Zambia was relatively untouched by the outside world until the mid-19th century, when it was visited by Western explorers, missionaries, and traders. In 1855, David Livingstone became the first European to see the magnificent waterfalls on the Zambezi River. Known locally as Musi-o-tunya, or the “Smoke that Thunders,” Livingstone renamed the falls after Queen Victoria. The Zambian town near the falls is named after him, and served as the capital of what was called Northern Rhodesia until 1935. In 1888, Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe, respectively) were proclaimed a British sphere of influence. Southern Rhodesia was annexed formally and granted self-government in 1923, while the administration of Northern Rhodesia was transferred to the British colonial office in 1924 as a protectorate. In 1953, both Rhodesias were joined by Nyasaland (now Malawi) to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.The Republic of Zambia gained its independence from Britain on October 24, 1964. Kenneth Kaunda, the leader of the United National Independence Party, was named the first president and remained in power until 1991. After nearly three decades of one-party rule and worsening economic conditions, the Kaunda era came to an end. In November 1991, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) won Zambia’s first free presidential and general elections since 1968. Frederick Chiluba was subsequently sworn in as the nation’s second president and was reelected in 1996. In 2002, Levy Mwanawasa was elected president under the banner of the MMD. He was re-elected in 2006, but died of a heart attack in August of 2008. He was succeeded by Rupiah Banda. He served until September 2011 when Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Michael Sata was elected as president.Historically, copper has provided the majority of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and been the leading source of employment. However, the drastic decline in copper market values, a slow rate of industrialization, and a high dependence on foreign imports drove Zambia’s economy into an extended decline. Through the early-1990s, Zambia experienced one of the worst economic growth rates in the world. In an effort to halt two decades of economic decline, the country undertook an ambitious economic recovery program. A cornerstone of this program has been the privatization of parastatal industries (including copper mines). However, the nation’s extremely high rate of HIV/AIDS infection, along with an unstable food supply and drought, continues to hamper development efforts. Recently, however, copper prices have drastically improved and the mining sector has resumed its position as the No.1 income generator for the country. The government has continued to promote and support the agriculture sector, which is the mainstay of most rural Zambians.

This book is about the invaluable contribution of charities and humanitarians in our world, the benevolence of the majority, and the atrocities of a (very small) minority. Mankind's difficulties often stem from natural disasters, including terrible weather conditions creating human misery. The tsunami and the famine in Ethiopia are typical examples. The other difficulties that have beset humanity from time immemorial are man-made, like wars, slavery, and pogroms. We also have dictatorships, pariah states, and police states, which do not seek to serve their people and alienate the international community. The people in these places become outcasts, despite genuine and determined efforts by others to bring them into the fold. In any society, we see the destructive effects of misunderstanding, greed, envy, hatred, and discrimination. Senseless acts of individual barbarism also pose a problem. Governments, democratic or otherwise, are installed with all the natural and human resources, as well as the goodwill of the global community, to serve and, where necessary, manage the difficulties of the people. History and current affairs indicate that no government is capable of delivering utopia to its people - even those unhampered by ideology, political sensitivities, self-interest, and retribution. Mankind's difficulties are ever so complex. Invariably, the void left has to be managed for mankind to have a life worth living. "Nature abhors a vacuum," so says the adage. Political stalwarts like Abraham Lincoln and courageous clergymen William Wilberforce rise to the fore. This pious hegemony is ably supported by charities, humanitarians, and ordinary individuals who have shown courage and compassion and the willingness to save and improve lives. Charities continue to make the difference. The courage and compassion of Lincoln, Wilberforce, Nightingale, and Mother Teresa may be unsurpassed, but Providence will continue to provide heroes and heroines for humanity.

R.A.T.E.S. Principles offer a universal platform of developmental and operational standards for non-profits and human services. R.A.T.E.S is an acronym for five essential areas of development which are Response-ability, Account-ability, Technical-ability, Evaluation-ability and Sustain-ability. Each of these five categories may include any number of sub categories that can offer a continuum of learning and development. Those organizations that function according to the R.A.T.E.S. Principles will demonstrate a firm foundation upon which to build and continue their efforts towards making the world better for us all.

