Quest4Change

A little Wednesday inspiration

2012-01-25T16:05:00.002Z

All too often the news from the developing world focuses on the negatives - poverty, malnutrition, social repression. So it's great to come across a story that reaffirms your faith in the world and the enormous difference that dedication can make.

In the Guardian's excellent GlobalDevelopment section this Sunday there was just such a story - the tale of an Indian man named Arunachalam Muruganantham who toiled for eight years to create low-cost sanitary protection - and an income - for poor rural women in India's Orissa state. Giving them dignity and better reproductive health. Not glamorous, but truly inspiring, particularly in the face of family pressure, social taboos, and a lack of interest in the issue.

Through socially taboo experiments, invention, and sheer hard work, Muruganantham has developed a low-cost machine for the manufacture of sanitary towels, selling the machines for £1,600 directly to rural women, NGOs and self-help groups (often with the help of bank loans). Commercial machines instead cost over £300,000. An operator can learn the entire towel-making process in 3 hours - and once made, employ more people to help with processing and distribution. Currently 189 villages have sellers, with plans to expand.

And the most inspiring thing of all? Muruganantham has refused to sell his invention to any corporations, having seen his own parents struggling for income.

So to Muruganantham and all the other quiet heroes out there - congratulations.

Changing lives in Manu, Peru

2012-01-17T10:13:00.000Z

We're not ones to brag (too much), but it's great to read that top of the Guardian Readers' tips for "life-changing trips" list is the rainforest conservation project run by CREES in Manu in the Peruvian Amazon.

CREES do some fantastic work at ensuring communities have the knowledge, tools and infrastructure to live sustainably in the rainforest - changing the lives of everyone involved.

This is why we work with CREES as a project partner, helping protect the stunning Manu Biosphere Reserve from further encroachment, and helping survey and catalogue its indigenous flora and fauna.

Want to help protect the Amazon on this trip of a lifetime? Join the Quest volunteering team travelling to Manu in July.

What are you doing on Sunday 15th April?

2012-01-06T16:07:00.004Z

Why not head down to the seaside for a spotof sunshine and a great day out?

Sunday 15^th April 2012 is the third Brighton Marathon, where we’re very excited to have 8 fantastic runners raising money for Quest4Change. They'll be joining around 15,000 otherrunners along the route, which takes in some of the best sights in the cityincluding the Pavilion, Preston Park, and Brighton Pier. But running those 26 miles is going to bethirsty work...

We’d love you all to show your support for theQuest4Change runners on the day by helping man the Quest Water Station. For anyone who hasn’t been in Brighton for the marathon before, it’s a brilliant day with a fantastic atmosphere - and actually being a part of the UK’s “Second Marathon” makes it all the more special.

What are we asking you to commit to? Very simple: hand out water, pick up a fewempty bottles and have a front row spot to cheer on the thousands of runnersstorming past. We're in charge of Mile 6, on the coast road overlooking Brighton Marina; a great position to enjoy the race, and because it’s early on we should be finished by midday. It does mean an early start (7am), but ask anyone who took part last year and they’ll tell you it’s worth it.

If you’d like to get involved, just click on this link and fill in your details to confirm your participation.

Make sure you type in the password QUEST and confirm you are part of the QUEST OVERSEAS team when they ask.

We need 40 volunteers in total so please spread the word! For more info, get in touch with Rose or Jonon 01273 777206, or email rose@quest4change.org.

Gremlins at it again!

2012-01-03T16:05:00.001Z

Just a quick note to apologise if anyone has been trying to contact us on the usual email (rose@quest4change.org). It seems those naughty gremlins have been interfering with the account, so we haven't been receiving mail for the past two weeks....grr!

If you're waiting on a reply from us, please do resend your email to rose@questoverseas.com or give us a call on 01273 777206. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Sorry and thanks!

A Very Merry Reunion!

2011-12-22T14:37:00.000Z

Last Sunday night, Quest volunteers past and present dusted off their glad rags and headed to the Annual Reunion Ball at the Artesian Well in Clapham.....

It was a brilliant night, where the volunteers and staff alike got a chance to celebrate their successes and hard work, immortalised in photos from the projects, with prizes for the best shots from the year. Take a look at the winners below. And who could forget the first ever Quest music video competition...check out some of the entries here.

As well as the tasty paella, crepes, and some excellent dance moves, we also had happening a fantastic charity casino, from Diamond Fun Casino, caricatures from Mark Reeve, and our charity raffle. The raffle had some generous prizes donated from generous companies, including Orb360, DeltaForce, Rampant Sporting and Lush. The grand prize of a place on a choice of our summer projects was donated by Quest4Change key supporter Quest Overseas and was won by one of our Kenya summer volunteers from this year - congrats Hamish!

Thanks to everyone for making it a great night!

Fundraising Tips for the Festive Season!

2011-12-15T17:47:00.000Z

The season of goodwill is now upon us, although we at Quest4Change like to think of charity as certainly not just for Christmas! Nevertheless, now is a fantastic time to get fundraising for your chosen charity or Quest4Change project. So, in that spirit, here are a few festive fundraising tips to get you started...

Easy Christmas Fundraising Ideas

Donation as a gift
Make a donation on a friend's behalf or perhaps ask your family to donate to Quest4Change as a Christmas present. Check out these ideas we've had for Quest4Change gifts.

