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OBAT Helpers works for the welfare, support, and rehabilitation of displaced and stateless people by providing programs to alleviate the daily suffering and burdens of thousands of Urdu speaking people (known as "Biharis") who are stranded in makeshift camps in Bangladesh. OBAT Helpers implements projects in education and vocational training, self- empowerment through micro-financing, health care with clinics, drinking water, proper sewerage, and emergency relief projects. The Biharis have been stranded in Bangladesh since it achieved independence from Pakistan in 1971. Referred to as, astranded Pakistanis,a this community was supposed to be repatriated to Pakistan after the two countries separated but most of them could not due to political complications. They are presently citizens of nowhere, unclaimed by either country and marked by the UNHCR as refugees, yet deprived of the rights of refugees. They still live in the camps/slums that were supposed to serve as their temporary shelter forty years ago. This population is scattered across sixty-six camps which house around 300,000 people. Anyone visiting these camps would see a family of 7-10 people sharing a living space of 8x10 ft.; open sewers and overflowing drains; a single toilet or two for one hundred or so people; innocent six or seven year olds who should be in schools, working for a living; high-infant mortality rates due to absence of medical facilities; lack of clean drinking water; terrible or no sanitation facilities and nothing but abject poverty. OBAT Helpers is the only organization in North America which is committed to helping the Biharis to become self-reliant and empowered through proper education, health care and micro financing projects. OBAT started with providing help to one camp in 2004, and now, it is improving the lives of people in more than 30 out of the total 66 camps, after just six years. This is almost half of the total number of camps in Bangladesh.

Helping Hearts Helping Hands is a family based non-profit organization, founded in 2007. Changing the world, one child, one family, one face, one place...at a time! Helping Hearts Helping Hands does mission work, spreading the word of God, in Honduras. The purpose of our mission work is to change the lives of poverty stricken children and families. We provide immediate assistance by delivering food, fresh water, clothing, shoes, vitamins and other needed items to different villages in Honduras. We deliver personal care items and provide instruction on self-care, dental care, health, and nutrition. We are helping families to establish businesses that will provide a source of income and help them to be self-sufficient. We are currently raising two beautiful girls at our foster care home in Honduras.

We appreciate all donations of canned food, medicines and water, and will distribute those to all in need with the help of our allies. But we ask you to consider a monetary donation, which will enable us to tend other needs: buy fuel, contract local construction workers and, specially, implement community development projects P.E.C.E.S. fosters social, economic, educational development of individuals and communities in social disadvantage. The project began in Punta Santiago, Humacao in 1985 and has expanded its services to the eastern region of Puerto Rico. We want to inspire leaders, with special attention to youngsters, so they become champions of their own communities. Our work helps participants insert themselves into community processes and become protagonists of their own transformations. We do this through several programs tied to our three core service areas: education (including an alternative education high school); prevention services for at-risk populations; and entrepreneurship and development training.

Overseas Volunteer for a Better India (OVBI) launched in May 2013, is driven by a group of inspired NRIS ready to support initiatives in India and tackle issues the Indian community faces in the U.S. Our movement’s roots are grounded in the Volunteer for a Better India (VBI) movement. On February 3rd, 2013 more than 100,000 concerned citizens united at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi in response to rampant corruption, violence towards women, suicides and water shortages. On that day, in unison the group pledged to give 1 hour a day for the nation and to inspire millions of others to do so. And volunteer for a better India was born. OVBI is the overseas arm of Volunteer for Better India. We believe that every individual can make a meaningful impact and play a role in the betterment of the global Indian community. Together we can transform the world in a way that would make great leaders like Mahatma Ghandhi proud. We invite you to get involved.

