Amanda Leonard
AmandaRae
Amanda Leonard
Hi!
My name is Amanda and I will be leaving for Africa on September 14th, 2008. I am fascinated by other cultures, and desire to see the world! I hope that this leg of my life will be full of adventures, joy, much learning, and a more humble lifestyle!
I have just recently been granted an internship in Mozambique with a local grass roots organization called The Caia Connection. They assist AIDS orphans and their caregivers in Caia, Mozambique through programs that cover their basic necessities, education, and self sufficiency.
In a country with a 16-per-cent AIDS infection rate, Caia's is almost double, mainly due to truck drivers crossing on the Zambezi River ferry and infecting local women. High death rates have decimated a generation of parents in this rural district of 100,000, creating an estimated 6,000 AIDS orphans. It's a country-wide epidemic: There were 1.6 million orphans in Mozambique in 2006, according to UNICEF, and 380,000 of them lost parents to AIDS.
My role as an intern will be to assess, evaluate and report on the existing procedures and policies of The Caia Connections’ projects in Mozambique. I will be creating new and innovative solutions with the community and implementing them to create a solid foundation for the entire project and the current self-sustainability programs. I hope that I will be able to fulfill this role to its highest capacity and be able to help at least some of the orphans in our program.
So this is the blog that I've started for all of you who are interested in following my adventures and stories. Thank you to all of those who have supported me in my fundraising efforts - I would not be leaving in 3 weeks if were not for your kindness!
I would also like to thank my mother for her undoubted support in everything that I do. My decision to go on this internship must be very difficult for my familyÂ…I appreciate their concerns and support!
I will try to keep you all posted as much as I can - or as electricity permits!! Please comment or ask any questions!
Yours Sincerely,
Amanda Leonard
Global Citizen
Intern, The Caia Connection