Spread the word
Include a note inside your Christmas cards, or put it in your family’s Christmas letter. Even if people can’t donate immediately, you have at least spread the word about your fundraising efforts.

Selling Christmas Themed Items

Home-made Christmas biscuits
Spend the day baking and packaging home-made Christmas cakes and biscuits, which can be sold to friends, family and colleagues for a profit.

Christmas cards
Christmas cards are easy to make and sell, and with most households sending Christmas cards to their friends and family, the opportunities for success are nearly limitless.

Handmade Christmas decorations
If you're handy with art supplies, there are a variety of Christmas decorations you can create and sell, such as baubles, wreaths and garland strands. And if you're not so crafty, perhaps offer to help neighbours put up their decorations in exchange for a donation.

Christmas Fundraising in Your Community

Bag packing

Ask a local supermarket if you can pack bags at the checkout, with a donation box.

Carol singing?

Ask your local authority for permission to sing carols in the town centre. Don't forget to recruit at least one volunteer to move amongst the onlookers and take donations!

Auctions

Goods auctions
Speak to local businesses that may help you out with donated items or vouchers. This can take a lot of organisation – venue, donations, media, crowd of bidders – so make sure you have the time first!

Chores auctions
Instead of auctioning items, auction off chores by yourself that will come in handy over the Christmas season. You could auction off: gift wrapping, baking, babysitting, help around the house…

Unwanted present auction

Ask all the guests at dinner or a New Year’s do to wrap up an unwanted present. One at a time, each guest has to try to ‘sell’ the item in an auction without giving away what it is and guests bid on the item depending on how much they think it is worth. You may end up paying £10 for a bottle of shampoo or £1 for a bottle of vintage whisky!

Rwanda's Christmas Challenge - donate and double your money!

2011-12-07T14:50:00.002Z

For only 2 more days, The Big Give will match any donations received by charities, turning a £10 gift into £20 received.

For our project partners in Kigali, Ubaka U Rwanda, this money will help buy land for a new home for the 30 ex-street children who live there. As rent of their current building is the greatest monthly cost; the independence of having their own building will give Ubaka more security to plan ahead for the boys.

Ubaka U Rwanda provides shelter, education and most importantly love to 30 ex-street children in Kigali. The life that these boys faced before was very tough, but Ubaka has turned life around for them, and the younger boys all now attend school, where they are doing well.

**Donations must be made as soon after 10am as possible, or the matched funding for the day is spent and the challenge is paused. Donations made after Friday 9th will still be gratefully received, but not matched.**

2 Places left for Brighton Marathon 2012

2011-12-01T16:30:00.002Z

Only 2 places left for the Brighton Marathon.... Run, run, run as fast as you can, get your place booked and then, pace yourself....

Last year 6 people ran a combined 157.2miles and raised over £2,200 for our projects! Are you just bursting with miles and miles of energy? Is Santa bringing you a new pair of running shoes that need wearing in? Every penny you raise goes directly to our projects, funding essentials such as school fees for disadvantaged Peruvian children & Orphans in Malawi, or medicines for young people with disabilities in Brazil. For more on where your marathon money could go, click on the link - Projects!

Quest4Change will support you with every step from ideas and assistance with fundraising to keeping you hydrated and cheering you on on the day!

Check out this page for more info.

And if you're not so keen on the 26.2 miles, then Quest4Change also needs a magical water station crew - dishing out water to passing runners, whilst enjoying the April sunshine and sea air! Sign up here!

If you are interested in running or handing out water on the day, contact Rose on rose@quest4change.org or call 01273 204928

World Aids Day - 1st December

2011-12-01T15:52:00.003Z

On World Aids Day the global community can unite and show its support in the fight against Aids. It is also a day to remember those who have lost their lives, and the heartache and devastation this causes for families, friends and communities.

The UN World Aids Day Report provides a relatively positive account of the year's progress, suggesting that a world of 'Zero New Infecttions, Zero Discrimination & Zero Aids related Deaths' is not only possible, but within sight. Here are a few findings from the report:

While containing only 12% of the worlds people, Sub Saharan Africa accounts for around 68% of the global HIV population.

HIV incidence has fallen in 33 countries, 22 of them in sub-Saharan Africa.

New HIV infections fell 21% between 1997 and 2010

Anti-retroviral coverage rose 20% in sub-Saharan Africa between 2009 and 2010

In Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, the proportion of eligible population receiving anti-retroviral therapy at the end of 2010 was between 40-59%. In Kenya, this was 60-79%.

Young people globally will determine the future success of a 'Zero' Aids world - investment in education and HIV awareness is paramount.

Question: When you think about Africa, what do you see?

For a different answer, See Africa Differently

Quest4Change is supporting the work of Joshua Orphan & Community Care, a charity based in Malawi who prvodie support for orphans and vulnerable children, many of whom who have been affected by the devastation of AIDS. To find out more about this project and what you can do to help, please visit our Malawi Project page.

And for more on World Aids Day:

Interactive Photo Timeline

Interactive Prevelance Map

Annual Reunion under 3 weeks away!

2011-11-28T12:34:00.002Z

Coming up in under three weeks is the year's most anticipated event . . .that's right, it's the Annual Quest Reunion Ball - what a way to start the week leading to Christmas!

