Initiatives Needing Support

The government has created a school on paper for the village of Kansongo but provided no infrastructure. That means the government pays a school director, but the community has to scramble to find makeshift temporary classrooms. They are ready to build a school for their elementary students, and you can make this dream possible.

Supporting displaced students in Bandiagara. $10,000 

Because of insecurity in certain parts of rural Bandiagara District, many families have fled their villages and moved to Bandiagara, where they are living in tents. This is not only dangerous but also disruptive to students who should be in school. This program  will allow 100 students who are members of families who have taken refuge in the town of Bandiagara due to insecurity in their villages to go to school. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund similar initiatives.

Reforestation Campaign. $480 

Each year the Olouguelemo Environmental Association holds a reforestation campaign, planting thousands of native and fruit trees in fields, forests, public place, and along roads. You can make a significant contribution to this campaign, which also receives support from the Association itself and the Mayor of Wadouba Township. Any funds collected in excess of those needed for reforestation will be allocated to fund other environmental initiatives of the Olouguelemo Environmental Association.

Rainwater collection system. $37,600

The village of Kansongo has a community orchard and garden; however the water from the nearby borehole is not sufficient for irrigation the plants. They have a community meeting room near the garden and want to build a system to collect rainwater from the roof of this building and use it to irrigate the garden. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund similar initiatives.

Rice field for Kansongo. $45,000

Residents of Kansongo, in their perennial efforts to work toward food security want to diversify their agricultural production. There is a variety of dryland rice that they can grow if they can create earthworks to catch, retain, and channel rainwater. They need to hire earthmoving equipment to create this irrigation system. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund similar initiatives.

New health center in Menthely. $105,000

The government of Mali created a health center for the sector of Menthely on paper. There is a committee in charge of overseeing the center. However, they didn't provide any infrastructure! To have a real health center, the communities of the sector need a building with maternity, consultation, pharmacy, and cold storage rooms, as well as a borehole, water tower, solar panels, waiting hangar, latrines, and wall around the compound. You can make this idea become a reality so that residents of Menthely can access health care near their homes. 

Pond Expansion. $2,000

The village-run Olouguelemo Environmental Association seeks to expand ponds so that more water can be conserved during the rainy season and subsequently used for gardening and livestock when water is scarce. Expanded water sources allow for vegetable gardening during the dry season to supplement field crop production and allow herders to raise more livestock, thereby helping to diversify food sources and provide an additional quantity of food. They need tools for this work and food to allow them to do this labor during the lean season.

Local teacher for the Andjine School in Mali. $600

The school in Andjine has three teachers assigned by the government, but the number of students in first through sixth grades keeps growing. Salimata Karembe, who is from Andjine and trained as a teacher, began volunteering to help the school. Now she is contracted as a local teacher for the third and fourth grades. Your gift can cover half of her salary, and the parents can pay the other half, so that she can continue teaching the third and fourth grade students this school year. Salimata was also a participant in Tandana’s women’s literacy and leadership programs and is a great role model for the students. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other similar initiatives.

Startup funding for a Malian Women's Association to create a business. $2,000

Your gift will allow a Malian women’s association involving 20 or more women to start their own business. Women's associations created through Tandana's Women's Literacy, Leadership, and Enterprise program will have an opportunity to submit business plans to a contest, and the best proposals will receive funding. They might start a business raising sheep, market gardening, dyeing with indigo, or many other ideas. Your gift will get them started so they can generate income long into the future. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other similar initiatives.

Help a young mother stay in school in Mali. $230

The student mothers program supports girls from rural villages who are living in the town of Bandiagara so they can attend middle school. They have to find families to host them, and if they get pregnant, the families usually send them back to their villages and they have to drop out of school. This program provides training so that the families can continue to host the students even if they become young mothers. It also provides food and basic medical supplies for the babies, so they are not an extra cost to the families. It helps girls stay in school despite the challenges of motherhood. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other similar initiatives.

Professional Training Scholarship in Mali. $750

You can help a student from rural Mali learn a profession that is very needed in the rural communities, such as health professions or agrofrestry. Your gift can cover 50% of a student’s costs for a year, while the student and their family cover the other 50%. You will not only help a student access a better future but also help the communities find trained professionals to serve their area. In exchange for Tandana's support, scholarship recipients engage in community service to share their new skills and knowledge for the betterment of their communities. Any funds collected in excess of those needed for one student will be allocated to fund other scholarships in the Dr. Ash B. Varma, M.D. Scholarship Program in Mali.

