Garvey Community, a Rastafarian neighborhood in the township of Philippi, located just outside of Cape Town.

The goals are to educate the children in their community, and keep them off the streets and in a safe, healthy, and educational environment in the afternoon and on the weekends. The formal education and school system in the townships are in a dismal state; the schools are understaffed and underfunded, and the quality of education is extremely low. These women are actively addressing and combating the situation by taking education into their own hands.

The women are the most inspiring individuals I have ever met, and the impact of the Educare on the community is direct and real. I was fortunate enough to spend some time at the Educare and get to know the women who started it. I attended its 1-year anniversary and witnessed firsthand the community’s fierce commitment to education and a better life for future generations.

The Educare women receive nothing for their labor; they work every day of the week but have neither an income nor a salary. The impact is direct and the effects are huge, yet funds are scarce. Because the RGG Educare is neither a registered non-for-profit organization nor an official school, it does not easily qualify for grants. The most critical need right now is the physical structure of the Educare. Currently the daycare takes place in a small shack (see photos) that is not safe, warm, or insulated. Barely any natural light enters the room, and the room is leaking.

There are many other vital needs. The children do not have access to a flushing toilet. The women want to start an organic garden to provide fresh and healthy food to the children and create a green space for the children to play. They need school supplies, books, stationary, and educational toys. One of the women is in the process of attaining her formal teaching certificate; through this certification she will instruct more effectively, leading to a higher quality of education for the children. The more women that attain this degree, the better. The women are motivated and eager to improve their daycare, yet are incapable of reaching their maximum potential due to lack of funds.

I will be returning to Cape Town over the holidays and will visit the Educare. I am fundraising money for this cause on behalf of nobody but myself. I am requesting support from friends, family, businesses and restaurants. Many organizations keep a portion of your donation for a variety of reasons; alternatively, 100% of your donation to the RGG Educare through me will go directly to sponsoring the teaching education of at least one teacher, and will pay for the schools supplies that the women of the RGG Educare deem most critical. Every dollar is a valuable contribution, and all donations to the RGG Educare will impact communities and individual lives in the most direct and impactful way.

In case you do not know me and I do not know you, I will provide a short bio of myself so that perhaps feel more comfortable donating to this cause.
My name is Nikki Holzberg and I am currently in my fourth and final year at Claremont McKenna College. I lived the first 18 years of my life in Atlanta, Georgia, where I attended The Paideia School. However, my heart has always yearned for California's Golden Coast. Attracted by the balance struck between the colleges through the Consortium system, I decided upon Claremont McKenna College because of its emphasis on leadership, diversity of ideas and political thought, and commitment to equipping students with a pragmatic education. At Claremont McKenna I pursue an interdisciplinary major of philosophy, politics, and economics. Outside of the classroom I enjoy bicycling, painting, and dancing (in particular, Latin and African dance). I value the marriage of the business platform and the social mission, and for this reason I am currently writing my senior thesis on social enterprise. Next year I will embark for Buenos Aires, Argentina on a fellowship through Rotary International, where I will become part of the local Rotary Club, engage in community service, study at the University, and pursue my passion for social enterprise and social entrepreneurship.