7:30pm - 2am on SUNDAY 18TH DECEMBER 2011
The Artesian Well, 693 Wandsworth Road, Clapham, London, SW8 3JF

*Black Tie Dinner* *DJ* *Charity Casino* *Raffle* *Caricaturist*

Tickets £30 per person
This is a chance for all of our hard working volunteers to dust off their dancing shoes and head to the bright lights of London for a night of eating, drinking and being merry....and all whilst raising money for the Quest4Change projects.

Includes entry, 2-course meal and a whole host of entertainment including a DJ until 2am, charity casino, caricaturist and perhaps a few other surprises... Importantly too, all proceeds from the Reunion will go directly to support our projects overseas.

Buy a ticket here, or send us a cheque made out to "Quest4Change", with your name, team name and 'Quest Reunion 2011' written on the back.

We look forward to seeing as many Questies as possible!

Raffle prizes generously donated by the following:

Do your Christmas shopping for Quest4Change

2011-11-25T17:50:00.002Z

At this time of year, we know that budgets are tight, and it's not always the easiest thing to reach into your pocket to give to charity. But now you can donate to Quest4Change without paying a single penny and all while doing your Christmas shopping!

And the great news? There's not just one but TWO ways of doing this:

Visit our Spend & Raise Webshop where you'll see a list of major retailers such as Debenhams and Next who donate commision up to 15% to Quest4Change.
All you need to do is register and log-in (perhaps make this your homepage) before clicking the links through to the named retailers. On the 'Today's offers' tab you might even find yourself some great deals!

If you prefer not to have to remember to log-in first, there's an even easier way - Give as You Live.

They have their own web browser plug-in available to download to shop online and raise money for us - all you do is download a free app, no need to visit another website first! Once the app's installed, a box will appear whenever you visit any participating retailers, telling you what % they will donate to Quest4Change at no cost to you when you shop.

Psst! Tell all your friends...

Travel Nation run for Quest4Change

2011-11-14T16:13:00.000Z

Here at Quest, we have been working with the round-the-world flight experts Travel Nation for a number of years to help us arrange flights for our volunteers. Their team have always been fantastic at finding good deals and coping with the various and many requests thrown at them by ourselves and our volunteers.

But next year, 3 members of the Travel Nation tribe are going that bit further for us... 13 miles further, to be precise!

On Sunday 19th February 2012, Chris, Sally and Martin will all be taking on the Brighton Half Marathon Charity Challenge in order to raise funds for the Quest4Change projects. They are competing against other business teams to fundraise as much as possible for charity, hopefully winning them the Charity Challenge Trophy (plus our eternal gratitude). The fastest team will also win a prize.

Not satisfied with this, Team Travel Nation's Chris will also be joining the Quest4Change Quest4Change Brighton Marathon Team in April - we are seriously impressed!

And because of all of this, we feel that Team Travel Nation's effort deserves SHOUTING from the rafters - which is what we're doing now! Watch this space for further updates...

The Brighton Half Marathon Corporate Charity Challenge is an opportunity for you and your workmates to get fit, to get closer as a team, and most of all, to raise as much money as you can for some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. If you would be interested in having a team run the Brighton Half Marathon, read on...

Big thanks to Grant-Thornton and Charlotte Ashbridge

2011-11-03T10:09:00.000Z

Big thanks to Grant-Thornton LLP (Chartered Accounts) for their fantastic donation of £250 - This amount was generously matched with £250 raised by employee Charlotte Ashbridge, who completed the Liverpool triathlon earlier this year.

The Ashbridge family and friends are long standing supporters of Quest's Villa Maria project, and every penny they raise is in memory of Katie, who volunteered with Quest back in 2000.

(Here is Katie with some of the kids from Villa Maria)

In Villa Maria, just £30 is enough for Quest to take 100 children swimming - So £500 will go along way...

Over the years, Quest has enabled well over 100,000 swimming trips for some of the poorest children in Lima, thanks to donations like this one.

So... From all at Quest and Villa Maria, big thanks to Grant-Thornton and a massive high five to Charlotte...

7 billion people

2011-11-01T13:23:00.000Z

Live World Population Clock

(follow link)

Sometime yesterday afternoon, somewhere in the world, the 7 billionth person was born! This is according to the latest UN statistics on population. If your interested, the Guardian has been publishing some interesting articles throughout the week leading up to yesterday, the day of 7billion...

This site www.breathingearth.net. is well worth a look for some startling facts For example, hold your cursor over Kenya and learn that a person dies every 1.4 minutes, and a baby is born every 22.4 seconds.... A quick maths equation tells us that Kenya's population is growing at rapid speed... And while the stark realities of a rapidly changing climate suggest that resource scarcity will only increase, a larger population does not necessarily have to be a negative thing....

With advances in technology and science, there are, contrary to more sceptical critics, more than enough resources to go around (more problematic is the unfair distribution and consumption patterns of richer and poorer countries, however lets not get into that now...)

The key thing to remember is that innovative, sustainable and exciting development projects are out there - and they are making a real difference to peoples lives.... Sand Dams in Kenya are just one example. (Check out this video which shows the work of our project partners, Excellent development.)

