Here’s the second installment – 5 stories from Kenya and 5 from Colorado!

Local

1. Ten dedicated interns joined The 1010 Project in 2011, offering their many gifts and talents to the team. Students from the University of Denver, University of Colorado – Boulder, and Colorado Christian University provided over 600 hours of back-breaking (but fun and important) labor to the organization.
2. The 1010 Project received two foundation grants for a total of $12,500. 
3. We conducted a presentation at Standley Lake High School‘s PeaceJam event, which focused on global poverty, health, and what we can do to change things.
4. At The 1010 Project, we work hard, but our work can be fun too! On October 1 we were the featured non-profit at the Colorado Rapids (soccer) game. The Rapids beat FC Dallas 1-0 and we raised $760. A winning night all around!
5. With new executive leadership, we’ve spent 2011 developing new strategic and corporate partnerships. Stay tuned to next year for some big announcements!

Kenya

1. The 1010 Project will soon be a registered NGO in Kenya. This will open up new opportunities for the 1010 Network, which will manage this separate-but-united entity in Kenya.
2. Josephine Chavaseki, our Country Director, has completed her first full calendar year with The 1010 Project. She is a community leader, founder of Fair Oaks Academy, and a longtime friend of our organization. We were thrilled to add her to The 1010 Project family in September 2010. Since she joined us, she has overseen both sessions of the Global Entrepreneur Academy and has hired two interns to help her with the operations of the Kenya office.
3. A brand-new Kenyan Advisory Council is providing business knowledge and strategic planning to the 1010 Network. They will continue to steward the creation of The 1010 Project as an official Kenyan NGO.
4. Each of our partner organizations (all fifteen of them) has an endless supply of good news. In 2012, we’ll put more of those stories front-and-center on our website and printed materials so that you can get to know our partners even better.
5. A massive famine took hold in East Africa this year. The 1010 Project does not provide food aid, so when our partners had to close their schools for want of rice and beans, we couldn’t directly assist. But the 1010 Network in Kenya certainly could. Their combined resilience and resourcefulness helped stave off the worst of the famine. Read more about their response here.

We join our friends and partners in Kenya to celebrate the successes of this last year – 10 from Kenya and 10 from Colorado. This is Part 1 of the series, so stay tuned for the rest!

Local

1. The 4th E-Race Poverty Triathlon/Duathlon (courtesy of Your Cause Sports) was held on September 3, 2011 and raised $6750 for our Kenyan loan fund. Team 1010 had over 25 runners, swimmers, cyclists, and walkers. Our Director of Operations, Tim Brauhn, and teammate, Jackie Holder, took 1st Place in the Duathlon Relay!
2. On November 4th, The 1010 Project sponsored the 4th annual Shop For A Cause Holiday Gift Market. This immensely successful market attracted more than 500 visitors who spent over $22,000. This money not only supports The 1010 Project but dozens of other local and international organizations as well.
3. In June 2011, Melissa Schaap became the Executive Director of The 1010 Project. Melissa had been a member of the Board of Directors from 2006 to 2011, and was actively involved in our events and work during that time. Meanwhile, Tim Brauhn, who has been with The 1010 Project in many capacities, was hired on as the Director of Operations. We were also excited to welcome two new board members this year: Mike Benaquis and Melia Syed. Mike is a corporate credit analyst, and was formerly our volunteer bookkeeper. Melia is a teacher in the Boulder Valley School District, and along with her husband and fellow Board member Andrew, helped found The 1010 Project.
4. Colorado Gives Day was Dec. 6, 2011, and raised $1,050 for The 1010 Project. This once a year statewide fundraising drive encourages the support of Colorado non-profits and raised over $12 million for Colorado non-profits, exceeding the goal of $8 million by over 40%! We appreciate all those who supported The 1010 Project on Colorado Gives Day!
5. Here at The 1010 Project, we are blessed to work with some truly amazing people. Our friends and supporters contribute their time, talent, and resources to make our programs and initiatives successful. Here is the story of one woman who uses her passion, baking, to support The 1010 Project and our partners in Kenya.

Kenya

1. The Global Entrepreneur Academy now has 22 graduates! The second GEA class graduated in June 2011 after more than 50 hours of leadership training. Executive Director Melissa Schaap was in Nairobi to present certificates of completion.
2. The 1010 Project understands the power of synergy, collaboration, strategic partnerships and building a network. Both in Denver and in Nairobi, our staff and partners have connected to additional business training opportunities through a 3to5 Club.
3. Redeemed Gospel Church in the Quarry slum commissioned a well that will provide 100,000 people in the community with clean water. The borehole was dug with the help of their sister church, and longtime friend of The 1010 Project, Northside Christian Church in Spring, Texas.
4. The leadership of The 1010 Project Network in Kenya (graduates of the GEA) have submitted over $83,000 in proposals to create or expand income-generating activities, renovate school buildings, and provide crucial health and education services to their communities.
5. Northside Christian Church, a long-time partner of The 1010 Project, sent eight students and two mentor-ministers on an Engaged Learning Experience in June. They witnessed firsthand the crushing power of poverty, but also met, became friends with, and learned from the people who are not content to let poverty crush them – our dynamic community leaders in Kenya.