One basket at a time, Rwandan women are weaving their brutalized country back together. As citizens of one of the most devastated countries in the world, these women refuse to let the anger and bitterness from their land’s history affect its future. Rather, through self-sufficiency, hope and basket-weaving, they are leading their nation’s rebirth.

Between April and July of 1994, a swift and incomprehensible genocide swept through Rwanda over the course of 100 days. An estimated 800,000 Tutsi Rwandans and sympathizers were systematically slaughtered by their Hutu neighbors and militia with support from government and political leaders. While men were massacred, women and children were raped and mutilated. The terror left a population of only 30 % men and nearly 70 % women.

Coping with one of the gravest human atrocities in modern history is a considerable feat for any nation, let alone one with as tumultuous a past as Rwanda. But the country’s recovery has been remarkable and is now viewed as a model for other developing countries. In fact, a CNN foreign affairs analyst has even dubbed Rwanda as Africa’s “biggest success story.” And the country can thank its women for its present stability, economic growth, and rising education levels.

“I [saw] an opportunity to empower the women of Rwanda,” said Willa Shalit, reflecting on a 2003 trip where she first discovered the Rwandan women’s unique talent. By partnering with Macy’s and Gahaya Links, Shalit’s company Fairwinds Trading markets exquisitely handwoven baskets to American consumers for the Rwanda Path to Peace project. Proceeds are given to the artisan women who then invest their new-found income in their families.

“What I earn helps me take myself out of poverty,” attests weaver Justine in an interview with CBS. “Today I can buy a dress, I can feed my children.”

Moreover, these baskets benefit the nation as a whole as the project’s impact extends beyond individual family units. Through income made by weavers, entire villages can afford clean water and mosquito netting to combat deadly diseases. HIV-positive weavers can also better meet their medical needs with more access to healthcare and medication.

But the greatest impact is perhaps the least tangible. Another weaver, Dorcille Uwimana, reflects on the influence she and her fellow weavers have had on their homeland. “We have taught the country to move beyond hatred. We realized we cannot always be angry at each other. We have to weave. We have to make our lives better.”

For a country that has been torn asunder by inhumane man-on-man violence, reconciliation has been accomplished through women. And it is women who are the breadwinners, the catalysts, and the leaders.

The Rwandan widow-weavers prove what has been an increasing realization – that channeling aid to women and girls is the best way to combat global poverty and extremism. As New York Times reporters Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn write, “women and girls aren’t the problem; they’re the solution.”

Baskets are available for purchase from Macys.com.

Baskets, Fairwinds Trading, macys, rwanda, Rwanda Path to Peace project, Sophia Hsu, Willa Shalit Hide

 

This past week I had the chance to speak with Anjelica and Ariel of the budding nonprofit, One is Greater Than None. These two girls, along with six others, started a organization at age 14 to raise money to save trafficked children in Ghana, Africa. After discovering it would require approximately $4,300 to save just one child, the enterprising young ladies decided to craft bracelets attached to cards that would educate people about the troubles in the African nation. There also were T-shirts, emblazoned with their logo, “1>0,” complete with the tag line “Be Part of the Equation.” Since their humble beginnings in 2007, the girls have raised over $100,000 and helped 48 children.

The girls, now 16, are moving on to help people in rural parts of the U.S. with Remote Area Medical (RAM), an organization supplying free medical care to rural areas. The mission is to motivate people by showing that even the smallest amount can help change the world.

Before seeing the Oprah episode “The Boy Oprah Couldn’t Forget,” what made you girls want to start a charity?

Ariel: Well, we all come from fairly comfortable backgrounds and families that involved us in charitable things since we were young.

Anjelica: We wanted to do something fun with our friends.

Who are some of the people the One is Greater Than None girls look up to?

Ariel: Oprah! Ah, Pam Cope who started Touch a Life. She helps orphanages around the world. She’s like a saint ― honestly the most amazing person! Eric Peasah from the International Organization for Migration. Oh, and Taylor Swift!

Anjelica: Yes!

Unison: TAYLOR SWIFT!

