Raising the Roof…Together!

There are fundraisers and then there are fundCHANGERS.

What’s the difference?

Well for one, fundraising usually goes in one direction. It is raising money to give to a good cause and help benefit the work they do. They’re great, but I struggle with the whole ‘patronizing’ aspect of them as well as the ‘give and forget’ problem it usually creates.

FundCHANGERS on the other hand go both directions. What I mean by that is although money is   raised to support the cause, the recipient community is offering a lot in exchange. An example of a fundCHANGER is the upcoming “Raise the Roof” Variety Show being organized by my girlfriend, Nadia.

During a five month volunteer journey in Ghana, she had the opportunity to stay with a very generous family that ran a school out of their home. The school was started by a man in the community, Thompson Apempale, to provide an option for the younger children who could not walk the four kilometres to the local school. Currently the school is being run out of two rooms in his house, while the third “room” consists of a few benches in the front yard under a large Baobab tree, which provides the shade for the class room. The children range from ages four to twelve.

Before leaving the community, Thompson told Nadia about his ideas of building a school.

Although there was no money to be found, Nadia, Thompson, and the community began laying out a vision right in front of them. Then Thompson took it further; before Nadia even came up with “Raise the Roof” Variety Show, Thompson’s community began collecting rocks for the school’s foundation; he created two rooms out of mud; provided Nadia with a business plan, and even decided to name his ‘idea’ The Nadia High Vision International School, in honour of the vision she was supporting them to realize.

Recognizing the determination of Thompson to achieve his goal, she decided to hold a variety show in hopes of showcasing local talents in exchange for supporting potential talents half way around the world. All the money raised from the event will go towards supporting the community as they work together to build the school they dream of for their children. All of the work to build the school will be carried out by the locals, with their efforts being reported back every step of the way. The money will be distributed in chunks, in order for Nadia to ensure the community is taking onus of the project.

On April 11th @ 8pm you are all invited to El Mocambo to experience what it’s likes to be a fundCHANGER! You will witness an incredible show, help raise money to make Thompson’s vision a reality, and be connected to the cause as Nadia updates you on the progress made!

For more information and to purchase tickets and actual building materials, visit http://guestlistapp.com/events/17094

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