News from Villa Maria

2011-11-01T12:00:00.001Z

The Villa Maria & Quest Overseas Mini Olympiadas 2011

With the London 2012 games fast approaching, the kids at Villa Maria thought they would warm up early with some colourful international street athletics....

It was a global fiesta with mini-teams from Peru, Holland, Germany, Spain, Brasil, Uruguay and Paraguay - all battling it out in the Quest Overseas street stadium.... One of our key aims with the children at Villa Maria is to support cultural and recreational activities that are empowering for all members of the community. Extreme poverty means life is tough in the barrios, and crime and drug abuse is never far away. The 'Right to Play' is written into the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and Quest4Change and Quest Overseas are strong advocates for this right.

Check it out -

You can see the whole day on our facebook photo album.....

****

Just in case that wasn't enough play....

Happy Halloweeeeen

Newsflash - Michael Jackson, the late king of pop, has returned from the dead for a one-off Halloween special! Check out his moves as he performs for the kids at Villa Maria project...

MJ Halloween treat @Villa Maria

******

School expansion continues apace

2011-10-07T11:53:00.000+01:00

Expansion of the Quest Pre-primary and Primary School in the shanty town of Villa Maria, Peru has been going great guns. Here's the story of the work so far...

With a generous £6,500 donation from the Allen & Nesta Ferguson Trust, we long-leased and renovate the single storey building next door, making the floors and walls fit for purpose and turning it into a usable space for communal activities such as assemblies and indoor arts events. This was finished in time for the opening of the school year in March.

With a 2nd fantastic grant of £4,750 from the Evan Cornish Foundation, we have been able to complete the majority of work on a second storey. Using these funds, we have completed four new wooden classrooms with sound proofing and insulation. Also installed have been the necessary sanitation facilities.

Summary ofAchievements to Oct 2011:

All 4 classrooms completed with walls and roof.
Sound-absorbing insulation installed between each classroom, ensuring minimal noise interruption between classes.
Toilets and hand-washing facilities completed, with plumbing installed.
Main structures for 1st floor completed: surrounding safety wall; reinforcing perimeter columns; main entrance.

But the work's not finished yet...

STILL TO DO:

The majority of structural work has been finished, but there remain a few bits to complete the build and make it ready to be a part of a working school, in time for March’s new school year. Yet to be built are:

the main stairway connecting the 1st floor with the ground floor
a stairway connecting the older part of the school with the new build
a 5th wooden classroom, intended as a computer room in the future
windows and electrics for the classrooms
surfacing of the concrete floor
hygienic finishing of the toilet areas

With funds raised by ex-volunteer Chantel Owen and her father, through a sponsored bike ride from London to Paris, we will also be able to furnish the classrooms. Thanks Chantel and Harry!

Another thank you is due to Katie Ashbridge's friends and family, for all their fantastic support over the years for the Quest School. The below plaque has also been put up inside the School:

"This school has been supported in itscontinuing improvement by funds raised by friends and family of KatieAshbridge. Katie was a well-lovedvolunteer with Quest Overseas in 2000, and donations continue to be made in hermemory."

***

There are currently 110 children enrolled at the school between the ages of 3 and 7 but this extension will allow the school to accept 180 children up to the age of 11. This will be yet another step towards our project director Alejandro’s dream of having an educational structure which takes kids from pre-school all the way through to teaching them a technical skill such as carpentry or electrician training. Expanding the school this year will also make it possible for us to set up an adult education programme, using this building, and in particular the proposed new computer room, which will help improve employment possibilities for local residents. In a district where the opportunities for adults and children in the area are extremely limited, we’re delighted that we’re able to help reverse this situation.

The finishing work is projected to cost around £3,500, and we are busy fundraising for this.

If you would like to be involved in fundraising for the Villa Maria School Expansion, please email Rose or call 01273 777206.

World Teacher Day

2011-10-05T17:05:00.002+01:00

October 5th is World Teachers' Day, celebrated since 1994, to commemorates teachers’ organizations worldwide, and also the anniversary of the 1966 signature of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers.

This year, the theme for the day is "Teachers for Gender Equality”.

This theme's focus is the issues surrounding the provision of education systems that empower both boys and girls, as well as better and equitable working conditions for teachers.

Lets consider a few fact:

Two thirds of the world’s 796 million illiterate adults are women and 39 million adolescent girls are missing out on an education (UNESCO).
Every 3 seconds another girl becomes a child bride (Plan UK)
Ten million girls under the age of 18 will be married too young (some as young as 5) or against their will this year – often ending their chances of going to school
At least 75 million girls around the world are not in school

The UN states that there is a proven correlation between the number of female teachers and girls’ enrollment in school which suggests, more female teachers = more girls in classrooms. This requires dual action - more young girls enrolled in schools, and focused attention on keeping girls in the school system, through secondary and on to university. Only then will we start to see increased numbers of female teachers.

Earlier in the year, Quest secured a grant from the Triodos foundation, which went towards the annual salary for one of our teachers at the Quest school in Villa Maria, Peru. Teachers in extremely poor countries are not paid well, and in some cases not at all. With very few resources and government support, it is often not seen as a desirable profession. So with that in mind, today is a day to reflect and remember that teachers the world over provide an invaluable service, often for little material reward. As well as the profound and lasting impressions teachers leave with their students, they will make immeasurable and seemingly insignificant differences in children’s daily lives, which for some children may mean the difference between staying in school, or dropping out.