OpEPA USA, founded in 2006, is a sister organization of OpEPA Colombia founded in 1998. The organizations were created as a means to reconnect children and adults with nature and promote positive environmental actions in Colombia and Latin America. Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. It has an incredible wealth of ecosystems, flora, fauna and cultural diversity. However, Colombia suffers from serious environmental degradation. Deforestation, high levels of urban waste, polluted water and reduced air quality are just four of a litany of similar issues. The environmental movement in Colombia has employed the range of conventional tactics to address these issues. Public awareness campaigns have dotted the airwaves, and legislative changes have improved the legal basis for pursuing polluters. But young people, "the next generation of consumers and decision makers," cannot be scolded or legislated into caring about the environment. To truly change the way they approach environmental issues, they must feel personally compelled to transform the status quo. This is what OpEPA targets to do.

Yateam is dedicated to serving the world’s most vulnerable populations by providing aid and relief through a variety of programs including education and training, water and sanitation, income generation, orphan support, health and nutrition, and emergency relief. Additionally, this Corporation may engage in any activities that are reasonably related to or in furtherance of its stated charitable purposes, or in any other charitable activities as allowed by law. To maximize our impact on current efforts, we may seek to collaborate with other non-profit organizations that fall under the 501(c)(3) section of the internal revenue code and are operated exclusively for educational and charitable purposes. Find your purpose. Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission. We promote a healthier lifestyle with education, what causes it, and how we can work to diminish poverty. By funding both research and education, we work from two sides to turn the tides in favor of a healthier environment and its people. Together, we can make a difference. 

With the goal of helping under-served communities in India, Nepal, and Tibet receive the vital services they need, Karuna-Shechen was founded in 2000 by Matthieu Ricard (www.matthieuricard.org), renown TED speaker, author, and humanitarian. We strive to reduce inequalities and work toward a fairer and more compassionate world. We trust that communities can be lifted out of poverty, that change is possible, and that the well-being of every individual, regardless of race, gender, class, or caste, is essential. We believe that building on local strengths and knowledge is the most efficient way to respond to the specific needs and aspirations of our beneficiaries. Rooted in the ideal of "compassion in action", we serve others with joy and determination by cultivating altruism in our hearts and actions. We provide vulnerable and disadvantaged populations access to health care, education and vocational training, clean water, solar electricity, and other sustainable solutions that offer options to find a livelihood and a better life. We work with a grassroots network of local partners, and give special attention to the education and empowerment of girls and women. Karuna-Shechen's name expresses its mission while paying homage to its roots: Karuna means "compassion" in Sanskrit, and Shechen is the name of a major monastery in Tibet.

The Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology for the Environment (CREATE!) was established in 2008 to help rural populations in the developing world prepare for water, food, and fuel shortages resulting from the impact of climate change on their communities. CREATE! operates on the principle that all people have a right to water, food, shelter, energy, and the means to earn a living. We work with village populations to meet these needs through a culturally respectful, participatory process grounded in our belief that people must have a stake in their development and contribute towards solving their own problems. The cooperative groups in our beneficiary villages have already demonstrated the validity of this approach. CREATE! currently operates in Senegal. Senegal is representative of many Sub-Saharan African countries that are hardest hit by the increasingly disastrous effects of global climate change. CREATE! responds to the inter-connected crises generated by climate change with strategies that decrease dependence on fossil fuels, conserve natural resources, and increase the use of appropriate technologies. Our programs produce sustainable, human needs-based development at the village level while forging resilient and vibrant communities across rural Senegal. CREATE! seeks to face these challenges and assist rural Senegalese residents with small-scale, accessible, and "appropriate" technologies - technologies that are adapted to, and fit, their local conditions - and with human needs-based strategies that can both better their lives and build their capacity to meet these inter-connected challenges. CREATE! works in six villages in two regions of Senegal. One region is in the rural north of Senegal, centered around Linguere in the Louga Region, where CREATE! implements programs in the village of Ouarkhokh. The other region is in the central-west of Senegal, centered around Gossas in the Fatick Region. CREATE! implements program activities in five villages in this region. The total beneficiary population of the six villages is approximately 12,000 people, comprised of both agricultural and pastoral peoples. The average per capita annual income of the population in these villages is approximately $350 a year. In each of these villages, CREATE! staff work closely with local and traditional authorities, including village chiefs and imams, in addition to other community leaders, families, and public schools. CREATE! values the expertise and input of community members and strives to incorporate their knowledge and participation into each stage of our programs. As a registered NGO in Senegal, CREATE! works with government officials from the regional office of the Department of Water and Forestry. CREATE! also respects the Senegalese government's strategic development goals for rural communities. Although CREATE!'s administrative office is located in the United States, CREATE! relies on local Senegalese staff and volunteers to plan and implement successful development interventions. Barry Wheeler, CREATE! Founder and Executive Director, has spent the past 27 years working to alleviate suffering and to provide basic human needs for rural villagers, displaced persons, and refugees in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. After serving in the Peace Corps for six years as an Improved Cook Stove and Appropriate Technology volunteer, trainer, and technical advisor in Togo, Barry earned a Master's degree in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University. Barry has served as Country Director for the American Refugee Committee's programs in Uganda, Sudan, and Rwanda; as a consultant for UNICEF and UNHCR; and as a team leader and training coordinator in local capacity building, renewable and appropriate technology, and sustainable rural development. CREATE! Chief Operations Officer Louise Ruhr has more than 30 years of private sector and nonprofit management experience and has spent the past eight years working with international NGOs, including the American Refugee Committee, to support women's cooperative groups in Rwanda and Senegal. CREATE! Country Director Omar Ndiaye Seck oversees program activities and conducts site visits in CREATE! communities. He also manages CREATE!'s finances and staff in Senegal. Omar closely collaborates with local and traditional authorities, community volunteers, and CREATE! staff to achieve both organizational and village goals.