Ariel: We are in love with Taylor Swift! She knows who she is and she’s just a great role model.

Anjelica: We blast her music in the car when we’re all headed somewhere together and sing along!

 

 

The simplicity of this organization and the amount of impact it has is inspiring. Is there a lot of planning? What is a typical week for the girls like?

Ariel: Every Sunday there’s a meeting with all eight girls and sometimes the moms. Everyone is in charge of a certain something. We get help from parents on things we can’t do because of our age.

Anjelica: We usually do one charity a week. It’s great having eight girls because two girls can go here and two girls go there.

So much has happened with One is Greater Than None in the last two years. Are you overwhelmed with the amount people have given?

Ariel: I’m in shock that this is even happening, that we’ve been able to do so much in such a short time. People give so much!

How do you balance school, running a life-saving nonprofit and a personal life?

Ariel: Time management! It’s sort of like: Alright, Sundays ― make 20 bracelets; Saturday ― do all my homework in the morning then go hang out with friends.

Anjelica: I’ve learned how to manage time from being in the charity.

Ariel: Yeah, there’s not as much room for procrastination.

You ladies have accomplished so much at such a young age. In the midst of everything do you feel put together?

Ariel: I’m confident but am still learning who I am. As far as school and social life, I’m still learning how to feel put together.

Anjelica: This charity has helped shape who I am today. I’m a more mature person, more put together than if I hadn’t done this.

Your mission statement says that “any contribution, no matter how small, has value.” How can people be part of the equation daily, weekly, monthly or yearly?

Ariel: As far as helping the charity, you can donate, buy jewelry and spread the word. Organize something at school for us. We LOVE speaking at middle schools and high schools because students are so impacted by our message! For the world, any random acts of kindness. Just try to make the world a better place. There are so many different ways to help and get involved.

Anjelica: Definitely volunteer your time.

To donate to One is Greater Than None, purchase jewelry or clothing please visit Oneisgreaterthannonoe.org.

And remember, “Any contribution, no matter how small, has value.”

ghana, International Organization for Migration, Kimberly Bozeman, One is Greater Than None, Oprah, Remote Area Medical, taylor swift, Touch a Life Hide

Now some of you are going to think I have completely lost my mind with this one but trust me, this item is SERIOUSLY poised for a comeback! I’m sure most of you thought you had seen the last of the humble bum bag (or fanny pack to you, my delightful friends across the pond) in around 1995, but word on the street is that these handy belt-like handbags are about to storm back in an unprecedented fashion.

For those of you lucky enough not to remember them the first-time round, and to remind those of us who would rather have forgotten, let’s take a moment to reacquaint ourselves with all things fanny pack. Originally designed for travellers, cyclists and hikers for ease of access and protection from pickpockets, the pack reached popularity within the general public in the late 80’s to early 90’s. Their ease of access however made them a popular choice for gang members to store loaded handguns, which some consider to be the beginning of their demise.

While their popularity seriously dwindled by the mid 90’s, some designers have attempted to utilise the quirky irony of a bum bag by rebranding them as packs, to limited effect. However, while the hardcore 80’s revival is waning, subtle touches such as visors, skinny belts and the bum bag/fanny pack are the perfect accent to accompany the neons, block colours and geometric influences of this season.

So, what bum bags are available for those brave enough to embrace the biggest comeback since the legging?

Bisadora (available from ebags.com) offer a reasonably priced Hip Purse with chain belt that doesn’t scream bum bag, and is just a teensy bit chav-tastic. If you want to run with the trend, the obvious choice is to go vintage, and pick up an original pack from the past. Take it to the extreme with something vivacious and zany featuring wild patterns rocking a classic design, or keep it simple and on-trend with block colours. A great idea is to really commit to your look by adding matching nail polish.

Built by Wendy does some sweet-as-a-button fanny packs and this Brooklyn-based designer is seriously backing their momentous return with a price tag of $108 each!

However you decide to embrace all things fanny-tastic, the most important thing is not to take this look too seriously. And don’t be afraid to team your new best friend with jeans, flowing skirts or even a cocktail dress. Anything goes!

