The end of 2008 is near.  We are in the darkest months of the year.  It is easy to see only bad news on the horizon.  In spite of the gloomy predictions for the globe, there is hope and goodness in abundance.  A search on the Net brought an abundance of non-governmental groups that are reaching out to people and making a difference in their lives.  In doing so they are making the world a  better and safer place to be.

I have listed ten groups working at various places around the globe.  I have made no attempt to rank them or investigate them.  If you wish to volunteer to work with them or donate money, you need to examine them in detail.

1.  Australia - Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet makes a web site available that deals with particularly Indigenous People’s health concerns.  It allows people from widely spaced areas to interact.

2.  Bolivia - Plan Canada, formerly Foster Parent Plan focuses on children around the world.  Is working in Bolivia in villages and poor areas of cities to improve children’s lives.

3.  Cambodia -Friends Without A Border - a Christian based organization that provides medical care to all.

4.  Egypt - New Horizon Association for Social Development - provides vocational training and education to poor women in Old Cairo.

5.  India - Comprehensive Rural Health Project - Employs and trains female health care workers from the untouchable class, to deliver basic health care in rural villages.

6.  Iraq - International Relief and Development - Providing support to women with their Women First program.  Emphasis on starting small businesses and education to provide women with the tools to become more independent.

7.  Kenya - Catholic Relief Services and Clinton Foundation - provides free testing of mothers for HIV.

8.  New Mexico - Women’s Foundation - assists women to organize artisan cooperatives to market goods produced by rural women.  Provides financial assistance to young women to further their education.

9.  Romania - Habitat for Humanity - helps local people build low cost, safe, well built housing.  One of the places Habitat for Humanity is making a difference is in Romanian villages.

10. Tanzania - Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development - administers the Millenium Villages Project which focusses on eliminating poverty in targetted villages by 2015.  Introduces and reinforces sustainable practices.

These ten represent a few of the humanitarian groups out there.  There is hope for our global village.

by Barbara McPherson