Monday, August 30, 2010

Thank you !

Before we fly out, we want to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who's been part of our journey thus far. We've received tremendous support from our family, friends, colleagues, airlines and travel agents, travel clinic staff,  the CBC and people we've never met but want to contribute ! We're incredibly grateful for all the goodwill and can't wait to share it in Rwanda.

Now for the long-awaited goat update. We hit 150 donations ! A full $6,000 Canadian (which we've wired over via Western Union to our colleague there to ensure it doesn't get lost).  Click on the image below to see the spreadsheet. Please email me at djp55@hotmail.com if there are any errors.

Someone told me yesteday that we're actually going to be able to help at least 700 people in Africa (165 kids + 150 goats * 4 people per household (this estimate reeks of consulting interview)) = 765. Some of the help will have a temporary effect and some will be more sustainable. We're just thrilled to have an opportunity to convey so much love and support to those who need it.

And we're off... to Rwanda. Wow...we NEVER thought we'd be typing those words in our life.

much love,
Dal and David

Friday, August 27, 2010

Folks say we have the faces for radio!

This morning we were fortunate enough to have been interviewed on CBC Radio Metro Morning, here in Toronto. We chatted briefly about our trip, our motivations for going, and the reactions we received once we broke the news to our friends and family.
Here's the link..our interview starts at the 11:45 mark : http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/metromorning_20100827_37352.mp3


We're hoping the exposure will raise extra awareness for the school. For those interested in contributing directly to the school, here's the link to their website : http://www.prefercanada.org/

Just yesterday we sat (and Dave slept) through a mind-numbing film about surfing (produced by Kelly Slater no less) while taking relatives on a tour of the CN Tower. I can compare our experience to the process that produces massive waves in the ocean.

We made a small ripple that extended out to our immediate circle - was sent out even further and was positively received and now we're cruising on a massive wave of support and love. We've raised more donations that just the 2 of us could ever muster -  and it's all due to the power of community - our little wave of change has become one giant wave of kindness and goodwill.

What better way to prove we're all connected?

Here's a couple of photos from our visit to the CBC Radio studio. Thanks to Jonathan Pinto for suggesting and co-ordinating the interview idea and to Matt Galloway and the friendly staff at the CBC for the interview !


Quick goat update..we're up to 145 ! Dave will be going to Western Union later today to wire over the money so it gets there safely.

thanks,
Dalreen

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The All-Goat post : Donation Update, Q&A, Goat Movie

Dal and I can’t wipe these stupid grins off our face, which is NOT a result of the mild hangover after Saturday night’s GOat AWAY party although I just found out today that Monica’s leftover rum cake that I’ve been nibbling on every couple of hours since Sat was doused, bathed and submerged in a vat of Captain Morgan. Anyway, the reason for our stupid grins is the overwhelming generosity of our friends and family as well as their friends and family !

Here’s what we’re taking to Africa for the orphanage and the village
1) Donations for 115 goats. Our goal was 25. The stretch goal was 50. Never did we consider an outpouring of support like this !
2) 4 suitcases of clothes/games/dolls/medical supplies/school supplies
3) Individualized cards/letter/pictures for each of the children at the orphange. A big thanks to Judene and the staff/kids at the East Scarborough Boys and Girls club for taking on this project.

On Sunday as Dal and I were updating the spreadsheet of donations, we looked at each other dumbfounded by the support of everyone as well as the opportunity to make a tangible difference in people’s lives ! If you’re questioning how much of an impact a goat could have, read to the bottom of this post.

Here's the updated spreadsheet of donors and goat names (click to enlarge). If there are any errors, please email Dal (dalreen79@hotmail.com) or David (djp55@hotmail.com) so we can correct them. For those that haven't paid yet, we'll be sending gentle email reminders over the next couple of days. The easiest way to get the money to us is by email transfer to either of our email addresses.



Time for a little Q&A on the goat project

Q . How does a family qualify for a goat ?
A. The local gov't decides which families receive a goat. They know their population the best and know who is trying and who is deserving.

Q. What is the lifespan of a goat ?
A. 10-12 years according to goatworld.com (I googled this on Saturday night when someone asked me). http://www.goatworld.com/articles/goatsaspets/petgoats.shtml

Q. What do you two know about handling goats ?
A. Dave: I saw a goat at the zoo about 10 years ago and after 30 minutes of visualization techniques, I gallantly mustered the courage to pet it.
Dal: I use a fork when I typically eat mutton curry. Does that count ?

Q. Will the goat I donate be eaten for dinner ?
A. No. The program is really meant to provide a source of income to a needy family, so the goat must be sustained.

Q. How will you transport the goat back to the village ?
A. The Orphanage will rent a little pick-up truck and bring the goats to school. I'm riding in the back with the goats !

Q. You promised me a TELUS Goat critter for donating the goat at your party. Where’s my critter ?
A. Unfortunately the shipment of critters arrived at our place on Monday, however they are damn cute as you can see from the photo. We do feel terribly about the missing critters, so if you would like your critter, please drop by our place before we leave and we’ll be happy to give it you ! Any leftover critters (we have about 40 ..a big thanks to Michelle from TELUS) will be stuffed in suitcases for the kids. Note..we reserve the right to use them as a bribe to avoid a cavity search by Rwandan customs officials.




