Africa 500

Africa 500 story published in local newspaper!

2009-03-03T11:26:00.000-08:00

The Arlington Advocate, has picked up my story and published it in thier paper!!

Hoping to bring more press and support to Africa 500!

Check it out at:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/homepage/x1362387335/Arlington-resident-collects-books-for-children-in-Zimbabwe

Cambridge College Student Forms Africa 500 to Collect Books for Children in Zimbabwe

2009-02-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

1000 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-868-1000 or 800-877-4723
1-800-877-4723
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kimberly Dunbar
Assistant Director Development & Communications
Cambridge College
W: 617-873-0228; C: 781-296-7368
kimberly.dunbar@cambridgecollege.edu
http://www.cambridgecollege.edu/ February 10, 2009

Cambridge College Student Forms Africa 500 to Collect Books for Children in Zimbabwe

CAMBRIDGE, MA— Alexandra Vanegas, an Arlington resident and Human Services undergraduate student at Cambridge College, is a mother, a Court Appointed Special Advocate through the juvenile court in Boston, as well as a full-time employee with a local architecture firm. She is also inspired. The story of another woman’s journey and mission to help children in Africa prompted her to create Africa 500 last November, a drive to collect 500 books for the Mazvisa Primary School in Zimbabwe.

In October 2008, AIDS advocate, author and entrepreneur Getrude Matshe shared her powerful story of success with Cambridge College students. The event, which was part of the Strategies for Success class in the Undergraduate Program at Cambridge College, was so inspiring for Vanegas that she decided to take action. “Her lecture was amazing and I felt personally moved and inspired by her journey,” she said. “Getrude Matshe is a woman with a purpose. Through her Africa Alive Foundation, she has made it her personal mission to feed, cloth and nurture more than 350 orphaned children affected by HIV and AIDS who are living in Zimbabwe. If she can take on such an awesome task, I knew that there was surely something I could do to help,” Vanegas added.

Motivated by Matshe’s advice that “if you want something badly enough you will find a way to get it, even if you don’t know how at the time,” Vanegas is nearly halfway to her goal of collecting 500 books. However, Vanegas still has a long way to go. “I am seeking people who understand Africa 500’s mission and the importance of the work Africa Alive Education Foundation is doing and wants to help with this effort,” she said. “While I have not traveled to Africa before, nor have I met any of the children, my heart already feels connected to the potential in every child regardless of race, economic status, and location. There are 17 million children in Africa living with HIV/AIDS; and that means that 17 million children in Africa need help. Together, we can directly affect 350 of them by collecting books. This is only the beginning.”

Vanegas has started a blog that tracks her progress and provides detailed information about Africa Alive and the Mazvisa Primary School at http://africa500.blogspot.com/. She can also be reached at 500africa@gmail.com. There are various ways to help with Africa 500 and Africa Alive Education Foundation by sending a book, donating, or helping in whatever capacity one can.

Vanegas is seeking to collect books for children—infants to 18-years-old—including storybooks, math books, English and science books or other educational material. Books can be donated in the following ways: left in a drop box at the security desk located in the lobby of Cambridge College, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, MA; left at 14 Hillside Avenue in Cambridge in a bag or box labeled Africa 500 or Alexandra; books can be shipped directly to Vanegas from Amazon or other online book retailers; or donated through Africa Alive’s website at http://www.africaaliveonline.com/. Vanegas is also looking for help in getting these books to Africa and collecting donations to help ship them books to Zimbabwe.

“The Strategies for Success class is intended to help our students clarify their goals, their vision of what they would like to create and to give them concrete skills and strategies to help them implement a plan to achieve their goals,” said Professor Barbara Koffske Reid, who teaches the Strategies for Success class. “Getrude Matshe is a wonderful example of someone who had a vision of what she wanted to accomplish. It is wonderful to see Alexandra be inspired enough to take on this goal.”

