Thursday, September 27, 2007

International Aid and Fundraising Frenzy!!!


Hi everyone! Thank you so much for visiting my site. I really appreciate all of your support as we gear up to go to Ddegeya Village, Uganda in......a month! Holy cow, that's soon!

There are so many things on the horizon...I am SO excited. Here is some of the awesome (and not so awesome) news:

1.) We met with one of the leaders of an organization called "International Aid" today and spoke with her about a new device they've made called "A lab in a suitcase." It is the coolest thing ever! It is a suitcase filled with 70 lbs worth of diagnostic devices, such as a beautiful microscope, centrifuges, a battery, solar panels to run the equipment, and SO MUCH MORE. The devices can be used to test for the top 3 diseases in Africa: TB, Malaria, and HIV. What an amazing gift. They are giving one to us in order to collect preliminary data, so they may better understand how it works "in the field." This organization is also working for the World Health Organization, Doctors Without Borders, and so many other clinics in the world....how exciting! Please check out their site at: http://www.internationalaid.org/initiatives/lab_in_a_suitcase.php



2.) We are broke. Yep, you heard me right. Absolutely broke. We literally spent our last dollar to wire some money to the Ugandan workers who have been working so hard to build our new laboratory (it looks amazing.....we had to stop building, though, due to a shortage of funds...we WILL come back and finish the roof, dangit!). Here is a breakdown of our current fundraising goals:

- Sept 28: last Friday of the month wire to John -at least $503 (+ $30 wire charge) for John and the nurse's salary for the month of September. If possible, also send $1,980 so we can pay off our construction debts + $200ish for John to move around during the month to get all our solar equipment and malaria supplies ready. TOTAL goal: $2,683.


- Sept 30: pay 1/2 of Gail's bill (grant writer). Her total bill is $2,145.00. TOTAL goal: $1,072.50.


- Oct 8: pay $400ish for the water testing and soil testing kits for Kenji. He wanted to look over the kits and review them prior to travel, so this should take priority over the books, in terms of what is purchased first. I might be off on the total. TOTAL goal: $400.


- Oct 15: $300ish for the 3-4 tropical disease books from Amazon. TOTAL goal: $300.


- Oct 22: pay remaining debt of Gail's bill. TOTAL goal: $1,072.50.


- Oct 26: last Friday of the month wire- at least the 24 days of salary for October. TOTAL goal: $604.


- Oct 29: fundraise $2,000-$3,000 for Uganda trip and all it entails. This will include the 500 malaria tests and the few other necessary items to make testing possible and safe. It will also include the salary for the translators, chef, extra medications, and Ugandan doctor assisting us. TOTAL goal: $2,000-$3,000.


HELP!!! I am not sure if this can be done...it is going to take a bloody miracle. If you or someone you know has a couple bucks to spare....please think about contributing to Engeye. We would so appreciate this!!! Much love and I hope you see that there is a good cause behind my desperate plea for donations ;) Take care!

~Misty

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