In the Niger Delta

Inspired by the stories in Voices of Hope, the Giraffe Heroes Project's anthology of heroes around the world, fourteen students in Oporoza, Nigeria have formed the “Giraffe Service Club International." Their purpose is to "serve humanity." That's their teacher, Job Bebenimibo, at front row left.

Some of the students’ ideas for service involve research and reaching out to the world; learning computer skills is part of their action plan.

Mixing high and low tech, the students aren’t forgetting the simple stuff—here a committee works on maintaining the first-ever library in Oporoza. It was built last year by a team of Nigerians and visiting Americans, including Giraffe Hero Joel Bisina and Mary Ella Keblusek, Associate Director of the Giraffe Heroes Project.

To fully appreciate what these young people are doing, check the news coming out of Nigeria. Oporoza is in the Niger Delta, an area that supplies a good percentage of the crude oil that fuels the industrialized world. Despite the Delta’s rich resource, the people of villages such as Oporoza are desperately poor—and living with increasing violence as warring factions battle over who will control the money that’s pouring in—little-to-none of it reaching the Delta’s people.

In the midst of all that, there’s a blue-roofed library in a Delta village that’s never had books before. There’s a school full of eager young learners, computers and a satellite dish connecting them to the world-at-large. There are young people and their teachers opting to be of service to humanity. Despite everything, there is hope.

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2010

NEW YEAR BRINGS
NEW LEADER @ GIRAFFE

Julie Vosoba, a veteran nonprofit executive, is officially Giraffe’s Executive Director as of January 4, 2010.

Julie’s career has previously focused on ending violence against women and developing character education programs for children. She’s done considerable fundraising, lobbying and advocacy work and says her main attraction to Giraffe was the work the Project does with kids.

She’s now in charge of all Giraffe programs, including those for adults, so you’ll be noting her presence no matter what your own connection to the Project may be. I’m already greatly enjoying working with her.

–Ann Medlock, Founder/Creative Director

1 Way 2 Help

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JOHN GRAHAM

Giraffe President John Graham's web page gives you free coaching tips, some amazing stories, and updates on Graham's world-wide mentoring of new heroes. His speeches and workshops offer Giraffe spirit and know-how for your organization or conference.

You can have John's help for your cause right now via his free Coach's Corner.

YOU & THE FOUNDER

From time to time, Ann Medlock, this Project's founder, does a brief but inspiring email called Heads Up. You can check out past copies here. They're so good (and so free) we bet you'll join the Heads Up circle and send them on to friends & family.

For further wit & wisdom from Ann, check out her speeches, radio commentaries and OpEds.

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FYI

This is a new website in-progress, replacing an information-laden Giraffe site that was hacked by cyber vandals. They infected all our pages with code that could damage our visitors' computers. This new site is on a new and safer server, and uses the latest, most secure software to prevent future barbarian invasions. Come back soon—more of our great material is being transfered here daily.

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