The Peace Corps was invited to El Salvador and sent its first Volunteers in 1962. During the next 15 years, more than 1,500 Volunteers worked in 15- 20 sectors, serving primarily as project partners to government agencies and offices. In 1980, increasing violence prior to the civil war led the Peace Corps to close its offices. The destruction of economic and social infrastructure during the war sent El Salvador back to 1950s levels in most economic and social indicators. A 1986 earthquake destroyed much of what the war did not, especially in San Salvador. Moreover, widespread migration led to the breakdown of many social and family institutions and particularly affected youth and the environment. The government of El Salvador invited the Peace Corps to return to El Salvador in 1993. The first Volunteers arrived later that year. They were asked to increase the capacity of local people in several priority areas identified by the government and later affirmed by civil society in the Plan de Nacion, or National Plan, presented in 2000. The National Plan is a blueprint for national development, and Peace Corps programming is consistent with its priorities. The role of Peace Corps Volunteers remains to build capacity for local people and institutions.

The Peace Corps entered Cameroon in 1962 with 20 Volunteers who served as math and science teachers. Peace Corps/Cameroon's program grew and diversified to include inland fisheries, credit union and cooperatives education, English, community forestry, health and sanitation, and community development. Since then, more than 3,200 Volunteers have served in Cameroon. Currently, there are five robust projects in Cameroon: education, community health, environment, community economic development and youth development. The common themes that run through all Peace Corps/Cameroon projects are impact, focus, counterpart involvement, Volunteer competence, and organizational professionalism. Through collaboration and good teamwork, the Peace Corps has made a difference in many aspects of life in Cameroon, one community at a time. History and Future of Peace Corps Programming in Cameroon: Peace Corps programs directly respond to development priorities of the Cameroonian government. For example, the Community Health Project was recently redesigned to focus on maternal and child health and HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation areas in order to assist Cameroon in its achievement of Millennium Development Goals. Although Volunteers are placed throughout all 10 regions of Cameroon, not every project is represented in every region. Each project concentrates on a few of the regions to maximize Volunteer impact and effectiveness.

Conducting a Successful Major Gifts and Planned Giving Program--the fifth volume in the groundbreaking Dove on Fundraising Series--is a complete guide to establishing and sustaining a major gifts and planned giving program in a nonprofit organization. Written by master fundraiser Kent E. Dove and coauthors Alan M. Spears and Thomas W. Herbert, this essential resource includes the information needed to build a viable major gifts and planning giving program and offers a clear understanding of the law as it pertains to a variety of planned giving options. View an example of a teaching tool available in this title: Course Syllabus.

How to Save the World on $5 a Day provides a fascinating, multi-cultural look at the history and traditions of charitable giving, and offers innovative instruction on the theory and practice of a new form of altruism dubbed personal philanthropy -- all in the form of an inspirational novelette. Designed to be read in a single sitting, this "Parable of Personal Philanthropy" uses the unexpected meeting and burgeoning romance between a passionately committed social activist named Annette and a creatively blocked artist named John to explore how even modest charitable giving can lead to personal happiness...a reinvigorated sense of self-worth...and ultimately, spiritual enlightenment. The secret is not how much you give; it's how you give...It's not about amount. It's about intent...Caring not currency...Mindfulness not money...In colorful, cliffhanger chapters that advance the story of Annette and John...bring to life charitable fables from Catholicism, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism...and introduce the reader to innovative ways to vividly experience the mental and spiritual benefits of personal philanthropy, this book offers a marvelous glimpse of life as it can be with just a slight adjustment in our perceptions and attitudes. It sends a timely and important message of hope and possibility to a worldwide audience that yearns for diverse and creative approaches on how to experience personal enlightenment and...How to Save the World on $5 a Day.

This book analyses the key issues inherent for the voluntary sector as it relates to the experiences of older people. The book reviews the major issues for older people's needs and rights. The book attempts to develop and foster interdisciplinary arguments for linking business principles to capacity building of the voluntary sector.

Membership is critical for all Rotary clubs. These new members must include a mix of younger, middle aged and older members. It is this variety in age that increases the quality of a club's membership. This is a book about membership and change. Many clubs overlook the fact that the majority of their members will be retiring in the next decade and that the generations to follow are radically different from the generations of the past. It is critical for all Rotary leaders to understand that what brought them into Rotary may not be the same thing that will bring this next generation into Rotary. While the current excitement is finding young people to bring into Rotary, there is a large group of retiring Boomers that could help to increase our membership. They are a vital group of healthy, wealthy and wise potential Rotarians. They are very different from those young prospects in many ways and the attraction process is different for both groups.

Four years ago, Grant Nieddu and Kenny Ellis found themselves stuck on the northern peninsula of Haiti. They came to deliver rice during the food crisis. During that fate-filled trip, Grant and Kenny found so much more.