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It was a Saturday afternoon and I was just wrapping up another rewarding session volunteering for the public library’s literacy program, when a mother approached me to thank me for my efforts with her daughter. After chatting for a bit I discovered that she was a former elementary school counselor; so with great enthusiasm I immediately informed her of my ambitions to become an educator. Her response to this was not expected. She paused, took a breath, leaned over and just as I thought she was about to tell me the secret to success she said “Look, don’t expect to change the world, because nobody cares. I’m just warning you, nobody cares”. I was expecting words of wisdom and instead I got a warning! I felt like a child who had just been told that Santa Clause did not exist. Why would she try to shatter my optimism? It was evident from the tone in her voice that there must have been some event that left her demoralized or maybe her spirit had been gradually crushed by an education system that had failed her. Either way, she had been burned and left apathetic. So with a compassionate intent I borrowed some powerful words from Ghandi and responded with “We have to be the change we wish to see in the world.” Meaning that you have to start somewhere and that “somewhere” is with yourself. Apathy can be contagious but then again so can compassion.

On my drive home as I was reflecting upon why this woman believes that nobody cares I began to shift my focus to why do “I care”? Why do I devote hours of my time to the literacy program? Why is tutoring at the Boys and Girls Club a priority of mine? What motivated my decision to teach at an impoverished school in Costa Rica? It wasn’t long before my thoughts became lucid and I came to realize that my passion is born from my awareness that education is directly linked to a bright future and an improved quality of life.

My parents taught me this early on. My mother once told me that the reason she invested so much energy into my education is because her and my father know how hard life is without one. She believed that education was a prerequisite for success. Neither of my parents received a college education. My father came to this country from Peru 32 years ago with the ambitions to earn a degree in Economics from the University of Houston. As fate would have it, before that dream was realized he met a beautiful red head and started a family. After only one semester he left school, took a job as a welder and became a provider for his family. My childhood was characterized by economic hardship and I know that my parents attributed our privation to their incomplete educations.

My father’s heroes weren’t sports celebrities, movie stars, or politicians. They were ordinary people with white-collared jobs who appeared to have the American dream. With admiration, he often talked about his boss Victor the “engineer” who had a five-bedroom house and a swimming pool or his friend Fred the “lawyer” who took extravagant vacations. He always finished these stories with “Daughter, I tell you one thing, you better get that education.” With those words my father planted a seed in me and I went on to earn a formal college education. I realize that my passion for the welfare and education of children sprouted from that seed planted so many years ago. I still heed the words of my father, but I apply them to a grander scale. Yes, my education improved the quality of my life, but now I am aware that the collective education of all children leads to an improved quality of life for society as a whole. Therefore, I care. I’ve seen what a difference little efforts make. I know what its like to tutor a child who is struggling to read. I watch them as they painstakingly defeat each page and with each page conquered I can actually see their confidence grow. At the culmination of a tutoring session there is usually a celebration of high-fives and inside I feel a small victory. Albeit the action small, I know in my heart it will have a ripple effect and I am reminded that you have to start somewhere.

I know that the former counselor I met will not be the last apathetic voice that will attempt to taint my passion. Regardless, I will continue my efforts to plant seeds of learning and confidence in the hearts of the children I tutor and eventually in the hearts of the students in my classroom. In these actions I am the change I wish to see in the world and I hope that through example I inspire empathy in those around me.

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We had the weekend off from working in the markets and we were on a mission to explore as much as possible with our time. On Saturday, we took a bus to Mitad del Mundo, or the center of the world, right outside of Quito. As cool as it sounds, there was really nothing there but a tall statue with a globe on it and a bright orange line which is supposed to mark the equator line. As it turned out, this is not even the actual equator (como dice “tourist trap?”).

