Connecting People With Communities in Need
November 2005






Feature Fundraiser: Machu Picchu Climb
In August 2006 we are climbing Machu Picchu to raise funds to buy land in Ecuador. Read More >>


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• Vietnam 		Greetings,

It’s just over two weeks since I got back from our Everest Base Camp fundraiser. We had a group of 40 amazing people who not only trekked to Everest base camp, but raised over US$70,000 to help needy children in Nepal. I will never forget the day when we visited the orphanages for which we had fundraised. It was one of the most rewarding and yet frustrating days of my life--rewarding as we could see the impact our money will have; frustrating in the sense that there is still much more to do.

In a few weeks you will receive a copy of our first GVN Foundation newsletter, which will provide you more information on how to play your part in helping the children in Nepal.

For those of you who missed the Everest Climb but would like to take part in one of our fundraising treks, we are now offering our Machu Picchu Fundraising Climb in August.

Machu Picchu Fundraising Climb: August 19-29 2006

In an effort to assist our partner organization in Ecuador to purchase/protect endangered Amazonian rainforest, the Global Volunteer Network has created a fundraising hike to Machu Picchu, Peru. After participants hike to the ancient city of Machu Picchu they will travel to Ecuador to volunteer at the Amazonian rainforest reserve that their funds will directly benefit.

High above a gorge in the Urubamba Valley in a remarkably inaccessible location lay the ruins of one of the most stunning and important archaeological discoveries of modern times - Machu Picchu. Before you arrive at Machu Picchu you will have the opportunity to see Sacsayhuaman, the temple of the sun, the Patallacta ruins, an ancient farming settlement, and Wiñaywayna, a religious complex. On the last day of the hike you will reach the Sun Gate and the entrance to Machu Picchu. After a half day of exploring the citadel you will travel to the village of Aquas Calientes, where you may bathe in thermal pools. That evening all participants will return to Cuzco by train to prepare for the second leg of their journey.

Participants will then fly to Quito, Ecuador and spend a night in the city. After an early breakfast participants will travel by bus to the Amazon Biological Reserve. An estimated 300,000 hectares of forests are destroyed in Ecuador each year. For this reason the Ecuadorian Amazonian rainforests are among the most threatened pristine forest eco-systems on the planet. Our partner in Ecuador created the Amazon Biological station in 1986 to address this rapid destruction. This station is located on the southern bank of the Upper Napo River and is dedicated to protecting and researching a band of Wet Amazonian Forest that has been labeled an Alpha Biodiversity Hot Spot.

The funds raised from this trip will allow our partner to buy additional land within two of their reserves and increase their infrastructure on the Galapagos Islands. Therefore this trek provides you with the opportunity to hike to the mysterious Machu Picchu while helping to protect endangered rainforest/forest in Ecuador.

For more details about the Machu Picchu Climb, please visit: http://communityfund.globalvolunteernetwork.org/ecuador.

GVN Press Center

GVN is proud to introduce a new feature on our web site-the Press Center. GVN's Media Team writes and places articles about volunteer experiences, socially-conscious travel, the issues that affect people in disadvantaged communities and the fight for a more just and equitable world. It is our belief that through raising awareness about the plight of others, we can slowly turn the tide and empower individuals and communities to work toward a better world. To read the most recent articles posted on the Press Center, or to find out how to contact us about a story idea, follow this link:http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/press.

Hot Off the Press

The Press Center's Most Recent Article - The Disappearance of Ecuador's Mangroves
Ecuador may be considered a "hotspot," but the tagline doesn't refer to a Spring Break destination. Ecuador is one of the leading countries in the world at risk of losing its biodiversity, and with it the livelihoods, culture and identity of many Ecuadorians. Due mainly to the shrimp aquaculture industry, Ecuador's precious mangroves are being destroyed at an alarming rate. GVN's Megan Tady interviewed Veronica Yepez, communications officer with Redmanglar Internacional, a non-profit based in Ecuador, that works to preserve mangroves, to find out why mangroves are vital for the environment, and how volunteers play an important role in safeguarding them.

To read this interview, follow this link: http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/press/articles/ecuador.php.

Journal Entry from India

Pip Cooper writes: "As you know, the temporary structures in Karathitu Loc are in a poor state in the first place but serious damage had been done to many. The thatched huts at the start of the village are now all but uninhabitable - with the thatching having been blown away from most of the walls. So what we are doing is clearing an old structure that used to be used by the canal works department for offices and the like. 2 days ago, it was a little reminiscent of some of the Angkor temples but without the religious or historical significance. It was overrun with trees, plants and debris. But over the last couple of days, we have cleared it out, removed the debris and concreted holes in the floor (which we happily discovered had been tiled and was, in the most part, still in fairly good condition). The plan is to rig up a seriously heavy-duty tarpaulin roof that will cover the building and make windows and doors that can be put into place when the rain makes it necessary. It has been an amazing couple of days. We have worked as part of as team and we have achieved a huge amount already. The transformation is incredible and we have had help from many of the villagers (though the do receive some food as payment). There is obviously more to do but, with luck and hard work, the Karathitu Loc Community Centre will be functional really soon."

Pip volunteered in India through GVN last August. She is now living in India indefinitely. To read more from Pip's journal, visit: http://www.snooksinindia.mytraveljournals.com/j/default.asp.

Volunteer Journal Entry from the Philippines

Malcolm Trevena writes: "My school day begins at around 1:00 pm. Pulao Elementary School is a 5 kilometer journey from my home. It is far too hot to walk there, so I catch either a jeepney or a tricycle. I then head off to my classroom, where the students greet me with another rendition of "Good Afternoon Sir Malcolm". They are Grade five students, which makes them about twelve years old. Most of the students have good conversational English. Whenever I ask a question, several arms shoot up in the air and a chorus of "Sir! Sir!" echoes around the classroom. Sometimes they are a bit too loud and I have to calm them down a bit. They take great pride in being the one chosen to answer the question. I saw one girl bang her fist down on the table out of sheer frustration of not being the one chosen. Sometimes, one of them will get so excited that they forget what the question was and I have to repeat it to them."

To read more from Malcolm's journal, follow this link: http://www.crazymalc.co.nz.

Uganda Fundraiser (GVN Staffer Charisse Gebhart)

In about two months (January 10, 2006), I will be heading to Tanzania to participate in the Global Volunteer Network's fundraising hike to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. I will be one of 25 participants from around the world on a six-day climb to the summit, Uhuru Peak, at 5,896m/19,343ft. As the volunteer coordinator for Uganda, I feel I have a special connection to this cause; I have been in continuous contact with GVN's partner in Uganda since they began and know how much difference can be made with an effort like this one.

Each of the participants in the climb, myself included, will be raising at least $2000 on top of the costs associated with the climb (airfares, equipment, insurance etc.) The funds that are raised from this hike will go to building a school for disadvantaged children in Uganda.

I have already paid my own airfares and trekking costs but I need help to raise the $2000 which will go to the Uganda Education Fund. To do this I'm asking for your support. Any donation will help, be it the price of a movie ticket or the price of a new television. If you decide to contribute, please know that every cent you donate will go to helping Ugandan children in great need.

For further information on how to support the Uganda Education Fund through my participation in the GVN fundraising hike, please visit http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/charisse.

GVN PowerPoint Presentation Available

Looking for a way to fundraise for your trip, spread the word about GVN, or give a talk about your trip after you've returned? A PowerPoint presentation about GVN is now available to you. Contact your volunteer coordinator to find out more information about this new feature.

Kind Regards,

Colin Salisbury
Global Volunteer Network

www.globalvolunteernetwork.org