Welcome to my campaign page! We are raising money to build a maternity ward for the women and children of Tercha, Ethiopia. With the help of SO many generous & loving hearts, we have completed funding for the building portion of our project! MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU WHO HELPED MAKE THIS POSSIBLE! Construction of the facility begins shortly! As we await the foundations to be built, we begin Phase 2 to raise money for the medical equipment, supplies & clean water necessary to save lives here! To see the list and cost of all the items needed for our maternity ward, visit the following registry:https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Aj9F3DC6us5tdDY3NThTZ3JXekR4NDRfNk5WankyNWc&hl=en
We thank you for your continuing support of this project!
Here is how it all started....
In August 2008 my brother Jeff and wife Kristen adopted two children from Ethiopia. Through these remarkable children and visits to their country, our family felt an immediate connection and burning desire to help the people of Ethiopia. Last year through the generous efforts of family and friends, we were able to raise money for 7 wells, 4 school buildings, and a health post for the region of Dali, all completed. Jeff and my Dad went back to the region in October 2010 and witnessed firsthand the tremendous impact this has had on these people (see the inspiring video below-my brother is in the grey shirt!). Please join with us again in our efforts to bring change to Tercha, Ethiopia...
As a woman and mother, I have been extremely impacted by the difficulties the women of Ethiopia face on a daily basis. I am especially moved by the challenges pregnant women face. What would it be like to go into labor and be a 3 to 4 hour walk from the nearest hospital? What would it be like to arrive at the hospital and not have access to clean water, life saving equipment if a complication occurs, and only a few health care professionals? Complications during delivery are a leading cause of death for women giving birth in developing countries like Ethiopia. In remote areas, women sometimes languish in labor for days. This is the everyday reality for these women. Imagine for a moment what it might be like to give birth here...In fact, had I delivered my firstborn, Caden, in Ethiopia, he and I would most likely not be alive today due to the complications we had in labor. There are many with similar stories.
We have an amazing opportunity to drastically change these conditions for the women in Tercha, Ethiopia. Tercha is home to the only hospital in the entire region which serves over 550,000 people in the Dawro Zone in southern Ethiopia. On the trip Jeff and my Dad returned from, they saw with their own eyes these courageous people and their overwhelming need. They desperately need a maternity ward for the women in the region. They currently do not have a facility for women giving birth or the resources should any complications occur. What is most horrifying is that the hospital does not have access to a constant source of clean water and electricity. If you are a parent, you know that when it comes to your children, you would do just about anything when it comes to their safety and well-being. In America, we have so much and the ability to be advocates for these Ethiopian mothers. The overall cost for the building portion of a maternity ward to Tercha hospital is $78,000. We have been blessed with a donor who has agreed to match dollar-for-dollar up to half of this amount-meaning we can make it happen by raising $39,000! My goal is to raise $10,000 of that amount while my sister-in-laws and others run similar campaigns to total that amount. Upon reaching that goal, we will then direct any further donations to Phase 2: supplying the life-saving equipment and clean water for the maternity ward.
The money raised through this campaign will have a drastic impact on the lives of these women and their children. I invite you to join me in actively loving these beautiful women and children of Ethiopia. There are several things you can do: 1. Help me spread the word! Please pass this link and information to everyone you know! 2. Donate directly to the fund today and be blessed by the donation progress as we get closer and closer to our goal of completing and equipping the Maternity Ward for Tercha! Through Glimmer of Hope's unique foundation, 100% of your donation goes directly to the project!! (see below) 3. Plan an event to raise funds for this project (i.e. jewelry, bake-sell, poker tournament, bunco night, clothing drive). THANK YOU for helping us bring hope to the people of Tercha!
Blessings, Jenner Hildenbrand
Please view the video of Jeff's visit at the bottom of this page.
About The Organization: A Glimmer of Hope lifts women and children out of extreme poverty in rural Ethiopia. Using an entrepreneurial model developed by the organization, it provides clean water, schools, health clinics and microfinance loans. 100% OF ALL DONATIONS go directly to funding these projects, more than 4,000 to date. Over the last 10 years, A Glimmer of Hope has improved 2.5 million lives. Through photos, video and GPS coordinates, donors personally experience how their contributions, large and small, are changing lives. By supporting my campaign, you can choose to receive email updates throughout the year on the project we complete together and the lives touched by it. A Glimmer of Hope listens to and partners with communities to build and maintain projects, ensuring sustainability. Recently, founders Donna and Philip Berber were ranked #6 globally on Barron's list of The Best 25 Givers, based on effectiveness and impact. I greatly appreciate your support of my campaign. On behalf of those who lives are forever transformed by your generosity, thank you.
Tercha Campaign from A Glimmer of Hope on Vimeo.