The UN suggests, 'why not send an e-card to your teacher' to celebrate today.. However for those of you who dont have you teachers email, dont be put off, send it to someone who has ever taught you something worthwhile, or you can always go old school and give them an apple!

To send an ecard, follow this link.

Indigenous protest halts Amazon road build - for now

2011-09-29T14:38:00.000+01:00

There has been a minor victory for indigenous campaigners in Bolivia fighting the construction of a highway through the Isiboro Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory (TIPNIS), as President Evo Morales has temporaraily suspended its construction.

This follows a month-long march by indigenous communities to highlight the social and environmental costs of the road, which on Sunday was interrupted by a strong police response, with teargas. Marchers have said that four people were killed, scores of protesters were injured and several others were still missing Tuesday. Bolivian officials emphatically denied Monday any deaths or injuries but promised to launch a full-scale investigation into the raid.

The road, largely constructed by a Brazilian company, has been planned to give Brazil access to the Pacific Ocean ports by connecting to highways in Chile and Peru. Brazil is also financing over 75% of the estimated cost. The economic impact from the road project could be positive in the short term for Bolivia, one of the poorest and least developed countries in South Americ, and there have been protests in support of the road from many town-dwellers.

However, there are concerns that the road would make the TIPNIS further available to coca cultivators, and massively interrupt indigenous societies and wildlife. There also are social concerns for a large indigenous population used to living in relative isolation - the concerns are that there will be a significant influx of non-indgenous culture, leading to socail disintegration, diminishment of traditional authorities, and a re-balancing from protection of nature to a more money-based economy.

Morales is the first indigenous President to be elected in Bolivia, but he risks losing support from the indigenous people with his support of the TIPNIS road, according to analysts.

On Monday night Morales made this statement:
"While [we conduct] a national and regional debate, construction of the Tipnis road is suspended," he said, according to Bolivia's La Razón newspaper.

So, the campaigners' fight goes on...

We love sand!

2011-09-21T09:38:00.002+01:00

Ask any volunteer or Quest staff member who has worked on our Kenya Water Relief Project over the years and they will tell you that sand is a very useful thing indeed...

Not only can it be used to mix the cement to be used to build the sand dams, but it is also vital to the working of the dams in storing and filtering water, protecting it from parasites and reducing evaporation. The clue's in the name really.

A sand dam is areinforced concrete wall built across a dry riverbed, which when it rains,forces some water underground, filtering it clean, protecting from mosquitoesand snails, and preventing evaporation. A simple piece of engineering that willalter the lives of the communities around it forever. Brilliant.

But what caught our eye today weren't the useful properties of sand but its artistic merits... The artist Jamie Wardley from Bradford has created giant artworks on beaches up and down the UK - a race against time before the tide comes in!

We's have a go ourselves down here in Brighton, but something tells us the effect wouldn't be quite the same with the pebbles...

AND THE RESEARCH & FUNDRAISING INTERNSHIP BEGINS….!

2011-09-14T10:54:00.000+01:00

Allow me to introduce myself… I am Gemma and I am Quest4Change’s newresearch and fundraising intern...

I will beworking out of the Quest HQ on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, looking specifically atgrant proposals (there is, it would seem, an ever expanding list of grantgivers - the tricky part is finding the right way to access them… The right person, the right timing etc…). I will be working closely with Rose on thisone…

While notat the office, I juggle early morning sessions coordinating a local breakfastclub for little ones, and am completing my Masters degree in SocialDevelopment.

I have astrong research interest in Rights based development with vulnerable children, witha particular focus on ‘children’s right to play’ and global ‘constructions’ offamily.

I will alsobe assisting in creating Quest’s next annual report, collating all the amazingwork and achievements of the last year… So if you have any thoughts on any of that, or tips for funding pockets,please drop me a message on gemma@questoverseas.com

Brighton Half Marathon Corporate Challenge!

2011-09-08T12:42:00.000+01:00

Looking for a way to combine teamwork, fitness and fundraising?

What is the Corporate Charity Challenge?
An opportunity to showcase your business, and promote teamwork & fitness. More than that, it’s a wayto make a real difference to people’s lives by raising funds for Quest4Change.

Taking place on 19^th February 2012, The Brighton Half Marathon takes in sights from the Old Steine, the Hove Lagoon, along the glorious seafrontfor the majority of the race.The Corporate Challenge Trophy will be awarded to the business that collectively raises the most funds for their chosen charity, with a minimum of 3 team members finishing the race. Extra prizes will also be available for the 3 fastest teams.

Why run for Quest4Change?
You could raise funds for any one or all of the Quest4Change projects in South America and Africa.

We will also provide you with:

Press releases to local and national newspapers, promotion of the challenge and your company logo on our website, blog and social media
Entrance to the charity marquee at the end of the race, with a friendly face to dole out congratulations and material sustenance!
Fundraising tips & advice, sponsorship forms, posters to promote the challenge.Help with online fundraisingQuest4Change T-shirts for all the team
A training program
Info about the projects your fundraising will support

How to enter

Choose your team! Teams should be 3-5 people
Select a Team Manager
Go to www.brightonhalfmarathon.com
Click on Enter Now – a new window will appear
Enter the Team Manager’s email address, click on Corporate Charity Challenge and register a group
Follow through the registration process for each team member, ensuring that you select Quest4Change as your charity
You will receive a confirmation email when you are successfully registered, and if you do not complete registration you will be sent an email reminding you to finish the registration
Quest4Change will be notified that you have entered a team.

