MG2010 NIT Contest: Donate $10 to help CHOSA win $2,000 for children in SA!

CHOSA was founded in 2005 on the principle that "a lot of littles make a big" :)

The idea is that no one person can change the world on their own, that each of us is a link in a chain. CHOSA is not funded by millionaires or hard-hitting philanthropists - we are regular people who make a sacrifice in our own lives to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of Children in South Africa. More than 50% of the donations CHOSA has received over the last 5 years have been under $51. Last year we brought in just over 840 donations of $10. All of the "little" $10 donations have make an incredible "big". In the last five years, CHOSA has sent over $360,000 to community initiatives that care for the day-to-day needs of the children who need it most.

March Goodness in 2009 was a whirlwind for CHOSA. We discovered the competition just 96 hours before it ended and were still able to get 800+ unique donations - leaving us in 4th place and eligible for the $500 prize from Razoo. We have our sights set even higher this year and hope that you'll join us.

The primary mission of CHOSA is to support grassroots / community-based organizations that reach out to and care for orphans and vulnerable children. Since 2005, we have been supporting community structures that care for the basic welfare of children and have developed within the communities themselves. CHOSA was founded to help small grassroots start-up projects which are unable to access more substantial grants from larger foundations and to encourage internal sustainability.

CHOSA takes a holistic approach to community development. By supporting these CBOs, we help empower other marginalized people in these communities. Moreover, through community participation, CHOSA promotes local action, self-empowerment, and peer-to-peer networking as essential strategies for community-owned development.

Programs

Current and past organisations we've worked with:

• Baphumelele Childrens Home
• Emasithandane Childrens Project
• Ubuhle Babantwana Care Centre
• QQ Section Children's Committee
• Philani Family Fund
• Symphony Way Children's Committee
• Amandla KuLutsha: Empowering Youth Through Soccer
• Philippi Angels Baseball League
• Baphumelele Educare
• Sisonke School
• Clare Estate Drop-In Centre
• Mandela Park Children's Committee

Check out this incredible video made for us by Nicky Newman showing some of our work in Khayelitsha.
http://current.com/items/76443522/not_just_a_number.htm