News
Pratikshya aka "Kanchi".
Meet Pratikshya aka "Kanchi". Kanchi means the youngest daughter in the Nepali family.
She lives in the lower village of Rithepani with her parents and two elder sisters. She belongs to a poor family.
Her mother is very thankful for our program. She says after drop off her at our center every morning she and her husband are going to their daily work for living without any worries about their little daughter.
Written by Hema Gurung
Our students in Uganda
Every Christmas we try to do something extra special for the community in Buyaya, where our school is based.
This year, we plan to have a feast that will give the students and their extended families an extra special Christmas meal. The budget for the feast is about $400 Canadian dollars.
The Good Shepherd Daycare is already putting on a Christmas Fundraiser for us, but we still need more help.
If you can spare some money, please donate here. The community in Buyaya will love you for it.
If you’re interested in becoming a regular donor to the school and provide consistent support, please consider becoming a friend of Meaningful Volunteer.
WSDO Nepal
Meaningful Volunteer works closely with Women’s Skills Development Organization Nepal, or WSDO
WSDO was instrumental in getting the school built in Nepal and continue to be a wonderful partner.
Women’s Skills Development Organization was created over 40 years ago, as the product of both crisis and extraordinary vision. The crisis came in the form of long standing social and gender inequalities in Nepal. The vision came from a group of women who realised that enabling marginalised women to learn and develop new skills can transform their lives and communities.
The organization’s history began on International Women’s Day (8th March) 1975. It was created to empower poor, vulnerable and excluded women- who had no education, were dependent on or abused by their husbands, or generally in poor health due to lack of money. Their insight was to teach these women new skills related to making handicrafts.
The project started with an investment of just Rs 10,000, three working women, and derelict property in Pokhara that had been granted by the local municipality.
You can continue to learn more about WSDO by checking out the “Our Story” link on their webpage.
Congratulations to Melissa Sorensen, recipient of the 2019 ATHENA Young Professional Award!
Melissa was a key figure in the construction of our first school in Uganda. She helped fundraise and was even on-site when the construction started.
Melissa is also the Executive Director of Social Services for Salvation Army of Dane County.
Check out this video of her winning the award.
Congratulations Melissa! We are all so proud of you.
A group of gamers playing Dungeons and Dragons are playing in support of our schools in Uganda and Nepal.
Two groups play online via the Roll20.net website and one group plays in Coquitlam BC, Canada are raising money. In all, 25 gamers contribute a small amount of money each time they play.
All monies received go directly to support our schools.
The Dungeon Master for the games is our very own Malcolm Trevena.
We at Meaningful Volunteer want to give a big hearty congratulations to our very own Anne Eichmeyer and her new hubby Joe Kempf on their marriage. Way to go guys!
Not only that, but they decided to accept donations to Meaningful Volunteer in lew of wedding gifts.
In all a lot of money was donated. Thanks so much!
If you wish to make a donation on behalf of Anne and Joe, you can do so here.
Our schools in Nepal and Uganda would not have been possible without the generous support of the Manley family.
Andy Manley was a great supporter of Meaningful Volunteer and helped with fundraisers. Andy tragically died in a house explosion almost ten years ago. Both schools were constructed in his honour.
One of the ways the schools keep running is via the Andy’s Aces volleyball tournament.
On June 29th MAJM Scholarship hosted its 9th Annual Andy's Aces Volleyball Tournament in Madison. All proceeds will go to the foundation set up in honour of Andy Manley and his beloved nephew, Mason, both of whom left us too soon.
In all over $USD 5000 was raised!
If you wish to donate, please do so here.
Thank you Andy! You’re influence is still being felt today.
Everybody here at Meaningful Volunteer is especially proud of Jane Namukura, a former employee of Meaningful Volunteer, for graduating from university with a degree in Public Administration.
You are a light to everyone in Buyaya! Well done Jane!
Special thanks to Girls Matter for getting Jane over the final hurdle.
Our schools in Nepal and Uganda would not have been possible without the generous support of the Manley family.
Andy Manley was a great supporter of Meaningful Volunteer and helped with fundraisers. Andy tragically died in a house explosion almost ten years ago. Both schools were constructed in his honour.
One of the ways the schools keep running is via the Andy’s Aces volleyball tournament.
On June 29th MAJM Scholarship will be hosting its 9th Annual Andy's Aces Volleyball Tournament in Madison. All proceeds will go to the foundation set up in honour of Andy Manley and his beloved nephew, Mason, both of whom left us too soon.
If you cannot attend, but wish to donate, please do so here.
Thank you Andy! You’re influence is still being felt today.
Thanks to a generous donation from the folks at Good Shepherd Daycare, our Ugandan school was able to have a Christmas party!
Thanks to everyone involved!