For further information, contact Rose on 01273 777206.

Thank you Rampant Sporting!

2011-09-08T12:03:00.001+01:00

Yesterdaywe received a very generous gift of back stock and second hand clothing from former Quest Leader Ted and friends atRampant Sporting. Their donation will soon be shipping its way over toour projects in Africa and South America where it will be distributed to thosemost in need. Watch this space for pics of some particularly stylishly dressed kids.

Inthe countries we work, clothes donations are of great help, as the winter monthscan drop to freezing and many in the communities do not have sufficient clothing. Sadly those most at risk are the young andelderly. Quest guarantees that all respectable clothes donations godirect to the communities we work with; children's clothes are of primary importance.

THANK YOU Team Rampant Sporting.

If you or your workplace wishes to make a donation, clothes or otherwise, please contact us on 01273 777206.

A short film from Nzwii, Kenya

2011-09-05T13:13:00.002+01:00

In July and August of this year, 12 Quest volunteers headed out to Kenya work with community Self-Help Groups in Kaueni District. Here's a short video from Rhodah Wambua, a member of the Nzwii Self-Help Group, talking about the benefits of Quest Overseas volunteers joining the group in constructing their second sand dam.

Quest 4 Change works with Excellent Development and Africa Sand Dam Foundation to support communities like Nzwii to build sand dams and improve their farming techniques.

Interested in helping with the effort? Join our Water Relief Project team next summer!

Malawi Volunteers complete Kumwandika Feeding Centre

2011-09-01T14:25:00.001+01:00

A huge well done and welcome home for our Malawi Orphans & Community volunteers. The twelve-strong team grafted seriously hard over five weeks to complete a feeding centre in the village of Kumwandika, near Blantyre.

Kumwandika is a new village for both Quest4Change and our project partners Joshua Orphan and Community Care (JOCC) to be working with, so it was with great excitement that the village welcomed the volunteers from the UK. Quest volunteers stayed in the nearby village of Malilo, and helped out in the feeding centres of Manyowe and Pensulo, really giving them a good grasp of the area and the challenges it faces. In addition to completing the structure of the centre, the team even managed to decorate the building inside and out - and all are agreed that they did a great job on that front:

Sadly the number of children orphaned due to a combination of poverty and disease, particularly HIV/AIDS, numbers over half a million in Malawi. The work Quest does with JOCC is to enable communities to support these vulnerable children in their midst, no easy feat when the community as a whole is struggling to provide for itself through subsistence farming, and with commodity prices constantly rising. We support these communities by providing feeding centres, many of them financed and built by volunteers for the community to use, where millet porridge is provided along with basic pre-school education and care.

The job done by the team has been absolutely fantastic and we've been told that more than a few tears were shed by the team when they left the village at the end of their work, so Malawi has definitely made its mark on the volunteers, as well as vice versa.

Celebrations at Handover Ceremony

Team celebrations at a job well done!

Chloe, Rachel, Sam, Jen, Lara, Rachael, Ben, Laura, Jessica, Anna, Ellen and Natalie - WELL DONE.

Find out more about volunteering in Malawi.

Fashioning a better life for Malawi

2011-08-30T17:15:00.004+01:00

Nicole Lee returned from her 5 weeks' volunteering with Quest last summer in Malawi, full of motivation to keep on giving her time and energy to support the orphans and vulnerable children of Malawi. Nikki not only raised over £3,100 last year, garnering an amazing amount of support from her work colleagues at CCS Mobile through her efforts last year, but is now putting on a charity Fashion Show to raise money for Joshua Orphan & Community Care and Save the Children.

"The Fashion Show" is taking place on 25th September, from 4-9pm, at the Roker Hotel in Sunderland and looks set to be an ace evening out, with Debenhams providing clothes with an African twist, takes place on September, music from local spinner DJ Oneluv, and a couple of dance crew. Oh and not to mention the free wine and raffle with seriously good prizes...er, iPad anyone?? Tickets are £10 and available from Debenhams Beauty Counter, The Roker Hotel and Lickety Split.

Nicole, of Seaburn, said: “When I went to Malawi it was a real eye opener. Coming back really did change me. I work full time and go out socially but this really changed my outlook on life.
“It made me evaluate what I really needed and what I didn’t and made me a lot more conscious about what I was doing and buying. To make sure all of those who contribute on the night are kept up-to-date with how their cash has been spent, Nicole plans on returning to Malawi next year.

Local businesses have also put forward raffle prizes and helped Nicole put on the event. “The support has been overwhelming,” she said.

Want to get in on the fundraising action? Drop Rose a line rose@quest4change.org.

Volunteers get results in Tanzania

2011-08-23T13:11:00.000+01:00

Well done to the Quest4Change Tanzania (and one Kenya) volunteers who went on to climb Kilimanjaro, and successfully made it to the summit!

