Sarah Fiskness: March 2011

Day 75 in Haiti. I am watching the banana trees sway in the breeze and thinking about the many events that led me to this moment. I am living in Port-au-Prince now working as volunteer coordinator for GrassRoots United (GRU). I was also recently accepted to a social entrepreneurship program this summer in South Africa with Think Impact. Upon completion, GRU has invited me to return to Haiti (or the next deployment) to begin a social entrepreneurship chapter for the organization.

Thank you to all who voted for me in the scholarship contest! I didn't win, but the support I felt was amazing. I am now exploring other avenues for funding, as work with GRU is 100% volunteer driven. (From the executive director down, we all pay to be here.) I have included a budget below and a donation link for those interested.

For those of you that have followed my journey over the years through newsletters or other means, 2010 was a big year: one undergrad degree, four moves, one garage sale and one intimidating decision to get on a plane to return to the life that I love. After five sweet, challenging years in the motherland (Olympia, WA) I am back on the road again - back to aid work - back to the heat and chaos and romance of life in the developing world.

Haiti is a beautiful country. It continues, one year after the quake, to be a nation full of dichotomies: courage, resiliency, exploitation, poverty. GRU is an international disaster response organization which specializes in logistics support- we serve as a hub for NGOs to collaborate and connect to resources. Projects include: medical distribution, orphanage support, alternative & natural building, cholera education, local & international volunteer training and more. I coordinate new volunteers coming in to do this work: overseeing applications, correspondence, orientation, etc. I make sure that people who are ready to work have the arrangements necessary to get to GRU and into the field.

Think Impact runs social entrepreneurships in South Africa and Kenya, promoting employment in local villages. The Innovation Institute is a ten week training which facilitates hands on experience and mentorship with these projects. For many years I have been interested in employment related poverty intervention. This opportunity will allow me the chance to collaborate with a highly reputable organization, training, networking and gaining relevant skills for GRU and other future locations.

HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?
DONATE Tax deductible donations can be made through GRU's fiscal sponsor Omprakash.

**Please be sure to write in the note section "Sarah - GRU." If you would like your donation to go to a specific part of my budget, feel free to include that in the notes section as well.
VOLUNTEER in Haiti. For questions, email me at sarah.f@grassrootsunited.org

THANK YOU for all your support!