They found a thrilling adventure and a challenging calling.

Going on to co-found CPI Haiti (www.cpihaiti.org), hosting innumerable development trips, and building a local school, Grant and Kenny learned many valuable lessons.

"H.O.P.E. from Here to Haiti" relays just a few of their stories and the lessons they learned from their Haitian friends.

From outrunning flooding rains and dangerous ravines, to working with the unseen heroes of the local village, Grant tells the story of life on the mission field. More than that, the lessons point to a process by which people can gain a sense of hope in their own lives, whether abroad on the mission field or on the mission field at home.

""We are united by our human needs; first our physical needs, then our emotional needs, but above all we are united through our need for hope...as you read this book you'll discover just how true this really is." - Seth Czerepak"

Predating democracy, capitalism, organized religion, and as old as humanity itself, philanthropy exists because things often go wrong, and things can always be better in our world. Nothing about philanthropy requires a person to have excessive amounts of money to make a difference. In Middle-Class Philanthropist: How anyone can leave a legacy, Melinda Gustafson Gervasi redefines the conventional view of philanthropy, providing simple and practical tools by which anyone can leave a legacy.

This is the story of the Coalition for Justice, a group of Latino and religious advocates, who came together to promote the innocence of two men they believed had been erroneously and repeatedly convicted of a terrible crime. In February of 1983, Jeanine Nicarico, a ten-year-old from the western suburbs of Chicago, was abducted from her home, raped, and murdered. A year later, Rolando Cruz, Alejandro "Alex" Hernandez and Stephen Buckley were indicted despite the lack of physical evidence against them. In February of 1985, jurors deadlocked on Buckley and sentenced the two Latinos to death. Months later, while confessing to two unrelated murders, a convicted sex offender by the name of Brian Dugan acknowledged killing Jeanine Nicarico. Notwithstanding Dugan's confession, Cruz and Hernandez spent more than ten years in prison before being released in November of 1995. However, it took more than a decade and a half for the DuPage County criminal justice system to acknowledge Dugan as a credible suspect. In 2009, he was finally tried, convicted and sentenced to death. But in 2011, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill abolishing the death penalty and Dugan's sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Why do some countries have a vibrant nonprofit sector while others do not? Nonprofits in Crisis explores the theory of risk as a major mechanism through which economic development influences the nonprofit sector. Nuno S. Themudo elaborates this idea by focusing on Mexican nonprofit organizations, which operate and strive to survive in a risky environment. The study of these nonprofits generates broader lessons about philanthropy and the nonprofit sector that complement wider cross-national statistical analysis.

Women think differently about money than men. This monograph addresses women's relationship with money. Especially in the transitions of divorce, widowhood, and retirement women need to understand their values and beliefs about money. This monograph empowers women from all backgrounds and circumstances to incorporate their values in decisions about spending, saving, planning and giving. Appropriate also for financial professionals (wealth advisors/estate attorneys/financial planners/development officers) to guide clients to live their financial and philanthropic dreams according to their passions and values.

Chicktime is a grass-roots movement meant to support and encourage women pursuing their passions with gusto. It is our belief that if each woman on the planet takes her place right now, together we can accomplish the phenomenal. We help passionate women set up Chicktime groups in their areas with the hope of creating a network of chapters across America. Chicktime groups accomplish many things. Here area a few: 1. Connect women to creative and fun opportunities to pursue their passions while serving others; 2. Provide a place for women to serve and play together; 3. Raise awareness for local women and children's charities. The idea is to expose the next generation to a wide array of gifts and talents so that they can look inside themselves and identify their own.

The book deals with common sense lessons and faith-based principles that result in a model of Philanthropy, Mentoring, and Coaching. It is the tale of two individuals who not only recognized the genuine needs around them, but in their quest to build a Bridge of Hope for their world, they fulfilled what was lacking in each other. The Anapausis Partnership is a love story of teamwork and charity, sacrifice and service, faith and faithfulness. It is a "How To" treatise in building both a relationship and advancing an agenda that benefits children, couples, ministries, NGO'S, non-profit organizations, and family life... worldwide.