More importantly from Quest4Change's perspective, is the fantastic work done by the ten volunteers working in partnership with the Livingstone Tanzania Trust. Rather than having one big building project to complete, the volunteers worked hard on a number of smaller projects. These all go to achieve the project aims of enhancing education and incomes in the area.

A Keyhole Garden being watered. The design incorporates a central 'basket' where compostible waste is placed and water is poured - recycling and nutrition in one!

The group grafted over four weeks to complete....

2 keyhole gardens at a primary and secondary school
Several bag gardens and a prototype mud fridge at another primary school
The painting of a toilet block built from scratch
The painting of a classroom (windows and door) of the floor they laid
The painting of a school store-room of a different school

And last, but most definitely not least, dug the trenches and built the foundations for an entire new clasroom at Wa'angwaray - now that is seriously hard work.

The foundations for the new classroom at Wa'angwaray Primary School

Volunteer Miki Vyse has these words: "We were all really proud and so happy that we've managed to help the school in this way. It was an absolute honour to work as hard as we did for the community, and it was brilliant to get the children involved carrying little bottles of water for us, and helping us move soil, the enthusiasm for us to help them and how thankful was incredible, and was definitely one of the highlights everyone had from the trip."

Read more from Quest volunteers in Tanzania

Five Houses Completed in Four Weeks

2011-08-22T15:08:00.001+01:00

The Villa Maria summer volunteer team are settling back into home life after 4 action-packed weeks at the project, where they completed the construction of 5 new homes for some of the poorest members of the community - fantastic work!

The third house built was a particular challenge for the team, as the muddy road to the site meant they had to carry the panels most of the way up the hill without the help of a truck. Exhausting work! But this was a particularly an important house to be completed, built for the family of a 3 year old with cerebral palsy, a condition only made worse by the damp, cold unsanitary condition of the house where they have been living.

Their hectic last week saw them construct 2 of these houses with the last one going up from scratch in just one day. Brilliant work all round!

Not content with building on the weekdays, the team also put on family shows at the weekend, dressing up as Donald Duck, Barney, Minnie Mouse, the Incredible Hulk... Volunteer Callum Russell also put his musical talents to good use, giving drumming lessons to some of the Villa Maria kids. As a stroke of luck, a drum kit was donated by Chantel Owen just before Callum and his team mates headed out! The drumming apparently went down a storm, although it may be questionable how happy the children's parents will be once their pans start to be comandeered for drums too...

Find out more about how and why our My New Home initiative first started.

A sand dam a week

2011-08-19T17:17:00.000+01:00

Quest volunteers in Kenya, working alongside the Africa Sand Dam Foundation and Excellent, have completed work on a fantastic four dams, no easy feat in the baking heat.

What is a sand dam? A sand dam is a reinforced concrete wall built across a dry riverbed, which when it rains, forces some water underground, filtering it clean, protecting from mosquitoes and snails, and preventing evaporation. A simple piece of engineering that will alter the lives of the communities around it forever.

With three different Self Help Groups in Makueni District, the thirteen-strong team truly earned the respect of the Kenyan communities through their tireless hard work and good cheer...they even managed to break the Quest cement-mixing record by mixing 237 50kg bags in one day...seriously tough.

In the middle of the drought currently affecting East Africa, the Water Relief work we support in Kenya is all too necessary. In the words of 2011 volunteer Heather McCollin, "Seeing the results and the changes in the environment around sand dams that were only one or two years old was amazing. Imagine what a difference the dams will make in future years!"

Help support Water Relief in Kenya.

Puma cubs set to arrive at Jacq Cuisi, Bolivia

2011-08-19T15:39:00.020+01:00

The park of Jacj Cuisi is eagerly awaiting the arrival of two baby pumas. Quest4Change works with the parks of Inti Wara Yassi in Bolivia, supporting their work providing new suitable homes and rehabilitation of mistreated wild animals.

This summer, 10 Quest volunteers worked very hard in the difficult conditions of the Bolivian jungle to complete a new enclosure at the park for the puma cubs. The volunteers spent four weeks digging, carrying, mixing, cementing, before a two week stint getting to know some of the animals up close in Park Ambue Ari. Currently the puma cubs are spending time being looked after in a private house, which is less than ideal.

Quest volunteers finishing the fencing for the pumas' new cage

The global wild animal trade is worth over $5 billion annually, and results in awful treatment during transportation and captivity - Quest4Change is doing what it can to stop this. And here in the UK, we're looking forward to getting the first pictures through of the happy (and undoubtedly very cute!) cubs in their new, suitable environment.

Below is one of the older pumas, Carlos, enjoying his exercise with Gap year volunteer Gen.

Read more about our work in Bolivia and about how you can get involved.

Join the 2012 Marathon Team!

2011-08-19T11:44:00.003+01:00

One of the best ways to raise money whilst achieving a lifetime ambition is by doing a marathon - and where better than the brilliant seaside city of Brighton? Read all about it and watch a video of the course here.

Run for Quest4Change in 2012...

Join the Quest4Change Brighton Marathon 2012 Team and we will help you with your fundraising and training. We've got four more places up for grabs, so sign up before they all disappear!

