ODFL November 2019 Newsletter
Wrapping up our best year ever!

This year was ODFL’s best year ever! We completed 19 projects in 8 different countries…classrooms, water projects, a medical clinic, a library, a playground, many thousands of our Girls’ Equality Project kits, and more.  
These projects dramatically improve life chances for some of the poorest people in the world. Over their expected lives (3 – 30 years), they will deliver more than 100,000 people-years of help. To see a copy of this year's projects, click here . To see all 124 projects ODFL has completed, click here .
First-ever holiday gift opportunity
ODFL is offering its first-ever opportunity for donors to give a truly meaningful holiday gift to someone they care about. We will place a beehive in Kenya in the name of someone you choose to honor. It will be commemorated with a 3x6” brass name plaque, and a personal Thank You letter with accompanying photo.

The cost is $150. As with all ODFL projects, 100% of every dollar donated goes to the project. To place your order, click here or text BEEHIVE to 71777. We are hoping to place 200 hives!  
Announcing ODFL’s new blog 
So many people have said they love what we do, but want to be in better touch with it. A new blog is our effort to make that possible.

It talks about our projects, the areas we work in, challenges with philanthropy and altruism, and all related things. We hope you like it.  Click here to access the blog. We look forward to your feedback and comments on it.
ODFL nominated for prestigious Rybakov Prize 
ODFL was nominated for the prestigious Rybakov Prize for Innovation in Education. The prize is given annually for the person or organization creating the most innovative, scalable solutions to the world’s education challenges.  

Our Girls’ Equality Project was specifically called out for helping thousands of developing world girls be able to stay in school. This addresses Sustainable Development Goal #4 as set out by the United Nations. We are honored to be nominated.  
Beehives in Kenya
With the help of many donors, ODFL has begun placing beehives in schools, farming cooperatives, and forests in Kenya. The bees are helping pollinate mango trees, macadamia nut trees, avocado trees, coffee bushes, and other local produce.  

Some locales are reporting a 500% increase in crop yields following the bees’ placement. One third of all the food humans eat owes its production to pollination by bees. See the photo of our Brenda Birrell with local officials commemorating the installation of one hive near Kirinyaga.  
Ivory Coast conference inspires girls
to stay in school 
In September, ODFL’s Ivory Coast partner, Karat School Project, celebrated International Girls’ Day by hosting a conference in Abidjan for local girls. The purpose was to encourage girls to stay in, and finish, school. Only 2% of Ivory Coast girls finish high school.  

The conference featured presentations by local female attorneys, entrepreneurs, and government officials, all emphasizing the benefits of greater education. ODFL helped by providing 300 GEP kits to the adolescent attendees. Menstruation is a major reason many girls drop out of school.  GEP kits help girls manage their period and stay in school.
La Pitilla classroom in Nicaragua
This coming spring, ODFL will build its 15 th classroom in Nicaragua, at La Pitilla in the state of Tipitapa. The existing classroom is a lean-to shed with a tin roof. It has 30 pre-school and elementary students. See a two minute video about it, here .  

Six California high schools are joining together to fund the new classroom: Katella High School; Magnolia High School; Gahr High School; Harbor High School; Soquel High School; and Santa Cruz High School. THANK YOU California students! The world is a better place because of you.  
Final Word
 
We have more “stuff” than any people in the history of the world. But what we are looking for in our lives is not more stuff, but more meaning . That is only achieved by helping others and helping build a better world. 

ODFL’s goal is that millions of people will find that greater meaning by making whatever size donations they want to make. It may be as small as $1. There is no upper limit. If we do this, we will not only greatly reduce human suffering, we will revolutionize our own culture. 

The reason is that people who are connected, compassionate, collaborative, competent, and creative act differently than those who are not. They are more effective stewards of the world we share today, and more thoughtful creators of the world we pass on to our children. 

We have a choice about the kind of world we are giving birth to. Thank you for your part in making it a better world. 

ODFL
One Dollar For Life