Create a new grain bank. $7,000

In Mali's Bandiagara District, food security is a major concern. Community members work hard, farming millet, peanuts, sorghum, cowpeas, and other crops, and yet decreasing rainfall and increasing pest problems have caused harvests to diminish. In most years, most families cannot harvest enough food to last them through the year until the next harvest.  A grain bank gives a community a revolving fund to purchase millet when the market price is lowest and sell it at a constant price in the village year-round, so that residents can purchase it when they need it.  It also provides a safe place to store the grain and training for the leadership committee so they can manage the bank successfully long into the future.

Help pay the director of the Sal Health Center. $1,000

The community health committee is in charge of paying the salaries of the staff at the health center, and they have asked for assistance as they get started.  For $1,000, you can cover half of the director's salary for one year, while the local committee covers the other half.  You will ensure that the health center can function well and provide care to local residents.

Help pay a staff member at the Sal Health Center. $750

The community health committee is in charge of paying the salaries of the staff at the health center, and they have asked for assistance as they get started.  For $750, you can cover half of the salary of the midwife, the medical assistant, or the pharmacy manager
for one year, while the local committee covers the other half.  You will ensure that the health center can function well and provide care to local residents.

Best forest competition. $2,000

A competition for the best forest among Olouguelemo member villages will showcase the hard work of association members and motivate everyone to do their best to care for their forest areas.

Environmental exchange visit. $1,000

An exchange visit among the various Olouguelemo member villages will help share ideas and best practices, as well as encouraging everyone to do their best so they can show off their results to people from other villages.

A literacy classroom in Mali. $780

You can provide the materials that local masons will use to build a shade hangar for a women’s literacy class in Mali. In this classroom, women can hold class in the middle of the day and without disturbances. They will learn to read, write, and calculate, gaining independence, confidence, and the ability to navigate the market, their children’s schools, and township offices successfully! Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other aspects of the literacy program.

Secondary school scholarship. $300 per year 

You can make it possible for a student from a rural community in Ecuador to attend secondary school for a year. The scholarship covers books, uniforms, school supplies, transportation, and other required costs. Any funds collected in excess of those needed for one student will be allocated to scholarships for other students.

Post-secondary scholarship. $1,500 per year

Students from rural communities often want to pursue higher education and invest tremendous effort in reaching their dreams. Students in our post-secondary scholarship program work to earn half of the money needed for their studies, while the scholarship covers the other half. Students also complete community service hours during each semester. They have studied business administration, tourism business, accounting, auto mechanics, fashion design, multimedia production, and many other fields. Any funds collected in excess of those needed for one student will be allocated to scholarships for other students.

Bring an Irrigation System to Yambiro, Ecuador. $10,000

Residents of the community of Yambiro dream of having their own irrigation system in Ecuador. This system will aid in improving their agricultural productivity, providing a sustainable income for families, and enhancing the overall well-being of the community.

Help publish the stories of the community of Agualongo, Ecuador. $3,000

Residents of the community of Agualongo are excited to record and share the history of their community, struggles, culture, and traditions.  They envision a trilingual book that will preserve their knowledge and experience for future generations and also share it with others.  They have already recorded interviews, and a team is working on transcription and translation. You can bring the book they dream of to life.

Prescription eyeglasses for a patient in Ecuador. $95

Help a patient in Ecuador get the prescription glasses he or she needs to see well! Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other health care needs.

Baby formula for 2 infants for one month in Ecuador. $33

The mothers of these infants were not able to keep up with the breastfeeding demands and the children were malnourished because they could not afford to buy formula. You can keep them well-nourished, one month at a time. Any funds collected in excess of those needed for formula will be allocated to fund other patient needs.

Eye allergy medication for one patient in Ecuador. $70

Many patients have eye allergies and need eye drops to treat their problem, but this medication is not available from the Ministry of Health. You can provide the treatment for one patient. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other health care needs.

Eye infection medication for two patients in Ecuador. $20

Many patients get eye infections and need eye drops for treatment, but this medication is not available from the Ministry of Health. You can provide the treatment for two patients. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other health care needs.

Five ophthalmology visits for patients in Ecuador. $25

Many patients need eye care from Fundacion Vista Para Todos, a vision foundation. The cost of each appointment is $5. For $25, you can provide these important appointments for 5 patients. Any funds collected in excess of those needed to complete this project will be allocated to fund other healthcare needs.