Preparing for FORGE

Over the past two weeks my life has changed dramatically. On May 1st I got a call from FORGE offering me the position of Project Manager in the Meheba Refugee Settlement for 6 months. In the 3 days following I wrestled with the decision, accepted their offer, turned in my resignation to my current boss, informed my roommate I would be moving out, started my fundraising efforts, and began preparing for the experience of a lifetime.

I am excited to be joining such an amazing organization as FORGE. There is a lot to be done before I leave, but I can't wait to get to Zambia and be a part of the work being done on the ground.

As I prepare to leave and while I am in Zambia, I will be chronicling my adventures on this blog. Please feel free to share the blog with your friends and family that might be interested in following my journey as well.

A Little bit about FORGE:
FORGE (Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment) is a non-profit organization which works to end the cycle of war and poverty in Africa. FORGE builds upon the capacity of African refugees to cultivate empowered communities and to create the conditions for peace and prosperity in their countries. FORGE believes in the power of individuals to transform communities, and thus invests in the education, economic self-sufficiency, and community development goals of the refugees themselves. To get an idea of the type of self sustaining projects FORGE is engaged with, check out this blog post on Saving Circles from a former FORGE Project Manager http://nickandaudrey.blogspot.com/2008/09/savings-circles.html

What I will be doing:
For the next six months, I will be working for FORGE on-the-ground in Zambia. As a Project Manager in Meheba Refugee camp, I will be responsible for managing previously-implemented FORGE projects and working with the refugee communities to develop new projects. Some projects include FORGE Microlending, Refugee Health Center, Meheba Women’s Center, Peace Education and Computer Training Center. For a complete list of projects visit http://www.forgenow.org/locations/1/projects. I am confident that through this work, FORGE and I can make a marked difference in the lives of thousands of refugees.

Why fundraise?
FORGE believes that every person involved should contribute to the achievement of the organization’s goals, and thus every international staff member is asked to raise at least $3,500. These funds go toward allowing FORGE to continue its work and pursue its mission of investing in individuals affected by conflict. If you are interested in contributing to FORGE's mission, I'd love your help in reaching my fundraising goals. FORGE is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization and your donation is 100% tax-deductible. FORGE offers a tax receipt for all donations over $20. You can log onto http://www.forgenow.org/content/donate-now and click "Donate Now" in the middle of the page. Please be sure to write my name, Jessica Zetzman, in the "purpose" field to ensure your donation goes towards my fundraising goals!