About Getrude Matshe and Africa Alive
Getrude Matshe is an international motivational speaker, businesswoman and owner, actress, author, mother and activist. Growing up in Zimbabwe she knew first hand of the poverty, violence, and the spread of HIV/AIDS in her homeland. Now she has founded the Africa Alive Education Foundation in Zimbabwe, which helps orphaned children, widows and grandparents. The first sponsored school, Mazvisa Primary School, serves 350 children. Of those children, 175 are diagnosed with HIV. Africa Alive’s mission focuses on helping HIV positive children and young adults, as well as children who have lost family members to the virus, obtain education, health, and family support in poverty-stricken communities.

Founded in 1971, Cambridge College is a private, non-profit institution dedicated to providing academically excellent, time-efficient, and cost-effective higher education for a diverse population of working adults for whom those opportunities may have been limited or denied. Cambridge College has sites in Cambridge, Springfield, and Lawrence, MA; Chesapeake, VA; Augusta, GA; Ontario, CA; Memphis, TN; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Shout-Out in Cambridge College News Blast

2009-02-06T07:18:00.001-08:00

Undergraduate Program
• In early October, AIDS advocate, author and entrepreneur Getrude Matshe shared her inspiring story of success with a crowd of nearly 100 Cambridge College students and guests. The event, which was part of the Strategies for Success class in the Cambridge College undergraduate program, was so inspiring for undergrad student Alexandra Vanegas that she decided to take action. "Her lecture was amazing and I felt personally moved and inspired by her journey," said Ms. Vanegas. She told Ms. Matshe that she wanted to help her Africa Alive Foundation and the school Ms. Matshe was involved with in Zimbabwe. "The school is run down and has books dating back to the 1950s. So I told Getrude that I wanted to collect 500 books to send to the students in Zimbabwe," Ms. Vanegas added. Vanegas is in the process of spreading the word about Africa 500, the name she has dubbed the project, and is trying to collect books. Her Africa 500 blog can be found at http://africa500.blogspot.com.

Making Progress

2009-02-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

After spreading the word to friends and family about Africa 500, I have received almost half of the books I initially wanted to collect!

I would also like to thank Jessie B. who saw I was overwhelmed by this task and offered to help contact people and pick up books. She's been a great support and I don't think I could have done this without her!

TOGETHER WE CAN!!

sorting through the books we've received

What Kinds of Books?

2008-10-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader"

- Margaret Fuller

I was able to speak with Getrude about the kinds of books that would be most helpful to the students. While I am accepting any and all books, the following are the kinds of books she said would be most useful:

Story books
Math Books
English Books
Science Books
And other educational material

Also, if you may know of a resource that you think may be able to donate books, please let me know!

Collection Info

2008-10-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

I am hoping everyone who reads my blog will be able to donate at least 1 book. It would mean alot to me, but even more so to the students.

So my lack of a car will prevent me from getting the books from people that live far away from where I live (Arlington). But if I find that many people want to give books I can try to arrange a pick up of books once every few weeks.

If you are able to drop off books: woo-whoo!! Books can be dropped off at my office near Porter Square in Cambridge or at my home in Arlington. I am working on a drop off location at Cambridge College for those that attend.

Please, please stay in touch with me at: 500africa@gmail.com and let me know if you have books and I will do my best to take them off your hands!!

Patiently awaiting my first books!!!

Thank you!

More on Getrude's Lecture at Cambridge College

2008-10-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

At a young age Getrude Matshe learned to follow her dreams no matter what it took. “All you need to do is dream, and to dream big,” she said her father told her. “Everything you want can become a reality.” On Wednesday, October 8th the AIDS advocate, author and entrepreneur shared her inspiring story of success with a crowd of nearly 100 Cambridge College students and guests on Wednesday, October 8th at the College. This event was part of the Strategies for Success class in the Cambridge College undergraduate program.