Arizona Search Track and Rescue, Inc. (AZ STaR) was formed to provide to the public, trained airscent and trailing dog/handler teams to assist in locating lost or missing persons. AZ STaR also has dog/handler teams specially trained in Alzheimer’s, cadaver and evidence searches. AZ STaR has certified air-scent, trailing, cadaver/human remains detection search dogs and search dogs specially trained for water work. AZ STaR also has additional dogs and their handlers in training as well as multiple search management and support personnel. AZ STaR also has many expert resources available, through a sister organization, “FindMe“. FindMe is comprised of highly trained and vetted Psychic’s, Law Enforcement Personnel trained in investigations, Aircraft and their pilots specializing in Aerial Search and Photography, Linguistic Specialists, and many other specialized services to aid in the investigative process of locating your missing loved ones. AZ STaR provides educational programs to adults and children to teach them basic and vital survival skills to ensure their safety in wilderness and desert settings through our AZSTaR (Arizona Survive Train and Rescue) Program. If you would like to get more information or schedule an AZSTaR Program, please contact us at training@azstar.org

Refugee Rescue is a humanitarian and non-governmental organisation operating a skilled search and rescue (SAR) team on the North Shore of Lesvos, Greece. It was founded in response to inadequate search and rescue infrastructure in 2015 and is the only remaining dedicated SAR NGO in the region. Our rescue boat "Mo Chara" and SAR crew are currently based in the small fishing village of Skala Sikamineas. On call 24/7, the Refugee Rescue team is always ready to respond in the event of an emergency. From rescuing people abandoned at the foot of inaccessible cliffs, to intercepting fragile dinghies and guiding them to safe landing zones, to facilitating transfers with authority vessels: our work on land and sea seeks to make this perilous crossing a little less dangerous for those seeking refuge. While the focus of our Emergency Response is on our SAR operations on the water, the boat crew receives vital support from our land coordinator and a team of volunteers. Onshore operations include spotting to identify boats in distress, in order the vessels can be intercepted and brought to safety, as well as working alongside partner organisations to distribute clothing, blankets, emergency supplies. We also assist the UNCHR in identifying protection or medical cases. Beyond the shoreline, we are increasingly expanding our attention to challenge the wider context of migration, as well as an increasing threat to the right to SAR more broadly. Refugee Rescue is now a member of the SAROBMED (Search and Rescue Observatory for the Mediterranean), which is an international, multi-disciplinary consortium of researchers, civil society groups, and other organisations working to prevent human rights violations on the Mediterranean.