Several years ago, Eric Friedman decided to donate a substantial percentage of his income to charity. As many people do when making a big decision, he researched the best path he should take to accomplish his goal. After speaking with foundations, consultants, and nonprofit staff members, he found that few could adequately respond to his basic questions: How should donors choose the causes they support? How can donors maximize the impact of their giving? In Reinventing Philanthropy, Friedman shares the answers he found when exploring the world of charitable giving. What he discovered will help readers combine their business acumen with their compassion, soul-searching, and self-awareness so they can become highly effective donors. While many donors choose to direct their giving based on personal interests and passions, Friedman reinvents the best practices in philanthropic giving and demonstrates how the selection of donation recipients can be based more on maximizing a donation's benefits to those in need. He also provides specific strategies for effective giving, including the best ways to identify high-performance nonprofit organizations and the most important criteria for selecting causes to support. Is charitable giving more about satisfying the needs of the donor or those of the recipient? The answer, according to Friedman, is both, and Reinventing Philanthropy provides the essential tools for maximizing the impact of one's donations. About the Author ERIC FRIEDMAN is an individual donor who has spent several years trying to understand how to maximize the impact of his giving, including traveling to Africa to see his giving in action. He is also an actuary. He graduated from Stanford University with majors in mathematics and economics. He lives in Oak Park, Illinois.

We hear a lot these days about the growing rich-poor gap and how it is undermining the American dream. A telling indicator is that hard work is no longer the sure-bet ticket to getting ahead it once was. Millions who struggle to make ends meet have little realistic chance of achieving a better life. And for the rest of us, it's all too easy to believe there's little we can do to mitigate this hardship. We often sigh at the magnitude of inequality, seeing personal stories of misfortune as tiny drops within a huge ocean of need. Giving Hope is an antidote to this pessimism. It outlines ways that your giving can offer second chances to Americans who have dim prospects for moving their lives forward without outside help. Its powerful stories of personal transformation illustrate how giving can dramatically improve the lives of those experiencing hard times, enabling them to embark on a path toward success. This timely book offers tips about where to donate so that you can give gifts that keep on giving. It identifies 75 nonprofits from coast to coast that efficiently use their donations and have track records of creating access to housing, employment, and educational opportunities. Each of us has the power to help people in need achieve successes that would be unimaginable were it not for the unsung work of so many nonprofits across the U.S. Supporting these nonprofits isn't only the right thing to do; it's also a wise investment. Economists estimate that every dollar spent on providing an enriched early childhood education to those who can't afford one saves at least $13 in the long run. More kids grow up with the skills needed to become productive contributors to society. Consequently, there is less need to spend on crime prevention, imprisonment, special education, public assistance, and health care. Whereas several other books identify ways charity can transform the lives of people living in developing countries, Giving Hope is the first to outline specific ways personal giving can restore the American dream. This practical guide is for those who make relatively modest donations of money or time and who want to know that their giving is having an impact. Even small donations can significantly improve the lives of those experiencing hard times. Although the charities chronicled in this book are instrumental in helping needy people turn their lives around, these organizations rarely get the exposure they deserve. They're small and lack the resources to do the sort of publicity that would enable you to know about them already.

Sharing the value of a positive attitude in overcoming challenges and the importance of giving back, Women Like Us: Illuminating the World presents a collection of narratives about women from around the world who have changed their lives and the lives of others through their service and dedication. Women Like Us tells the stories of Deb Carlson of rural Alaska, who chose a life of hand-built structures, gardening, hiking, and living minimally while doing her part to develop her community; of Toni Lusk, a trailing corporate wife who found a way to make a difference and to give back despite moving often; and of Linda Grover-once a child of foster care, now a woman on a mission to create change in the system. Authors Linda Rendleman and Sally Brown Bassett salute and celebrate life-changing women by sharing a variety of uplifting vignettes, such as the journey of one woman who moved to Uganda and started a birthing center to support mothers with AIDS and another who helped to build a school in a Kenyan village. The messages communicated in Women Like Us serve to inspire and motivate women to find their passion, put purpose to that passion, contribute to creating a better world, and transform their own lives.

Jesus said that we should love God and we should love other people.Then Paul said don't just pretend to love other people... really love them. This is the idea behind Love Love. It's the story of a community that has gathered to try and really love people. The book is packed with over 200 ideas of practical ways you can love people in your world so you can demonstrate the love of God to them. The best part is it's free. Our gift to you so you can spread a little love.

How did one youth services organization exceed its fundraising goal in the middle of a recession? Why did another triple its annual donations? How do you work with volunteers who say "I don't want to be a fundraiser"? In Raising Money for Mighty Missions, two veteran fundraisers tell you step-by-step how to * assess your organization's readiness to raise funds * develop a comprehensive fundraising plan * maintain strong relationships with donors * have the right person make ask for the right amount Their strategies and tools take the mystery out of raising funds for the causes that matter most.