 

Rather than giving up just yet, we took a bus a couple miles more to the Temple de Sol where the actual equator line lies. The bus did not drop us off in front of the museum though. Instead, we were let off at the bottom of a hill where the bus driver pointed upwards. As we climbed, the weather changed and we literally were surrounded by clouds. To realize how high we were in the sky, to look around at the peaks of the mountains beside us felt incredible. Immediately, our spirits lifted. The Temple was worth the trek up the hill. We stood on the actual equator, where we watched the tour guide balance an egg on a nail. Everyone in our group also tried to walk along it on a straight line with our eyes closed, but failed because of the gravity.

 

We stopped for empanadas and hot chocolate on the roof of the Temple, where we met a family who told us all about the surrounding area. What Paloma and I thought were mountains actually turned out to be a huge, dormant volcano. We both immediately warmed to this family. They way they interacted with us and amongst themselves was incredibly genuine and kind. After the museum, they took us to where the top of the volcano is and we looked down into the crater where they explained that this is where about 50 families live and it’s so hot that tropical fruits grow. They drove us all the way back to Quito and even took us out to lunch where they told us more about Quito and South American culture. Can you even imagine such a thing happening in the U.S? The two of us were on such a high from meeting such amazing people.

 

On Sunday, we took the bus a couple hours away to Mindo, which is in the middle of a rainforest. We met an American traveler on the bus who turned out to be really fun to hang out with and we all ended up exploring Mindo together. The pictures of this place do not do it justice. Tall, lush mountains surround the town, and even before we started heading up the trails, we could feel an immediate sense of safety and comfort in the town. The trails were beautiful; they were just as green and lush as the initial view promised, with butterflies flying all around us. After coughing up $3 a piece (very reluctantly), we made our way down a trail that led to the waterfalls. It had taken a couple hours, but the sight was completely rewarding.

 

It wasn’t only the sight of them that were rewarding though. At one of the waterfalls was a 36 foot high cliff off of which people were jumping. Tim (our new travel buddy) and I decided we had to jump—when else would we be in the middle of the rainforest with a such an opportunity? Paloma was completely bummed that couldn’t jump since she didn’t bring a bathing suit with her. When we climbed to the top of the cliff, Tim jumped in right away, while I looked down and got nauseous from the sight of the swirling waters below. After some hesitation, and some walking back and forth from the edge and making vomit signs to Paloma who was waiting  to take the picture, I finally jumped in. And even though my legs hit the water with a loud SMACK, it was totally worth it. When I climbed out of the water, I was completely exhilarated. In fact, I was giddy, breaking out into giggles as I thought about what I had just completed.

 

Soon after this, it started to rain, and we began to make our way back, first up the trails, then down the hill on the back of a truck where we bumbled along, sheets of rain abusing us along the way. We stopped for delicious soup and arroz con pollo to warm us up, said goodbye to Tim and headed back home. Ecuador continues to amaze us and after such a wonderful weekend we are more sorry than ever to say goodbye so soon.

Equador, equator, middle of the world, Mindo, mountains, rainforest, Temple de Sol, waterfall Hide

Our success in Ecuador continued today in spending more time with the children in the markets. We took pictures with them and oh how excited they were! They were eager to see what they looked like on film and I even had a couple of sisters dying to model for me. They dragged me to a scenic spot in front of a far wall and then grabbed my hand to promptly bring me to the slides for another photo op.

 

The more time we spend with these kids though, the more apparent their need for help is. One boy showed up with bruises and several of the children have cuts on their faces and bodies. As we all called out “Hasta Lunes” to each other on Friday, I wondered what situations many of these kids would go home to over the weekend. It is clear that some parents don’t want any responsibility for their kids. As Paloma experienced in here first day working in the markets, one woman simply handed her baby to her, saying “I’m leaving her in your care,” the woman obviously eager to get rid of her child for a few hours.

 

It seems like such a little thing—to play games such as “Simon Says,” to teach them the colors, to help them color pictures of clocks and cut out the hands to practice telling the time. But as I’m learning on this trip–this is actually the biggest thing you can do for a child—spend time with them and give them attention and affection. It is clear these kids have none of these things at home. Even with the little I can communicate with them, they are eager to climb into my lap at any opportunity, touch my hair, hold my hand and are desperate to hold on.

