Launch of GiveMeaning Website

We have received (and surpassed!) the required number of votes to include Youth LEAD as a project on GiveMeaning.org, which means we are now eligible to receive individual donations through our website -- http://www.givemeaning.com/project/yvpi.

The GiveMeaning website is being used to raise funds specifically for two important components of our program for which we currently do not have funding:

Component #1: Rental of sporting facilities 4 hours per week in 4 locations.
We currently have funding to rent basketball and soccer fields in the areas of Ain Shams and Hadeyek el Maadi for the next ten weeks. Reliable access to sports activities, particularly team sports such as basketball and soccer, provide structured outlets and activities for young men during evening hours, which are “high risk” times for violent and criminal activities. Furthermore, these sporting activities teach concepts of teamwork and camaraderie. Pilot programming has demonstrated that sports activities introduce more young men to other programs; over 50% of current participants were introduced to the Project through sponsored sports programming.

Our goal is to raise $3000 in order to continue renting these facilities for all of 2009 as well as rent facilities in the areas of Hay el Ashr and Abbasiyya.

Component #2: Provide access to vocational training programs for 10 at-risk youth.
Access doesn't just mean availability of services. Several vocational training programs are available to refugees in Cairo through the Don Bosco Training Institute and the CEOSS training institute. However, at-risk youth are unable to access these programs due to the costs of registration, transportation, and living expenses during a full-time program that leaves them unable to work. LEAD would like to begin sponsorship programs for at-risk youth that would pay the registration fees for the course and provide weekly living stipends during the program as long as attendance rates stay over 80%.

Our goal is to raise $2000 to allow 10 youth to attend such programs.

Please share information about our new fundraising site (http://www.givemeaning.com/project/yvpi) with your friends and colleagues to help us reach our goal of $5000.