Where's My Goat ?

A colleague pointed me to http://www.wheresmygoat.ca/ . It’s a documentary created by Christopher Richardson. He’s donates goats on behalf of clients rather than giving traditional swag, but when some of his clients question the existence of their goat and whether ethical gifts have the impact Christopher hopes, he decides to travel to Zambia to track down a client's goat and discover for himself if he is being innovative or naïve. Are ethical gifts the positive developing world life-changers they are advertised to be?

I traded emails with Christopher and he let me know that the film has its world television premiere Tuesday, September 28, at 9pm EST on the documentary channel. It is a freeview broadcast - meaning that anyone with a digital Cable box or a satellite box will be able to see the show regardless of whether they have a subscription to the documentary channel.

cheers,
David

Monday, August 16, 2010

Want to help ?

Prior to leaving for our trip we’re doing a bit of fundraising for the Rwandan orphanage (http://www.prefer-rwanda.org/) , so if you’d like to contribute, there are a couple of ways that you can do so :

1) We will be packing 4 suitcases of items to be given to the orphanage. So anything the children can use would be appreciated (new/gently used clothes for kids aged 2-6, crayons, pencils, stickers, light colouring books, medical supplies etc..)

2) We have set a goal to purchase 25 goats for need Rwandan families. Yes that’s right..goats. A goat costs about $35 USD in a Rwandan market, so if you would like to donate $40 CDN, we would take the money to Rwanda and have the charity founder accompany us to purchase the goats (so that we don’t get charged foreigner prices) and then distribute them to needy families. If there’s any excess money, we would give it to the charity we’re volunteering with.

Why goats ? The Rwandan government has initiated a program where needy families can receive a goat upon the condition that the goat must be sustained (ie not served for dinner). Goats are useful because
• They supply a family with several quarts of milk each day -- important nutrition for undernourished children and extra milk can be made into cheese or yogurt and sold to make extra money
• Their manure can be used to fertilize gardens and fields
• They often have two or three kids a year, enabling families to start small dairies

Those who donate $40 for a goat will receive
• An email with a photo of the their goat, us and the family that received the goat (assuming the family allows it)
• Exclusive rights to name their goat (Billy, Justin Bieber and David are already taken)
• A TELUS Goat Critter

Here's a fantastic link and excerpt that shows the impact of a goat bestowed upon a family http://www.preferpreschool.org.uk/goats.html .  "It always amazes Cathy to watch the transformation in the receiving families. They arrive at the preschool quietly and seem to be trying to make themselves small. When the goats are presented the grins begin, and when all the goats have been distributed and each family is holding their very own goat, now, believing it is really true, they just seem to swell with pride. They stand taller; talk a little louder, cannot stop hugging me and saying thank you, and want to hurry home to show off their newest and best possession."

A big thank you to all those that have supported us and this project already ! We can't wait to witness and experience this joy and then share it with you !

If you’re not able to make attend our GOat AWAY party on Saturday August 21st but would like to contribute, email Dave at djp55@hotmail.com and we can work out logistics.

We're doing WHAT ??? We're going WHERE ???

On August 30th, we’re leaving the comforts of Canada for 137 days to learn about ourselves, each other and the world around us. Our trip will take us to Rwanda, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and India. We might do a pit-stop in China as well if we can fit it into the schedule.

When we first tell people about our plans the general reaction is shock, awe and occasional disdain. We’ve basically decided to leave our comfortable jobs and take ourselves on a 5 month adventure to some of the world’s poorest countries. As one inspired soul put it, we’re going on the ‘Poverty Tour’.

People have asked how we arrived at our decision to pack up and take a hiatus for 20 weeks with no set jobs to return to. There have been many influences, but here’s the short version :

• Dal’s had Africa on the brain for years. And now she gets to volunteer with kids in Africa (we'll be working with http://www.prefer-rwanda.org/)
• We recognize how randomly lucky we are to live in Canada and want to give back to the world in some way
• We’ve had the good fortune of meeting other couples who’ve taken extended periods to travel/teach/work abroad and they’ve inspired us
• We read the “4 Hour Workweek” during our honeymoon in Costa Rica last year which helped shift our perspective on work/life/goals.
• The stars aligned, we asked and were granted and lots of little things simply fell into place. We’d be remiss NOT to take this calculated risk.

We know this will be a life-changing experience although we’re not entirely sure what that means. Are we going to move abroad and eschew the luxuries of North America middle-class ? Yes..we suppose that’s possible. Are we going to become Brangelina 2.0 and adopt a bunch of kids from these countries ? No..probably not. Are we going to become hippy vegetarians who grow dreadlocks, wear crocs and linen pants ? Dave’s thinning hair and our love for wings & ribs says no.

The least we expect is for us to come back with a fresh, rejuvenated perspective on life, relationships and careers.

Thanks for reading our blog. Our intent is to update it every few days (internet-access permitting) with insightful thoughts, remarkable recaps and photos of our adventures. We would greatly appreciate your comments/questions and look forward to staying in touch over the next few months.

much love,
Dal & David