Show Me The Money!

Although the title of this entry elicits a sense of huge accomplishment, I have to warn you, it is meant more like it was used in the beginning of Jerry McGuire, meaning: just when things seem like there's no hope and you're about to lose it all, you go all in and get a small victory that, hopefully, brings you a bright new future (like Jerry's achievement in getting that last client on his way out the door). That's exactly what happened at my NGO today.

I have described a sort of yo-yo effect at the NGO since I came to site. We were open and running well when I got here on June 8th and then, a few weeks later, we closed completely. This lasted for a few months before we re-opened with a limited program capacity and with volunteers. Sadly, this only lasted a week or two before we closed entirely again. It's been defeating to everyone involved. Compound that with the fact that we have run up against stiff opposition from our national organization (we are a satellite branch) when we have attempted to seek out our own funding - devastating. For the last few weeks, we have been trying to figure out how best to proceed to get back up and running, for the sake of the kids, given this dissension, while also trying to be realistic about the staff's need to seek out reliable employment. Well, today we had a glimmer of hope that things will be okay!

I am very excited to report that my NGO is receiving funds from a proposal I wrote a few months back that will go to help the OVC Center get back up and running! It's small but it's a start! The funds will go to pay for petrol to pick up the orphans from their homes and transport them to the center and for food to feed them for a little more than four months! That buys us time to start applying for more funds (I have four proposals lined up) and should hopefully reinvigorate the staff and rededicate them to our mission!

So, all that's left to say is "show me the money"!