Volunteer & Board Members Needed

Dear Friends of The Shanti Uganda Society, It has been an incredible year for The Shanti Uganda Society! Last January, 25 incredible women came together to form the first Shanti Uganda income generating group. Since its humble and inspired beginnings, the lives of the now 28 women and the 107 children they support have improved substantially. Later in the summer of 2009, The Shanti Uganda Society was granted official charity status from the Canadian government. We also added three new members to the income generating group who skillfully produce the beautiful Shanti Uganda bags. The bags sell so quickly we’re finding it hard to keep them in stock! Just this past December, with the support of our incredible donors and The Earth Rising Foundation, construction of The Shanti Uganda Birth House and Learning Centre began. This project has already contributed significantly to the community by employing several of its members and will continue to bring employment to the area. The project is also fulfilling its main mission of bringing safe birth and education to the women and girls of the Luwero district. All this would not be possible without a phenomenal Board of Directors! In April of 2010, we will be seeking out passionate and dedicated leaders to join us on this incredible journey. Our board is a devoted group of diverse individuals all working toward women’s rights, peace, healing and sustainable development for the communities we support in Uganda. Each board member brings a different set of skills, background knowledge and connections, which all contribute to our tremendous success. Board Members: –  Use their creativity, and skills to oversee the financial stability and growth of The Shanti Uganda Society. –  Serve as ambassadors of The Shanti Uganda Society and work to promote and build the capacity of The Shanti Uganda Society, throughout BC and North America. –  Attend monthly board meetings, fundraising events, functions and educational opportunities. –  Provide support to Shanti Uganda staff, volunteers and board members. –  Dedicate an average of 4 hours a week. We want YOU if you: –  are passionate about peace, healing and sustainable development; –  are a strong leader who works well both independently and with other like-minded leaders; –  have an interest in women’s rights, maternal and infant health ; –  are interested in or, want to learn more about sustainable development, natural birth, Uganda/Africa; –  believe strongly in self-less service (seva); –  have fundraising experience; –  can fulfill a  time commitment (average of 4 hours per week); –  are dedicated to Shanti Uganda’s mission and values; –  live in the Greater Vancouver region. Why serve on The Shanti Uganda board of directors? All of our directors believe strongly in self-less service. There are many reasons one would choose to serve on the board of directors. Reasons are as varied as the directors themselves. Here are a few examples: – to foster global community and to give back and/or learn more about Uganda, women’s health and rights, and sustainable development. – to develop skills and experience in fundraising, non-profit management, marketing, and event coordination; –  to support a proactive, progressive organization which is empowering women and communities locally and globally. For more details please contact our board president Kristen Porter at kristen@shantiuganda.org.