Article Contributed on: 5/21/2009 10:15:30 PM
Local Family to Make a Difference in Tanzania
Golden, CO, May 20, 2009 - Karen Hutcherson of Evergreen, CO will soon fulfill a dream that has been six years in the making. On May 28, 2009, Karen and her family will journey to Africa to offer their help to those in need in Tanzania.
In 2003, Karen climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and raised $15,000 to support Selian Hospital, one of the leading medical institutions in Tanzania. It was there that she learned about the work being done in Tanzania by AfricAid (www.africaid.com), a non-profit organization founded by Golden-resident, Ashley Shuyler. Hutcherson subsequently joined the AfricAid Board, and soon made returning to Tanzania and helping to make a difference a goal of the whole family.
While in Africa, the family will help build classrooms at a secondary school for girls as part of a group from Genesee's Rockland Community Church. Additionally, her husband, Dr. James Hutcherson, will devote his time to working at Selian Hospital , and he and son Jake, 15, will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro as part of a fundraising effort to bring solar power to a remote Maasai village that is without electricity, a project that is being undertaken by AfricAid and the Evergreen Rotary Club. Hayden, 12, is also doing her part to raise money for the solar power project by making and selling Uhuru ('freedom' in Swahili) bracelets.
"The Mr. Kilimanjaro climb in 2003 was an unforgettable experience," said Hutcherson, "But it was the people I met there and their needs that made the most lasting impact on my life. My family and I are so thrilled to be going back."
About AfricAid
AfricAid is a nonprofit organization that supports girls' education in Africa in order to provide young women with the opportunity to transform their own lives and the futures of their communities. For more information on AfricAid, please go to www.africaid.com, or call 720.746.1792, to learn more about how you can help the Losinoni solar power project.
Contact: Nina Shuyler, nina.africaid@gmail.com, or 720.746.1792
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