Hello everyone, and
thanks so much for visiting my little web page! As some of you may
have heard, I have stumbled upon an incredible opportunity for this
upcoming summer. On July 7, I hope to be traveling to Rabat, the
capital city of Morocco, to begin a 4-week volunteer program and
likely one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. I will be
working 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, in a placement yet to be
determined, but in one of the areas of: caring for infants and
children, teaching children, teaching English, assisting teachers,
observing and assisting local health professionals, caring for
people with disabilities, and working towards women's empowerment.
Morocco only recently
gained independence from France in 1956 under the reign of King
Mohammad V, and although the country is not in nearly as much danger
as many others in Africa, it is still a third world nation
desperately in need of foreign assistance. The literacy rate among
women in rural areas is only 10%. An economy largely dependent on
agriculture is in a constant state of vulnerability due to
inconsistent rainfall and drought, and unemployment rates are
shockingly high. One website I found stated that for every 110,000
people in Morocco, there is only one doctor. Clearly there is much
that needs to change before Morocco is "out of the woods", as they
say.
I was recently
fortunate enough to be hired as the new
Communications &
Marketing Intern at Cross-Cultural Solutions, the non-profit
organization through which I plan to volunteer in Morocco. I do
internet research for them three times a week, and the money
that I earn is put directly towards paying off my approx. $2000
program fee to travel to Rabat. My glass is definitely half-full
on this project, and I expect to work long and hard for the next
3 1/2 months until the money is due to pay off my program fee.
But there are additional costs. There are flights back and
forth, phone cards to be purchased, taxi rides to pay for, and
much, much more. All of this is where you come in!
I created
this web page to tell you a little bit about what I mean to do
in Morocco. But I am only one person, and I can only earn so
much money in a few months of work. So therefore, I am
fundraising the rest of the money I will need for the trip. I
would be so very appreciative of any donations you would be
willing to contribute to my cause. Any amount of money, small or
large, brings me one day closer to this amazing project I aim to
be a part of in July!
It was a big, difficult step for me to
take in coming home from school in December & deciding not to
return. Among the many reasons that I left, was that fact that I
felt stuck in some sort of an educational cul-de-sac and
desperately wanted to be part of something meaningful. I believe
that there is nothing more fulfilling than helping others &
seeing the gratitude in their faces, an inkling of the tiny
change you have made in their lives. I believe that volunteering
in Rabat, Morocco is my chance to do something meaningful while
being lucky enough to learn about and respect a culture
completely different from my own. If possible, please help in
any way that you can, get others involved as you see fit, and
thank you in advance, from the bottom of my heart.
With love,
Kiri ♥
Moroccan Kiddies. Aren't they cute?
The Mausolée de Mohammed V
