In Lesotho, with an overwhelming rate of HIV infection, death of parents is far too common. Many orphans are raised by grandparents who struggle to provide basic necessities, such as food, clothing and education. G.R.O.’s Orphan Crisis Kits are specially tailored to meet a growing child`s needs and are distributed by a support group of local grandmothers. Your gift will help provide a kit that includes essentials like winter clothing, food staples, paraffin for heating and cooking, school uniforms and shoes.  Give this gift.

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The World Food Program states that 56% of the population in Lesotho lives on less than $2/day. Students coming from vulnerable homes are often forced to survive on the one meal a day provided at school. Your gift of a family food basket can provide a student and his or her family with a holiday food basket through our local partnership with Anwary’s Supermarket in Hlotse-Leribe. One basket can provide a family with a two month supply of food, every bit of which provides the energy for families to focus on school, work and the holidays.  Give this gift.

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Many of the women in Lesotho suffer from HIV and seek ways to both support their treatment and provide for their families. In 2009, The G.R.O. Artisans Collective was formed in Hlotse-Leribe, Lesotho to provide HIV positive mothers with an opportunity to make a living in jewelery design and sales. Your gift of an artisan`s start-up kit includes everything needed to help a woman to start making jewelry - tools, beads, supplies, and business training with the collective. The Artisans Collective offers fair wages along with critical health care and family support benefits for its workers. Give this gift.

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The AIDS pandemic in Lesotho has left many grandmothers caring for orphaned grandchildren and sick relatives. Your gift can provide an industrious Grandmothers` Support Group in Hlotse-Leribe with basic first aid supplies, vitamins and other necessities to provide better care for families in their communities. Many grandmothers in the support group are retired nurses and already provide a tremendous amount of community support. They just need additional basic supplies that will help extend the reach and breadth of their care.  Give this gift.

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100% of donated funds for the Grandmothers` Support Group, the G.R.O. Artisans Collective, and the Family Scholarship Fund are spent directly on those Lesotho-based projects. However, the Canadian team also requires support to scale-up our advocacy, fundraising and awareness activities here in Canada. By engaging Canadians, we can spread the message about global development issues and what can be done to relieve poverty. A gift to the Canadian GROwth fund will allow us to expand our Canadian operations as we seek to establish a permanent Toronto office, extend our campaigns across Canada, and maintain our administrative and operational needs. Give this gift.

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G.R.O. relies on our local executive Board in Lesotho for valuable insight to guide our community projects and strategic planning. A strong local board in Lesotho is central to the sustainability and success of our projects. The Business and Project Development Seminar fund ensures that board members receive necessary training in governance, project management, bookkeeping and human resources management. Your gift of $50 can cover the costs of a business and project development seminar for the local executive board. Give this gift.

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In Lesotho, many students fail to make it to graduation due to unexpected tragedies and life crises, such as family unemployment, chronic illness, food insecurity or the loss of a parent. G.R.O.`s Family Scholarship Program provides financial, academic, and social support to students. Our peer educators and academic advisors have designed specialized “crisis kits” for students in difficult situations - kits may include funeral support, monthly food bundles, health care, blankets and paraffin heating. Your gift of a Student Crisis Kit makes sure that students have the support they need to continue on with their studies even through difficult life changes.  Give this gift.

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In Lesotho many students fail to make it to graduation due to the overwhelming financial burden of tuition fees. The tuition fees for public education are often too high for a family to afford, leaving some of the brightest and most talented students without an education. Orphans of HIV/AIDS and students caring for sick parents are also often left without guidance in building their future. Your gift can provide a student with a partial or full academic scholarship. Our scholarship program links students to peer advisors, extra academic support, career guidance and lifeskills sessions. A donation of $450 will sponsor a student for the full year. $30 covers one month of the scholarship, and $100 covers a quarter year.  Give this gift.

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Many of Lesotho`s small businesses are run entirely by women, many of whom have never received formal business training. Through G.R.O.`s partnerships with local business professionals, we provide business skills training to support women with small business management and operations, including planning, sales and marketing, and bookkeeping. Your gift can help a woman in Lesotho gain solid business skills to grow and strengthen a small enterprise.

Give this gift.

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Although a belated entry, G.R.O. members Toby and Megan can’t help but announce the lovely gesture made by their friends Sarah and Chris on their wedding day.  G.R.O. was pleasantly surprised to be included as guests at their fabulous Labour Day wedding in Winnipeg!  Instead of the usual shenanigans to make the bride and groom kiss (tinkling glasses, a gong etc) they created a G.R.O. donation box.  It was announced that for every five dollar donation placed in the box they would kiss, for ten dollars they would dip and kiss etc!  G.R.O. benefited tremendously - and would like to thank Sarah and Chris and their wedding guests for helping us out!  Here’s to a long and happy marriage for you both, from G.R.O.!

Sarah and Chris kiss for G.R.O.

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