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Support sustainable development in Zimbabwe
Kufunda Village
August 09, 2004

Dear Friends,

I write to invite you to step forward in support of our work. I ask at two levels:

• Who is able to help right now with financial contributions needed for our continued growth?
• Who would like to join a global network of Friends of Kufunda, who may or may not also be able to offer a financial contribution at this time, but who desire to be in an on-going relationship with Kufunda?

I will speak a little to our financial need and where your contributions can be directed, and then, about our invitation to the Friends of Kufunda.

Our financial need to take us to the end of the year, having subtracted our current balance and projected income, is roughly 30.000 USD. In addition to that we are fundraising 8.000 USD to be able to buy a combi to both drive children in the area to school and to collect community organisers coming for our programmes. (Toke Moeller has contributed the first 400 USD of that – thank you). Our total need is therefore 37.600 USD.

Can you help?
I have included information at the end around how our costs for the remainder of the year are distributed. Please do not hesitate to contact me for more information on our financial statements.

If you would prefer to make a contribution to the communities we work with you can assist our Educational Fund, which supports children, primarily orphans, who cannot afford their school fees to continue to go to school. Or our medical fund which is supporting both Kufundees and members of our partner communities.

If you would you like to make a contribution to help us achieve our fundraising goals, click here for more information on how to contribute

An Invitation to join Friends of Kufunda
If, in addition to making an immediate contribution, you would like to also join in more fully with our work and journey at Kufunda, we invite you to become a Friend of Kufunda. As mentioned above you are welcome to join even if you are unable to make a financial contribution.

It seems to me that there are many people out in the world who would like to be connected with Kufunda beyond an email every 8 weeks. And it is obvious to us here that there are many opportunities for people to step into a closer relationship with Kufunda, as there is much to be done in building and growing the village. I am making this invitation to create an informal, but potent, global community of people who are committed to the purpose, principles and work of Kufunda, and who wish to contribute to—and to learn from—Kufunda, in the process creating a living community which can sustain Kufunda's growth.

The invitation
I believe that we are engaged in important and ground breaking work. I know that there is much to learn from the journey that we are on, and that its relevance stretches far beyond the needs of rural Zimbabwe. We are learning about building community, and perhaps more importantly about helping a community and a people reclaim their wealth, wisdom and imagination – creating deeply rooted yet creative local solutions to their challenges. I believe that people and communities across the globe need to reconnect with their wisdom and imagination, if we are to find ways to move into a better rather than bleaker future.

Friends of Kufunda is a network of those people who wish to join us in that journey and who wish to contribute actively to the development and growth of Kufunda, our work and perhaps in the future, the spread of the work and learning of Kufunda.

People joining do so because they believe in this work, and desire to be a part of it. They join with a contribution or a commitment to contribute—in time, kind or money.

Every contribution counts
Continuity of involvement is nurtured—it is a community of friends involved in Kufunda over time.
People are connected to each other and Kufunda using different means (online, face to face meetings, newsletters, etc).

Are you interested?
Ways for you to step in now

1. Make a financial contribution and an on-going financial commitment over the next year
2. Make an in-kind contribution
3. Join us at Kufunda for a period of time to share more directly in our work on the ground.
4. Become a thinking partner for our work (and/or active onsite participant) in one of several areas. A list of current projects that you are being invited to join can be requested on email – a few examples are included here:
   
   • Developing a pilot alternative currency system (the first community is already in preparation for launching their own currency by the end of the year)
   • Supporting the creation of small enterprise development at Kufunda and in the communities we work with
   • Being a part of organising a learning journey(s) to Kufunda and surrounds
   • Developing Kufunda communication ‘products’ for Friends of Kufunda that can spread the story and seed of Kufunda, i.e. a Kufunda calendar, Kufunda cards, etc..
   • Helping the village move to renewable energy
     
5. Join us online in NewWorkSpaces, an online learning and collaboration space hosted by the Berkana Institute. Visit http://kufunda.newworkspaces.net and request an account.
6. Kufunda intends to host an annual gathering at Kufunda for Friends of Kufunda. The gathering will be an opportunity to connect more deeply with Kufunda, our work, other Friends of Kufunda and the communities that we are working with.

If you would like to join Friends of Kufunda, please send an email sharing how and why you would like to support and join us in our work.

If you would simply like to make a financial contribution, please follow the instructions for how to contribute, and let us know that you are making a contribution so we can confirm that your contribution has gone through.

We look forward to walking with you. To everyone who has helped us become what we are, and is supporting us in continuing our work forward, thank you.

On behalf of all the Kufundees,
Marianne Knuth

Note: Our costs for the remainder of the year are distributed as follows:

• Salaries: 24%
• Kufundees welfare (medical and school fee support) 4.6%
• Programme costs: 16.8%
• Administration: 6.1%
• Community follow up visits & starter kits: 5.7%
• Transport/vehicle maintenance 10.6%
• Other: 5.6%

Visit the Kufunda Learning Village fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

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