This month, our newsletter focuses on the Millennium Development Goals. If you are unfamiliar with these 8 critical United Nations initiatives, we invite you to learn more about how you can get involved and start making a difference globally. Amizade's volunteer work and community partnerships over the past 10 years contain elements of nearly every single goal. In all of these partnerships, including CEOLI - a Bolivian organization which helps handicapped youth - Amizade offers communities a means to promote their own well- being and sustainable development projects. Won't you consider making a donation or volunteering next year to help us in these initiatives?

Sincerely, Alyson Walls, Public Relations Coordinator

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - which also include promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development - all by the target date of 2015 - form a common agenda agreed to by all countries and all the world's leading development institutions.

"Amizade's work over the past 10 years and on-going community partnerships align with the goals, and the general world-wide thinking on ways to improve the human condition," said Michael Sandy, executive director. "Some of Amizade's programs fit into several categories, as most are focused on health, education and economic development." Amizade volunteers are currently building a high school in Vinto, Bolivia; tutoring elementary school children in the Navajo Nation and helping to build school classrooms and community centers in Brazil and Jamaica. "In these partnerships, we are offering communities a means to promote their own well-being and resources to achieve their own goals," Sandy said.

Since their adoption in 2000, the MDGs have spawned unprecedented global efforts to meet the needs of the world's poorest citizens. But the next few years are critical. In this year's 2005 Millennium Goals Progress Report, Kofi Annan described the costs of not meeting the goals. He said, "Millions of lives that could have been saved will be lost; many freedoms that could have been secured will be denied; and we shall inhabit a more dangerous and unstable world."

Read more about the UN Millennium Goals »

Amizade Staff Presents at La Roche College Global Solutions Forum

Hosted by La Roche College in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, the forum addressed critical issues such as gender equality, human rights and poverty and how they relate to the Milennium Development Goals. "This generation faces difficult challenges in the decades ahead - the AIDS crisis in Africa, turmoil in the Middle East, global hunger, an endangered environment, and more," said Paul Le Blanc, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at La Roche. "I am encouraged that so many of our students and faculty are confronting these issues."

Michael Sandy, and Joseph Croskey and Dr. Linda Winkler, faculty members at the University of Pittsburgh-Titusville, discussed Amizade's work in establishing service-learning courses during a workshop on Global Service-Learning. Dr. Winkler also offered a workshop titled "Disease and Poverty in Tanzania." Dr. Winkler has had a project in this region for four years working with the district hospital and the local AIDS control office.

Sandy said the forum provided valuable networking opportunities and allowed participants the chance to learn more about Amizade's programs and community partnerships around the world. "This forum gave all of the organizations involved a chance to discuss what is currently being done, and what still needs to be done, in terms of making the Millennium Development Goals a reality. It was a very successful event, and we were honored to be there as presenters."

Read more about the Global Problems, Global Solutions forum »

Donate to Amizade and Receive Hand-painted CEOLI Cards

One of CEOLI's occupational therapy programs has grown into a small business, helping several young artists earn wages to support themselves and their families. For several years, a group of severely handicapped artists, led by their talented art teacher, has been hand-painting greeting cards of typical Bolivian scenes.

The notecards, now available with a donation to Amizade, feature Bolivian people in native costumes set against rural landscapes. All the striking scenes are painted in vivid colors by CEOLI youth. For a $10 donation, you will receive four cards. For a $15 donation, you will receive seven cards. For a $20 donation, you will receive ten cards. For every $10 donation above $20, you will receive five additional cards.

A portion of your donation is tax deductible since Amizade is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. These cards make great holiday gifts or all-occasion greetings. The proceeds from your donation for just one card allows a young artist to buy two loaves of bread, one liter of milk, apples, bananas or beans, or three bus rides across town. You may not be able to travel to other countries this year, but for a few dollars, you can make a significant difference in the lives of these inspiring children.

See examples of CEOLI Cards here »