My first ever blog giveaway - And for a great cause

Back when we lived in Upstate New York and I first started looking into adoption, a friend of mine - a beautiful, faithful Catholic mother to one little boy - was as well. Ryane and I shared information on programs, home studies, social workers, and she even got me very interested in Haiti, which I seriously considered for a little while.

Eventually, I moved away and ended up choosing to adopt domestically, while Ryane and her husband chose to adopt internationally, from Ethiopia. It has been so exciting to see her family grow (at much the same pace as ours lately, it seems!) and we are just so happy for them.

But her story doesn't end there. She is doing absolutely amazing things. Amazing! I'll let her tell you more about it, and how you can get involved. And it just might involve my very first blog giveaway ever! Well, she's doing the giving away, but still. I'm just happy to help her out in any way I can.

And you barely have to do anything at all for your chance to win a gorgeous scarf or really cool basket. I want both of these!

So keep reading for more info on how to win from Ryane...


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Connected in Hope Foundation's vision began in 2009 when my mother and I traveled to Ethiopia to pick up my son Joseph.  It grew into a deep love and respect for the wonderful people of Ethiopia and a compelling desire to give back to the beautiful country of my son's birth.

Subsequent trips to Ethiopia brought us to the community of Mount Entoto, outside of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.  We came face-to-face with the many women on Mt Entoto burdened with the task of carrying bundles of fuel wood (weighing 70-80 lbs and 8-10 feet long!) on their backs the 10+ miles down the mountain to sell in the markets of Addis Ababa.  This backbreaking (literally!) work would only net them the equivalent of about .50- .75 cents a day.  The women, often walking barefoot, would do this day after day in order to feed their children.   Many are unable to afford the uniform and school supply fees required by the government schools, so the children are unable to attend.  The children on Mt Entoto are often malnourished and lack access to basic health care.  Needless to say, the faces of the women and children of Mt Entoto were imprinted on our hearts and left us forever changed- and committed!

 
We founded Connected in Hope in 2010 with the 3-fold mission of providing sustainable income alternatives for the women fuel wood carriers, improving educational opportunities for their children and increasing access to basic health care. We take a holistic approach (focusing on empowerment rather than charity) and truly believe that the key to sustainable change comes through educating kids and empowering their mamas! We are presently working with 60 former fuel wood carriers who are now hand weaving scarves and baskets. Connected in Hope pays the women a predictable, fair trade income for the products and then markets them online and here in the US. We re-invest all profits in programs to support the women and their families. We are beginning leadership development and literacy classes for the women. Additionally we have a small on-site daycare for the children of the weavers. Next year we will expand the day care to a larger facility with the hopes of also providing a high quality preschool program and services for infants (who now pass their days strapped to their mothers' backs as they weave). Future plans include a small health clinic and a library. 

Read more about what we are doing on our website www.connectedinhope.org.  

Since we are still in the start-up phase, we are working very hard to share the women's stories and spread the word about the work we are doing in Ethiopia.  That's where YOU come in!   We are offering an extra special GIVEAWAY just for AYWH readers.  One lucky reader will get their pick of any one product from our online store!! Any scarf or basket... your pick!  

To enter do one (or more!) of the following things and then leave a separate comment on this post for each one that you do: 

1.  Visit our website and click the link on the bottom to subscribe to our email newsletter. (2 entries)

2.  "Like" us on Facebook (1 entry)

3.  Share our website on your facebook wall (3 entries)

and 

4.  10 BONUS entries for every purchase made in our online store! Every PRODUCT tells a STORY and every PURCHASE brings HOPE!

Make sure to leave separate comments on this post for each entry! We'll draw a winner in one week!  On behalf of the women we serve, Thank You!!