GIFT International seeks to:
- Raise awareness locally in NI about environmental and sustainability issues in the developing world
- Identify, develop and provide start-up capital as appropriate, for sustainable community and individual projects in Kenya
- Provide capacity-building training courses for community representatives, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) training for teachers and environmental education providers in Kenya
- Provide opportunities for individuals and organisations in NI to support identified global community initiatives
- Maintain an accountable mechanism for receiving donations and sponsorship
- Work in partnership with other organisations and local agencies in Kenya to identify projects and to organise awareness raising programmes for visiting volunteers and supporters from NI and UK
- Monitor new and existing projects
Who Are We?
With 30 years of shared experience working in Environmental Education and Community Development, internationally and in Northern Ireland, Janet Wilson and Catherine Gleave travelled to Kenya in 2001 as self–funded volunteers to deliver environmental education teacher training workshops. Prior to leaving for Kenya the two women engaged in small-scale fundraising within their local communities in order to provide the funding required to run the training workshops, including venue costs, teachers' lunch and refreshments, resources and travel costs for attendees. On this first visit, over 30 teachers and educators were involved and all were keen for the provision of further training of this nature, and so began a lasting commitment to Kenya.
Our Story
During this first visit we became involved with KICOSHEP (Kibera Community Self-help Project), an HIV Aids clinic and school for orphans of Aids in Nairobi. Through local contacts, we donated a small sum of money for the provision of educational resources, including desks, chairs and science equipment. Through talking to teachers and volunteers involved in the project we explored further opportunities for funding within the school. Subsequently, we supported an out-of-classroom learning experience for the children, enabling them to spend a day in Nairobi National Park which for many was the first time they had ever seen the wildlife for which their country is globally renowned.
During our first visit to the Masai Mara we established links with local community elders and, in consultation with them, contributed funding towards the provision of a school building and a range of educational and community resources. Subsequently we have supported the building of further classrooms, facilitated training for a local teacher and purchased sets of Kenya curriculum text books written in their own language.
Since 2001, we have returned to Kenya as self-funded volunteers on a regular basis and continue to support these initial projects along with a number of new community development initiatives throughout Kenya.
As our experience has grown, and through consultation with local people, it has become apparent that the more that can be done to assist the development of local enterprise, whilst at the same time maintaining a very strong focus on protecting the environment, the more sustainable these communities are likely to be. In an effort to be regionally appropriate, we seek project ideas generated by local people. All our projects are managed by local community members and utilise local resources and skills. While our funding provides the start-up capital for the initiatives, there needs to be demonstrable buy-in from the local community who in turn are charged with the challenge of how, together with us, they can plan for the sustainability of their projects in the longer term. This has proved challenging but has yielded evidence of truly sustainable local development.
Setting up GIFT International
Such was the success of our initial projects, and the interest in supporting them back at home, we took a leap of faith in 2007 and applied for charitable status and GIFT International was born! This means a lot to us: it has enabled us to receive charitable donations from companies and individuals, and permits us to seek funding from appropriate funding bodies, thereby boosting our funds. Secondly, it enables us to reclaim the tax from supporters who gift aid their donations.
Thirdly, it demonstrates that we are who we say we are and gives supporters confidence in our legitimacy.
Our Story
During this first visit we became involved with KICOSHEP (Kibera Community Self-help Project), an HIV Aids clinic and school for orphans of Aids in Nairobi. Through local contacts, we donated a small sum of money for the provision of educational resources, including desks, chairs and science equipment. Through talking to teachers and volunteers involved in the project we explored further opportunities for funding within the school. Subsequently, we supported an out-of-classroom learning experience for the children, enabling them to spend a day in Nairobi National Park which for many was the first time they had ever seen the wildlife for which their country is globally renowned.
During our first visit to the Masai Mara we established links with local community elders and, in consultation with them, contributed funding towards the provision of a school building and a range of educational and community resources. Subsequently we have supported the building of further classrooms, facilitated training for a local teacher and purchased sets of Kenya curriculum text books written in their own language.
Since 2001, we have returned to Kenya as self-funded volunteers on a regular basis and continue to support these initial projects along with a number of new community development initiatives throughout Kenya.
As our experience has grown, and through consultation with local people, it has become apparent that the more that can be done to assist the development of local enterprise, whilst at the same time maintaining a very strong focus on protecting the environment, the more sustainable these communities are likely to be. In an effort to be regionally appropriate, we seek project ideas generated by local people. All our projects are managed by local community members and utilise local resources and skills. While our funding provides the start-up capital for the initiatives, there needs to be demonstrable buy-in from the local community who in turn are charged with the challenge of how, together with us, they can plan for the sustainability of their projects in the longer term. This has proved challenging but has yielded evidence of truly sustainable local development.
Setting up GIFT International
Such was the success of our initial projects, and the interest in supporting them back at home, we took a leap of faith in 2007 and applied for charitable status and GIFT International was born! This means a lot to us: it has enabled us to receive charitable donations from companies and individuals, and permits us to seek funding from appropriate funding bodies, thereby boosting our funds. Secondly, it enables us to reclaim the tax from supporters who gift aid their donations.
Thirdly, it demonstrates that we are who we say we are and gives supporters confidence in our legitimacy.