“I am here to tell you how people can change the world,” said Matshe, who is trying to create change through her book, Born on the Continent, and her Africa Alive Education Foundation. A native of Zimbabwe, Matshe is trying to raise funds to support 17 million children, an entire generation of AIDS orphaned children, born in Africa. “Poverty is a mindset. It becomes a way of thinking when you are stuck in it generation after generation. The cycle will not break until people learn what it means. Education unlocks minds—it is the only way,” she added. Matshe knows the value of education firsthand; her mother believed that a good education would help her children escape poverty. Matshe and her four siblings are all college graduates. Matshe and her colleagues are trying to break the cycle of poverty in Zimbabwe by teaching the natives how to help themselves. “When you teach people to help themselves, it gives them back their dignity,” she said. And according to Matshe, salvation isn’t impossible. “It’s not going to take much; just a few people to step up in each community.”

Getrude Matshe and Cambridge College Professor Barbara Reid show off
one of Matshe’s hand painted blankets.

Give, Give, Give

2008-10-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

Giving is just receiving inside out. When you light another's path, you can't help but to light your own path. Giving is like taking money out of one pocket and putting it into your other pocket. God in his infinite wisdom has made it that way! GIVE GIVE GIVE
-Rev Run

My want, my desire to help Getrude and the children at Mazivisa comes from knowing that all children should have equal access to education. It comes from my own love for my daughter.

Being a Mother has been the most wonderful journey. I would not trade it for nothing. I have joy of experiencing all of her "firsts" and am spoiled by all the love she showers me with. When she is not with me, my heart aches, and as soon as I see her all of my worries just disappear. And I realize that the students at Mazivisa may not have a Mother to tell stories with.

My love for children doesn't end with being a Mother. I am also a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused and neglected children through the juvenile court in Boston with the Boston CASA program.

When Getrude was speaking I immediately knew that I wanted to collect books for the students. I saw a picture of their library and felt guilty for living in a society that has unlimited resources for books. I felt guilty, but also empowered. Because I have the ability to help.

I look at the stories in my daughter's library. Stories like Goodnight Moon, Guess How Much I Love You, and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish have all become part of our family. She'll sing phrases of the book back to me as we read them before bed. And though she loves my made up stories of fairies and castles and chocolate chocolate cake for breakfast, these books are necessary.

So, the least I can do for the students is provide them with books. Books that they'll share with each other and pass on to others. Books that they'll be excited about reading.

I am one person and will need the help of others along this journey. Please contact me for more details.

Mazivisa Students

2008-10-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Below are some photos of students that attend

Mazivisa Primary

.

It takes a villiage to raise a child

Africa 500, please join the cause!!

2008-10-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

My name is Alexandra and I have taken on the task of collecting 500 books, yes 500 books to send to a primary school in Zimbabwe.

You may be thinking, why Zimbabwe and why 500 books.

I had the pleasure of meeting a phenomenal woman, Getrude Matshe a few weeks ago at a lecture at my school, Cambridge College. Getrude's journey is remarkable and one of the many great things she has done is create Africa Alive Online: http://www.africaaliveonline.com/. Getrude is originally from Zimbabwe and in her and her husband's family there are over 100 HIV positive people. We have all heard how fast HIV/AIDS is spreading in Africa, but never had I heard a story first hand of the truly devastating effects it has. Getrude told us that the average life expectancy in Zimbabwe is a young 27. Can you believe that? 27! I could not, could not imagine only living until 27. And in Zimbabwe that is the reality.

If you were to visit Zimbabwe there would be children and grannies. People of middle age have died, leaving grandparents to parent young children. Getrude's mission is to help all orphaned HIV positive children in Africa. That's about 17 million children. 17 million children need our help.

She has begun by adopting a preschool in Zimbabwe called Mazivisa Primary School. Mazivisa has a total student population of 350 and 175 of those children are HIV positive.

During Getrude's lecture she shared with us a slide show of the current conditions at the school. The walls were torn, the books, well, many were from the 1950's. Not the type of atmosphere most of us have had our schooling in.

Africa 500 began with a single person and a single person's thought. I thought, wouldn't it be great to provide Mazivisa with a full library full of colorful nice looking books. So that is what I have decided to do. Collect 500 books to send over to Zimbabwe to the children. Because regardless of your race or economic status each child has potential. And it takes so little of yourself to make a huge impact in another child's life.

Please help me in my journey to raise 500 books!!

Thank YOU