 

The parents of these kids are really just trying to survive and so they view their children as a means to help bring in income, handing their six or seven year olds bags of fruit to sell in the market. The children are treated like employees, rather than family—and it is clear how abandoned they are as a result. The evidence of abuse and neglectful parents is overwhelming.

 

The common thinking is that money is how change happens, that nothing big can happen in the world without money. Sure it helps. It makes things easier sometimes—I’m not going to lie that it helped get us to Ecuador. But the truth of it is that these kids really just need to be loved, be made to feel important, even for only a few hours a day. This is the real base of true change. Having interacted with these kids, I’ve realized how important the power of love is in our world today. The need for love and compassion in these kids’ lives is overwhelming. Letting go of their little hands every day is heartbreaking, however what we’ve imprinted in them will hopefully last a lifetime.

 

 

 

It is amazing how powerful this trip has been so far, life changing even. Both of us want to encourage all of you  to have your every day experiences change you also. Let love change you. The power of showing compassion and love to those around you is incredible and it will move you to do things you never thought possible. You do not have to travel around the world or leave your home to do so. On the contrary, start where it matters most… your backyard. Don’t hesitate to let your family and friends know how much you care and love them. Help a neighbor in need. Smile at a stranger. Play with a kid. Lend an ear. Start a conversation. The atrocities in this world are countless, but the biggest one is the lack of love and compassion for the human life. I encourage and challenge every single one of you to practice what it means to love those around you and show compassion to those in need.

 

R and P

CENIT, Ecuador, love, market, Quito, tg3 Hide

Today was our first day working with CENIT. We are so happy to be working with this organization because many of its goals are in line with those of I Am That Girl. Although CENIT opens its doors to both boys and girls, it places greater emphasis on helping girls to succeed (as its name suggests) because they recognize the greater obstacles that face young females in Ecuador. Girls are less valued but often have more responsibility placed upon them because in addition to helping the family sell items to contribute to the income, they are also expected to care for their younger siblings.

 

CENIT is located in the slums of Quito, also called the barrios which is in the southern part of the city. Here there are several markets, some filthier than others. In one, banana peels and other fruits lay decomposing on the floor and the smell is overwhelming, if not unbearable. One of the programs that CENIT has created is to have volunteers head into the markets where there are many kids about—some selling things for their parents, others who wander with nothing to do, and all of whom have little chance at a real childhood or education. To top it off, most of the kids come from abusive families or live with alcoholic parents so they are constantly acting out and imitating what they see at home. Groups of volunteers work with the kids for a few hours, playing games, singing songs, emphasizing basic hygiene skills, and teaching simple skills that kids would learn in school.

 

Paloma and I each headed to the markets and spent some quality time with children. How so many of them simply longed for attention! Even though I don’t speak much Spanish, it was amazing how far just a friendly smile and holding their hand meant so much for many of them. I was lucky to still navigate my way though some basic one on one conversations with a few girls while we made clocks and practiced telling the time. Paloma had a similar experience while making bracelets with several girls. At the end of our time today, each of the girls kissed us on our cheeks and thanked us—so freaking cute.

 

Our work continues tomorrow and we are happy to have so much time left here, though it quickly seems to be running out. Paloma and I are also having great fun exploring more of the city (before dark that is!) and learning the bus system and the trolleys. The neighborhoods are all so much different from each other and there is so much to soak in. The people here continue to be some of the most friendly I have ever encountered and delicious food is literally on every corner.

 

R and P

CENIT, children, Ecuador, slums, volunteer Hide

Our day yesterday was going so well, amazing in fact. We were so proud of how productive the day had been, and headed over to a part of town called El Centro in the early evening. As soon as you enter this part of Quito, the history of the country overpowers you. There are intricately built churches and edifices that stand as confidently as old European castles. Statues of historical figures pepper the street corners and the plazas. We walked down narrow, cobble stone roads, where policemen smiled and pointed us to the best eateries and sights. Locals brewed a delicious cider drink in large pots along the road that tasted of citrus and cinnamon. Paloma and I joked about its healing powers and how wonderful and friendly the city was. We snapped pictures, stopped for empanadas (of course), and delighted in everything that surrounded us.

