``More Zanzibar information

Hujambo! (That means, "GREETINGS!" in Swahili!)

I hope you are all doing amazingly well. I am writing to you about something near and dear to my heart, and something I am really excited about being a part of, and I'm hoping you will share my excitement about what I am about to experience.

Next week, for about one month, I will be traveling to Zanzibar, Africa with One Heart Source; an organization whose mission is to fight AIDS and HIV in Africa.

For most who visit this tropical island off the coast of mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar is a tourist haven and hideaway. However the true statistics behind the veil are staggering;

* 23% of primary school age children ages 7 to 13 have not been enrolled in school. Most unenrolled children are from rural poor families and are more likely girls.

* The prevalence of HIV/AIDS has not been contained. Stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS is high at 76%, with 44% of women and 20% of men with comprehensive and correct knowledge on HIV/AIDS. This is a significant barrier that needs to be overcome as education is still currently the only vaccine. (TDHS 2007/08)
I, along with the rest of the OHS volunteers, will be traveling to Zanzibar and working exclusively with an orphanage there to teach children about the diseases they are facing and how to prevent them. This is something incredibly important to me and the people involved with OHS, and I am really excited to be able to make this step to help with the HIV and AIDS awareness.

Since One Heart Source is a non-profit, non-governmental organization and I am volunteering for this opportunity, the cost of my program fee and airfare must be met through my fundraising efforts and the generous donations from my friends and family. THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN!

If this issue is an important one for you, or even if you'd like to just see me live my dream and feel that you can donate ANYTHING... One dollar, ten dollars... I mean it. Anything. I would be forever indebted to you for the generosity and help. ALL donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

You may help me as my sponsor (and as a ROCK STAR in my book) by logging into paypal and sending over a wired amount, that will go straight to One Heart Source at:

Because it is coming up pretty soon, I only have about a WEEK of fundraising left. I am so appreciative to everyone that has stepped up with whatever they could to get me to my dream summer volunteer job.


Once again, thank you for listening to my dream. If you have any other questions or just want to talk about what I'd be doing there, feel free to contact me or visit the website at:
www.oneheartsource.org


With all the love I've got,


Shannon McHugh