Economic Empowerment – women’s self-help groups (South Africa)
Hopes and Dreams Inc. is dedicated to delivering self-sustaining, poverty breaking solutions through micro enterprise and water development projects in remote and rural parts of Africa and India.
Hopes and Dreams focus on two key areas:
“Reducing Avoidable Blindness – One Kampung* at a Time”
The purpose of the project is to demonstrate that avoidable blindness can be significantly reduced in a targeted population in a selected kampung on the island of Lombok, Indonesia, with successes rolled out through a rigorous replication process to other poor Lombok kampung expressing a willingness to partner and contribute in-kind support.
In February 2015, The John Fawcett Foundation applied again to UCF for $2,000 to fund a mobile eye clinic. You can read about their first UCF small grant awarded in February 2014.
UCF grant enables hire of local carpenters
Young Pioneer Disaster Response (YPDR) is a start-up NGO registered in both the Philippines and the USA which was formed by four friends in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan). Yolanda made landfall in the Philippines on 8 November 2013 and left massive devastation in its wake. Since then, together with their partners, YPDR have built 917 houses and retrofitted 128 more, rehabilitated 17 classrooms and built a new 3-classroom building, treated more than 3,500 medical patients, and much more.
Read the rest of this post to find out how UCF’s small grant will help build more houses and check out the video 
Eliminating Avoidable Blindness – One Banjar* at a Time
In 1991, John Fawcett set up in Bali the “Sight Restoration and Blindness Prevention Program”. From its initial decade of success came the establishment of the not-for-profit John Fawcett Foundation (JFF) in March 2000. Its Indonesian arm, Yayasan Kemanusiaan Indonesia (YKI), was established in November 2001.
JFF/YKI’s mission is to relieve sickness, suffering and distress in poor and remote families in Indonesia free of charge and without religious, political or ethnic consideration.
Exercise equipment
Begun in 2004, the Performing Arts program is one of Tutti’s core programs and involves 16 young adults with intellectual disability working three days a week with professional artists to develop their voice, movement and drama skills. Together they form our Performing Arts Ensemble which has produced two original works and been involved in collaborations with State Opera, Cirkidz and other Adelaide companies. The aim of this program is to develop professional pathways for the performers involved, and some are already sought after as singers, actors and movement artists.
A growing focus of Tutti’s programmes is to increase the physical activity of participants.
First Aid training & chicken coop materials
Peachey Place Living Skills Centre is a partnership of five agencies, Playford Primary Health, Housing SA, City of Playford, Association of the Burundian Community of SA and Lutheran Community Care. Lutheran Community Care is the lead organisation for this partnership.
Peachey Place Living Skills Centre is a collaborative, innovative project that has created a community hub for the Davoren Park Community. The motto for Peachey Place is Connect, Learn and Live Well.
School resource materials
Commencing in 1991, Genesis’ purpose is to provide support to girls or women experiencing an unplanned or unsupported pregnancy.
This support is provided in the form of free pregnancy testing, counselling (telephone or face-to-face), material assistance
School Furnishings – Magbafth Primary School, Sierra Leone
The UCF grant will be used to help provide essential furnishings to the new school building at the Magbafth Primary School.
This will include tables, benches and blackboards.
The One Girl project aims to increase attendance at schools to create a ripple effect of educated girls with an increased capacity to earn which in turn benefits their family and community.
Dance Down performance troupe costumes
Founded in 1974, Down Syndrome SA (DSSA – previously the Down Syndrome Society of South Australia) has for many years provided an holistic, comprehensive and seamless programme of education, life skills, advice and support, advocacy, activities and respite for people with Down syndrome and similar chromosomal disorders, and their parents and carers.
This project request related to the Dance Down performance troupe and was requesting a once off grant to contribute towards the cost of new costumes. DSSA have 25 young adults with Down Syndrome who weekly train and regularly perform at events.
Sensory play space
Suneden Special School was founded in 1943 and is an independent, not-for-profit, non-denominational school that caters to approximately 60 students aged 5 to 21 years with intellectual and multiple disabilities. Approximately 70% of the students have Autism; other medical conditions the students experience include Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Global Developmental Delay.
Many of the students at Suneden Special School, particularly students with Autism, experience challenges processing sensory information and self-regulating their sensory and behavioural responses. Alternative learning and development settings are required to support their needs and to facilitate their engagement in curriculum and other activities.
Consequently, the school is creating a new outdoor sensory play space especially designed for the students and the first of its kind in South Australia.