Namaste,
The River Fund (501c3) is in partnership with Kashi Ashram (Kashi Foundation Cooperation Circle). We wanted to share this information with you: The River Fund is dedicated to providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to people living with AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses, to their loved ones and caregivers, and to others in need.
We serve the poor and those who often are alone and in need – regardless of a person’s religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender.
In 2000 we began serving AIDS orphans in Uganda. After several years of supporting large orphans’ programs and schools, we found more impact could be made by educating women in rural communities. There are now many small groups of trained volunteers in many regions of Uganda, including the former war zone in the North.
These are rural women who know how to develop community networks to serve local needs, whether the need is for health information, food for babies, adult vocational education, self-help groups for the disabled, or assistance for school children. They have reached thousands of rural households.
They are teaching HIV/AIDS Long Term Survival Skills in school workshops and support groups for HIV+ persons.
The women we trained work to empower others through micro financing, craft making and cooperative farming projects, such as goat raising and community gardens.
HIV+ support groups educate village peers about HIV prevention, testing and treatment through song, dance and drama. Team members with disabilities are speaking in schools and other forums to teach people with disabilities about their rights and abilities. Women’s groups sell their handmade crafts to support educational programs for widows, orphans and child-headed households.
In Uganda we send over 600 children to school each year (including vocational school and university), providing school fees, uniforms, supplies and lunch whenever possible.
Contact the River Fund’s Director Jaya Canterbury-Counts for more information.
Swami Anjani
Director of Community Relations
Kashi Foundation