Outreach Uganda is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Colorado and dedicated to helping empower Ugandans, especially women and children, to rise out of poverty. To do this, we work with village groups in Uganda to bring hope and improve lives, especially in the areas of education, women's empowerment, and self-sufficiency through job creation. Initially, our village groups help support themselves and their families through sales of paper beaded jewelry and other craft items. The beaders save money from their bead sales so they can then start own group or individual businesses to supplement their income and eventually we hope it will be their main source of income. Micro-credit loans from their group's internal revolving loan fund provides additional help for the ladies to either start businesses or further expand their existing businesses to a level that will help them rise above poverty. As an organization, we emphasize to both our donors and our clients that we believe in truly empowering those we help. In everything we do, we seek to be a partner with those we serve so that they do not become dependent on us, and so that we do not take away their spirit of wanting to help themselves. We believe that income-generation of the women, and education of the children is the way that families can truly become empowered. But it is essential to take a holistic approach and focus on multiple areas, all of which impact the woman's income-generation potential. For instance, a woman must be relatively healthy to be a successful business owner. Therefore, we must also help a woman address issues of health. For many of our women in northern Uganda, agriculture and the raising of cash crops will be key to their income generation potential. Therefore, agricultural issues, water issues and even land access and rights become important areas to address.

Africa Schoolhouse (ASH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing quality education, medical care, job training and clean water to rural villages in Northern Tanzania. In order to achieve these goals, ASH works in partnership with communities and the local government to build desperately needed schools, deep wells and medical clinics, creating an environment that enables residents to live full, productive and healthy lives. ASH was founded in 2006 after village elders from Ntyula, Tanzania approached founder Dr. Aimee Bessire with the idea of building a school for their children and a medical clinic for the entire community. Dr. Bessire, who has a decades long relationship with the people of Ntulya, was determined to take action. Within six months, the Africa Schoolhouse board was assembled. ASH broke ground on its first project, the Ntulya Primary School and campus, in July 2008 and completed construction in 2010. President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, personally inaugurated the new school and declared it a model for all rural schools in the country. The villagers talked about how proud they were that the President came to visit the school they had helped to build. Following the request of the Ntulya elders, the organization completed a modern medical clinic the following year, which now serves approximately 4,500 people. ASH continued working with local communities in the region to identify need and completed the renovation of Mwaniko Secondary School and Shilanona Primary School in 2012 and 2014. Improvements at these locations included building a bio-chemistry lab and the installation of the first solar-powered computer lab in Misungwi District. ASH also trained a local work-force to help with the construction and continued maintenance of these projects. ASH's newest project is to construct an all-girls boarding school-the first in Misungwi District. This exemplary school will provide space for 360 girls in Forms 1-4, with the possibility to expand the campus and add another 80 girls in Forms 5-6 as needed in later years. Currently only 1% of Tanzanian girls complete secondary school education. They face a wide range of obstacles to their education, including everything from families who privilege the education of sons over daughters, to girls being married off at young ages, and unsafe journeys to school. One of the largest issues faced by girls is finding a safe place to live while pursuing their education. In this rural area, many girls travel long distances to reach school. Safe passage to and from school is a critical issue. We want to provide a safe living situation for young women to delight in their education. ASH is partnering with Misungwi District to build a much-needed safe haven for girls, empowering them through education to grow into strong, healthy women. In addition to a standard academic curriculum, the school will also promote leadership, entrepreneurship, social justice and care for the environment. The school will create an essential safe space where young women can successfully complete their studies and grow into empowered, independent adults. As with our other projects ASH is collaborating with the local communities, school committee, and Tanzanian government. We are building this school at the request of the local community, who identified this as their greatest need. The school will be staffed and run by the District once completed. The District has selected Florencia Ndabashe to be the school's head teacher. Ndabashe currently leads a co-ed secondary school in Misungwi and brings great energy to her work. She will be a strong leader for the girls school, inspiring her fellow teachers and serving as an excellent role model for young women.