Before heading home in a cab, and while still drunk on the magic of the evening, we stopped in a large, open plaza in front of one of the old churches to record our first video blog. I pulled my phone out of my bag to check a missed call, while Paloma looked down at the camers to check the video we had just recorded. What happened next was a blur:

Three men came running at us, one of them carrying a huge stick, at least three feet tall. I watched a hand shoot out and grab hold of my phone. Immediately, my reaction was to hold on to the phone, and I held it close to me while the men shouted things I didn’t understand. “Si se mueven o gritan las vamos a asesinar.” I reacted as if a friend had tried playfully to grab my phone from me. It was then I noticed the huge stick of one of the men, and the man closest to Paloma held something in his fist also. Maybe a knife, we can’t really be sure anymore. My reaction wasn’t of fear, but rather shock. My whole body shut down, and since we were sitting on steps there was nowhere for us to run. They shouted again, “Si se mueven o gritan las vamos a asesinar!” It took Paloma screaming at me with all of the might she could produce, “Rosalind, give it to them!!” before I threw the phone at them. Immediately, they ran off, our goods in their hands.

It was such a whirlwind, it took Paloma turning to me and saying “We’ve just been mugged” for me to even process what had happened. We held hands and ran the 50 feet back to where the cars were, to where other people were, even where the cops stood idly by. Everyone had told us it was a safe area, and we had passed plenty of cops while we had romped through the streets. Yet the men had found the perfect time. They waited for the people to pass, they waited till we were busy with our toys and then came charging at us, perhaps knowing they only had a few minutes to get away with it.

We ran into the first cab that passed us, Paloma even falling in the process, we were so desperate to get out of there. The realization of the events hit us hard in the cab, as we started sobbing and hugging one another. “It’s okay, it’s okay” we had to reassure eachother. “It’s just a phone and a camera.” This was also when Paloma informed me that they were shouting at us death threats the whole time. In this case, I was glad to not know too much Spanish. “If you move or scream we will kill you” is not a phrase I ever hope to use or hear again for that matter. The cab driver called in the crime for us to the police station, surprised himself that such a crime would happen in that area. And at first we were grateful for his help. When we pulled up to our apt and he informed us that the cab ride was double the price of the ride we had taken to El Centro, we were over it. “Did he say siete?”, I asked Paloma. Even the cab driver had taken advantage of our misfortune, of our shaky nature that plagued us throughout the ride home.

What are the lessons here? Well, first of all, the lesson is not to be scared, but to be more aware. It was a reminder of why we are here in Quito, and how poverty can drive people to desperation. Even this morning, our routine varied radically. We left the apartment taking in the possibility that our bags might be stolen, and stuffed money and important phone numbers in one of our pockets. Yes, they targeted us because we were two women, two young women, and my blonde hair did a lot to inform them that I was not from around here. Paloma and I are already talking about taking self-defense classes when we get home. A man we met today at CENIT, a local non-proft, talked about his friend getting stabbed who resisted. Paloma’s response? “Next time that happens to us, I want to tell them, ‘If you touch me, I will kill YOU.’” We’ve got a lot of self-defense to learn before then, but we’re sure being invincible isn’t an impossibility.

Our goal for this trip were not only to change the lives of others but to learn about ourselves as well. Trust us, we are learning a lot!!

P.S. We promise we’ll make it home alive

R and P

Add new tag, Ecuador, el centro, mugging, Quito, safety, self-defense Hide

So, we´re here.  After several  fundraisers, months of meetings and planning, our plane touched down in Quito, Ecuador last night.  The entire family of a friend picked us up (her brother, uncle, grandma and grandpa), drove us to where we´re staying and showed us where the convenience store was (so we could buy toilet paper and toothpaste).  They even surprised Paloma with a birthday cake!

