Hillary Sullivan's ESTC 2009 Winner Final Words

Little did I know what my decision to be an Eat So They Can host would lead to! The GVN ESTC 2010 Kenya trip has been a week like no other, packed from beginning to end with unforgettable experiences. And now the 10 of us from all corners of the globe, US, UK, NZ, Australia, S. Africa and kenya are all going our separate ways with so much to think about and images which will remain with us for the rest of our lives.

The week started with a visit to Kibera, Nairobi's slum area, and reputedly the largest slum in the world, home to maybe 3/4 million people. Five orphanages and 3 IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps later, we had distributed checks for school exam fees, electricity bills, medical expenses, delivered baby formula, sacks of flour (?), and even a cow to supplement the milk supply for an orphanage of 160+ children. At the IDP camps where the needs are even greater, ESTC donations are funding a porridge program which feeds hundreds of children on a daily basis, plus gradually building permanent housing for families who have been living in tents for 3 years.

As the incredibly lucky winner of the ESTC 2009 campaign, I have had the privilege of seeing first hand precisely how the donations from the ESTC hosts are allocated and distributed, directly into the hands of those who need it most. As they say in Swahili, asante sana, thank you very much to GVN, to Colin Salisbury, GVN founder, and especially to Lauren McMahon, and Tracy Pillay for going to such lengths to make this a life changing experience for all the participants. Let's hope that the ESTC 2010 campaign will reach a new record in donations.

Asante Sana

Hillary

What a Week - What a Team!

Let me fill you in on the first couple of days!

On Monday we headed straight into Kibera slum. Peter, otherwise known as “Mr Kibera” hosted our visit and showed us some of the projects in the area. It was fascinating learning about the history and how people survive in such cramped and challenging conditions. Around every corner we were greeted by “How are you? How are you? How are you?” from the small children all wanting to talk to the Mzungus (white people).

We visited Siloam Academy, an orphanage and school benefiting from funds raised through ESTC. Last year we delivered urgently needed food, this year we paid exam fees to enable ten of the kids at the orphanage to sit their school exams.

In the afternoon we visited Happy Life, a home for abandoned babies. There are currently 37 babies at the home and wow, do volunteers have their work cut out for them here! Rooms were filled with cribs and little bundles of joy! We arrived at the perfect time too, when they had just woken up from their afternoon nap. Oh how adorable. We all dived of them and goo goo and gaad for hours. Even the boys on the team, Colin, Peter and Tim, were absolute mush! Last year we delivered baby cots and formula through ESTC, this year we delivered formula again and plus towards medicine and future health care for the sick babies. They are often in very weak condition when they arrive at the centre and need lots of love and attention.

On Tuesday we visited Pipeline IDP Camp, a 2.5 hour drive through the Rift Valley from Nairobi. I was particularly excited because I had not seen the community since I left last June and I was eager to see everyone again and see how the projects were coming along.

It was a beautiful reunion yet I felt a hint of sadness. So many people still in tents, so many people still suffering. Yet hope remains strong and everyone is as positive as I remember, quite remarkable given the conditions. We headed straight to the Nursery Class where the children were eagerly waiting for their porridge. Last year funds raised through ESTC went towards setting up the porridge program and we supported it again this year. It is such an important project. For many of the children who come to class and receive a cup of porridge it could be their only meal for the day if their parents don’t have enough food. Alicia and Hilary assisted Susan who runs the projects distribute the “uji” which was a lot tougher than it sounds. Facing hundreds of hungry kids is not easy!

We spent the rest of the day touring the camp, meeting people, and visiting projects. The school which GVNF Australia is building through ESTC is nearly finished and looks amazing. It’s so wonderful to know that soon 120 little 5-6 year olds will be attending class! We are also supporting the housing project through ESTC. Once they are finished five families will have a new home!

More to come soon…….

Hugs,

Lauren

Meet ESTC host Leanna Simmons!

