Across rural villages in southeastern Nigeria the Imo Youth Network Program#416 works to hault the spread of HIV while strengthening women's voices. IYNP’s Youth Reproductive and Development Project teaches youth life-planning skills that enhance their self-esteem when making decisions. 300 youth have benefited from this program’s lessons to make informed sexual decisions. IYNP also works to strengthen the voices of widows and teen moms.

“I’d love to hear your impressions,” Theresa Williamson said to me as we stepped off the bus, “about what you think of the communities here versus where you lived in Kenya.” I had just spent the previous three months living and working in Kibera, a million-person shantytown in Nairobi. Nine months earlier a chance encounter with Theresa paved the way for this moment: here I was back in Brazil a part of Catalytic Communities’ world-changing network. Here I was, stepping off the bus onto a dusty street corner in a Brazilian favela with the community’s leader, Carlos “Bezerra” Costa, reaching out his arms to greet me like an old friend. Strangely enough, despite this being my first visit to Asa Branca, I knew I had already been there.

Remember, only with your help will we reach our goal by December 31st!

Please join us, and sign the Pledge to CatComm Sustainability!

What does the Pledge say? "I will donate $10/month (or $120 annually) to Catalytic Communities, but only if 399 other people join me, and only if one philanthropist matches our joint donations dollar for dollar."

Why is signing the Pledge so important? Catalytic Communities finds itself today at its most fragile moment in five years, due in part to changes in philanthropic giving following recent catastrophes and economic shifts in Brazil. Let's not let those things get in the way of CatComm's enormous potential and all we set out to do in the coming years!

To view our 3-Year Plan click here.

To view our Campaign Countdown Blog and recent coverage of the PledgeBank campaign click here.

For details about the drawing for a free trip for two to Rio click here.

Frustrated with the poverty-stricken conditions in which the children of her community, Acari, in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro lived, Ivanilde Araújo Pinto began sharing her knowledge with them beneath a tree in the community. A piece of wood served as a blackboard and a chunk of charcoal as chalk. This was 20 years ago. Today the Little School of Love#350 operates out of a community church and is proud of its notable accomplishment: not one of its kids, after 20 years of service by Ms. Pinto (50 children per year have been served), has returned to the streets.

I came to Rio for three months planning to make art, write grants, learn, and enjoy the city. I've got about three weeks left, and before I go home to Vermont in the Northeast of the United States, it seems I may enter into a partnership with a group of artisans who are making recycled artwork at their community recycling center in one of Rio's favelas (shantytowns). Catalytic Communities (CatComm) is responsible for the existence of that possibility.

“When I first came to the Casa, I learned about workshops and courses that happen there, and right away became interested in the space and its structure and decided to offer a computer course to the organizers of AUAPARN. In line with the Casa's objectives, however, the idea was expanded to include other organizers. Today I run a computer course at the Casa, not only for our groups’ member-organizers but also for organizers from other community projects. This generated one more opportunity for exchange and knowledge creation. Diverse organizers naturally meet and as a result end up trading ideas and experiences during the course. Through coexisting we have been able to see that among organizers so much can be done and there is so much to know and to exchange amongst ourselves.”

CatComm counts on people like you! to support community efforts around the world. Here are some of the ways you can help!

Donate to Catalytic Communities! This can be done via check, credit card or PayPal.

Volunteer with Catalytic Communities! You may want to translate community programs, or get out there and do outreach to them! Here's where you can sign up and find out more: Volunteer opportunities.

I hope you enjoyed this first edition of Catalytic Communities' e-newsletter! Periodic updates like this one will greet you in the future. Please don't hesitate to contact us with comments, ideas, concerns, and suggestions!

In the meantime, I hope to see many of your names on PledgeBank. If you do one act of kindness this holiday season, I invite you to make it this one. With your help, CatComm will enter 2006 with full steam and you will have been essential in making that possible!

A warm and lovely holiday to all,

Theresa Williamson, Executive Director

P.S. For our latest printed newsletter in PDF form, click here.