Social Impact Social Media

Art Aids Art is an Altadena California and Cape Town South Africa based nonprofit founded in 2003 by educators and human services professionals. The organizations serves two key initiatives; educating American citizenry about South African culture and the ongoing HIV/AIDS crisis and serving women and children in the impoverished areas surrounding Cape Town. The organization provides economic opportunities to South African artists collectives through art sales in the U.S.A. Annually the organizations   leads an intergenerational group to Cape Town to provide services in partnership with South African organizations. Art Aids Art also has an ongoing “Babies And Books” program collecting gently used black dolls and multicultural literature for the children of eKhaya eKasi Center in Khayelitsha township. Books are prohibitively expensive in South Africa and still often limited to the Afrikaans and in South African child centers dramatic play areas tend to have only white dolls

shineonsierraleone.org Shine On Sierra Leone (SOSL) has made great and impactful strides since I first spotlighted them two years ago.   Everything has been achieved through the sheer determination, positive spirit and a conviction to change things for the better in the 7 th poorest country in the world. Behind it all are founder Tiffany Persons and the organization’s committed and energized team of staff and volunteers. Since I last posted here SOSL’s projects have expanded form education, microcredits ( through a partnership with Salone Microfinance Trust, SMT) and sustainable development—adding the SOSL Maternal and Child Healthcare program and a nationwide Computer and Adult Literacy, partnership with ST Foundations' Digital Unify Program, and Ecotourism. They have also added some impressive and impact-adding partnerships; Operation USA privately funded NGO focused on providing reconstruction and development aid around the world, the Lower Eastsi