Leanna Simmons from New York, U.S.A is another one of our fantastic and inspiring Eat So They Can hosts. She is currently in Kenya participating in the ESTC distribution trip and seeing first-hand where the funds she raised at not one but THREE separate ESTC events will go!

When Leanna is not busy planning fantastic parties for a great cause, she works for the Boys & Girls Harbor as Director of the Grant OST (Out of School Time) Program. In her spare time she enjoys travelling, roller skating, completing rebuilding projects, photography and laughing. For anyone who has yet to be impressed by such an active lifestyle, she is also currently working on her Thesis for a MS in Organizational Leadership, no big deal.

Perhaps her background as a self-described "military brat" living and traveling to places including Stuttgart Germany ("good grief the food alone was worth the trip"), Columbus Georgia, Korea and Hawaii have motivated her to pursue one of her lifetime goals: helping children around the world.

When asked, "what are you looking forward to most on this trip," Leanna responded, "I am looking forward to being whatever is needed to put a smile on someones face and to lighten the load and worries of the adults who compassionately take care of all the amazing children in the homes. I'm just looking forward to being in service." With her enthusiasm and passionate pursuit to enrich the lives of others, specifically children around the world, I don't think it will take her long to generate some huge smiles!

Caitie Goddard

ESTC Host Mentor

Meet the Distribution Team!

It's finally here! Colin Salisbury and his daughter Emily, GVN/GVN Foundation's Lauren McMahon, grand prize winner Hilary Sullivan and 4 other 2009 hosts who decided to join the experience are headed to Kenya! Starting April 12th, the entire group will spend a week visiting some of the projects and orphanges, checking out a safari on Lake Nakuru, and learning more about our exciting research Eliza has completed on our orphanage development program.

Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to get to know a few of the team through email and over the phone. There are two obvious things I noticed right away; 1. it is a very diverse group with lots of different personalities and 2. they are amazing! With their huge hearts and enthusiasm to be change-agents in the world, we will hear more from these people over the years!

Within the next two weeks we will feature some of the participants in our blog so you can learn more about these amazing individuals and how they came to be a part of the Eat So They Can family.

Today I'd like to introduce the amazing Alicia Hill.

Alicia Hill is from Australia and works as a Conservation Officer with the Marine Parks section of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Before this visit to Kenya, Alicia has been all over the world including Thailand, Malaysia, and Fiji. "I also travelled to Nepal in 2005 on the GVN Everest Base Camp fundraising trek. My boyfriend and I also spent three months in the USA skydiving and living out of a van. It was fantastic…" According to Alicia, "I’m just an average person who goes about her life but likes to do something every now and then that can make a difference, however small. I’ve been given some amazing opportunities in this life and I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t share the privileges."

What is your dream or goal? "Just to be happy really. To be a good person. To always be growing and learning through new opportunities and experiences." ~Alicia Hill

GVN first had the privilege of getting to know a little bit about Alicia when she participated in a GVN fundraising trek to Everest Base Camp 5 years ago. "I met some fantastic people, saw some breathtaking scenery, and got to see first hand the difference that GVN and its donors are making in this world." When asked about what she is most looking forward to during her time on the distribution trip, Alicia's answer is right in line with her heart; " The smiles on the faces of the children that will benefit from the campaign." We asked Alicia what she liked most about the Eat So They Can campaign: "It really shows people that a little bit of effort can really go long a way. Something as simple as holding a dinner party can contribute to something so big! It’s got a lot to say for people power!"

"What am I passionate about? I find this one hard to answer. I asked my boyfriend what he thought I was passionate about and his response was 'everything'. I was thinking the same - I guess I’m passionate about everything I believe in but it’s difficult to single anything out." Alicia's difficulty to perfectly sum up her passion seems to fall in line with her favorite quote- "Live the life you love, love the life you live." It sounds like Alicia finds a way to seek out the things and people that will create and foster her passions! Thank you Alicia for sharing a bit about yourself and we are looking forward to hearing about your newest adventures around Nairobi, Kenya!

Caitie Goddard

Eat So They Can team