Our first morning started with two television interviews. My stomach was jittery all morning, (and not from drinking the water), but with anticipation of going onto a television  show in a language that I didn´t speak. Paloma, however, was envious of  my position, wishing SHE was the one that didn´t have to speak. In the end, the interviews went smoothly, (thanks to Paloma). The first was a live talk show while the second was pre-recorded and which they´re going to add live footage of our work later in the week.  

Even though I speak very little Spanish and am picking up parts of conversations mostly through context  and cognates, it is immediately clear how friendly  and open this culture is. I could seriously get used to it. Our cab driver hopped out of the cab to get us change for a 20, everyone kisses on the cheek, and the receptionist at one of the tv stations chatted away with us about The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus while we waited to go on the air.

There are of course still the details of navigating our way through various cultural differences.  For example, Paloma and I actually locked ourselves INSIDE our apartment because we couldn´t figure out how to unlock the door. It was of course when the landlord was running up the stairs to save us that Paloma tells me, ¨Why don´t you try just pushing the button?¨and presto, the door opened. The landlord was still incredibly helpful in helping us get out of second door (made up of black bars) and then proceeded to escort us down the stairs to our cab.

On our way inside of a plaza to find some grub in between the tv interviews, we stumbled across a hysterical child locked inside a car. ´´Uh, should we do something?¨ So we walked over, sure that our mission to help save the little girls of Quito was already upon us! If it was the US, the child wouldn´t be screaming long before child services was informed. But after talking with the girl, her mother came bumbling down the road from her shopping spree and proceeded  to discipline the child. Well, at least the window was cracked!  

While we had the opportunity to share with television viewers about the work I am That Girl is doing this morning for two different stations, the real work begins tomorrow, when we meet the girls we will be helping! We´re super excited!

R&P

cultural differences, Ecuador, Quito, spanish language Hide

June may have been National Adopt A Cat Month, but for animals lovers like Gillian Lange of the Lange Foundation every day of the year is devoted to cats and dogs.

Lange, who also founded the Amanda Foundation, started the Lange Foundation in 1993. The two organizations have saved over 20,000 cats and dogs.

“Each animal has its own story; its own memories; its own shock when it’s left behind,” said Gillian Lange in a previous interview on her Web site. “It’s easy not to see things sometimes,” said Lange.

When owners need to give away their pets, some take them to the animal shelters, assuming they will find good homes, said Lange. But, she said, most are euthanized because of overcrowding conditions at shelters.

The number of animals euthanized at shelters has dropped 60 percent from 1973 to 2007, according to the Humane Society of the United States. But about 6-8 million dogs and cats enter shelters in the United States each year. Of those, an estimated 3-4 million are euthanized.

“We have many, many cats here. Where people have moved out of a house and just left them locked inside—never bothered to tell anybody or pick them up,” said Lange.

The Lange Foundation’s Web site has bios and photographs of kittens and cats available for adoption. Cats like black-furred Eva, who has been at the foundation since 2003, are the featured felines on the site.

After seeing the stark number of abandoned pets being euthanized at the city and county animal shelter, Lange opened her heart and doors to the abandoned cats and dogs. Animals from city and county shelters are rescued and brought to the Lange Foundation. Volunteers and staff work to find homes for them and offer training and other services. Animals are also treated for fleas and other medical conditions. If homes are not found, the rescued animals can live at the foundation for as long as they need to.

In addition to Lange’s efforts, other organizations also offer help to pet owners feeling the impact of the deflated economy.

Paws/LA provides support to pet owners who are financially, physically and emotionally challenged. The basic services provided to pets and pet owners in need include litter box maintenance, dog walking, animal transport, subsidized veterinary services, and spay and neuter care, among other things.

With all these support groups set up, there’s no reason for you not to adopt.  If you’d like a furry bundle of love of your own, visit the Lange Foundation.

abandoned pets, Amanda Foundation, animal adoption, animal shelters, animals, animals lovers, cats, dogs, euthanized, Gillian Lange, Humane Society of the United States, Lange Foundation, National Adopt A Cat Month, Paws/LA, veterinary services Hide