You'll receive:

Entrance to dedicated charity village at the beginning and end of the race
Fundraising tips and advice
Help with online fundraising
Sponsorship forms
A Quest4Change t-shirt
A marathon training program
Information about the projects your fundraising will support

And best of all, 100% of the money you raise will go directly to the projects we support in Africa and South America. Contact Rose on 01273 777206 to find out more...

Q4C Runners in 2010

Charity Internship Available

2011-08-02T12:25:00.000+01:00

**POSITION NO LONGER AVAILABLE**

Quest4Change is offering a voluntary internship giving you the opportunity to get valuable hands-on experience within our small grassroots international development charity.

Role summary
This is a varied role, focused on research and fundraising. We will work with you to give you a range of experience and we will support you to attend training courses and seminars to build your key skills. This is a great opportunity for a hard-working, motivated, enthusiastic individual with an interest in development and fundraising.

What's in it for you?

An insight into the charity sector
The chance to develop key skills relevant to the charity sector
The opportunity to research, write and edit reports and proposals
A dedicated member of staff to support you throughout your internship

The main focus during your time with Quest will be helping with the production of an Impact Report on our achievements. Working closely with our staff, you will be involved in tasks such as gathering and collating of data, and drafting and editing. You will also be working with our staff to put together funding proposals for Trusts and Foundations.

Role requirements
The internship is open to undergraduates, graduates and people looking for a career move into the charity sector. Existing knowledge of development would be useful, but is not required.

We need our intern to be:

Highly motivated
Highly organised
An excellent communicator
Willing to learn
Flexible
Friendly and enthusiastic

The role is based in Hove, East Sussex, and while we are unable to offer paid internships, we can cover travel expenses up to £10 per day. We can only accept interns who are available to commit themselves for 1-2 days a week for a minimum period of 3 months. We offer flexible working hours.

More About Us
Quest4Change works with partner organisations on small scale grassroots projects in Africa and South America targeting the specific causes of poverty and environmental destruction. One of our main aims is to improve basic health and education infrastructure for the poorest people living in the communities we work with. We aim to establish strong relationships with each project partner; a minimum five year commitment is integral to the work we do, helping us ensure that we make a positive and tangible difference to the lives of the people with whom we work.Find out more at www.quest4change.org.

Interested candidates should e-mail CVs with a covering letter to rose@quest4change.org. Please also feel free to contact Rose on 01273 777206 if you have any questions about the role.

If called for an interview, applicants will need to show evidence of their right to work in the UK.

The deadline for applications will be rolling and the vacancy will remain open until filled.

More fundraising fabulousness for Villa Maria

2011-07-28T13:23:00.001+01:00

Another big thank you to a number of people who have generously donated to support Quest's work Villa Maria on behalf of Katie Ahsbridge:

For donations at Penny Ashbridge's 60^th - thank you to Mr & Mrs Hadley, Dr & Mrs Lewis and Mrs Healey!

Thanks to Jane Powell and other staff at Peter Hickman's Hairdressers in Tewkesbury for a fantastic teddy bear raffle!

Great work by Jane Davies and other staff at the Bredon Hill Surgery in Tewkesbury for their quiz night - many thanks!

In Villa Maria, the school expansion is going well, and these funds raised will be very much appreciated by staff there, as they will go towards making the newly-built second storey more child-friendly. A plaque in Katie's name will be placed on the school as recognition of all her family and friends have continued to do in support of Villa Maria. Quest have a team of volunteers out in Villa Maria at the moment, who have just been painting the new classrooms with exciting pictures, building homes for families in need, and entertaining the myriad kids with fancy dress costumes and cinema shows.

Keep an eye out on this page for future VM fundraising updates!

All Quest summer volunteers are overseas!

2011-07-22T13:35:00.002+01:00

From today, all of the our volunteers heading out to Quest projects in South America and Africa have begun their projects...exciting times for both the volunteers and the projects themselves!

VOLUNTEER ROUND-UP:

In Bolivia, our ten-strong team are nearly halfway through their six weeks of project work in the parks of Inti Wara Yassi. In the newest park of Jaqj Cuisi, the team are constructing a large enclosure for 2 recently rescued baby pumas before heading across to Parque Ambue Ari to spend their time caring for a variety of rescued animals including jaguars, ocelots, monkeys and birds. From the depths of the jungle we don't receive a lot of updates, but we're looking forward to those first pics of the puma cubs...

Our Kenyan team of 13 are pushing themselves to the max, working on two large dams for the Nzwii and Malaika community groups. The team have already absolutely smashed the Quest record of 150 to mix 237 bags of cement in a single day...very impressive indeed! Motivation on the team is very high - in the words of one member: "the community working barefoot and gloveless is a risky business and their willingness to get stuck in and their gratitude towards us for helping them is top-class encouragement to get the job done, and done well."

In Tanzania, our intrepid team of ten volunteers have been settling into their new home and getting stuck into work around Babati, since they arrived last week. Except for a few tummy bugs, the team are making excellent progress. They are currently working hard at Managa Primary School. So far they've been renovating a classroom, previously laying unused due to its dilapidated state, and building staff toilets – not glamorous but very important! The atmosphere in the community has been extremely welcoming, with some of the children even welcoming the volunteers back to their homes: a lovely and eye-opening experience for all!

The Villa Maria team in Peru will be focusing their work on the construction of simple new homes for single parent families, replacing existing unsafe and unsanitary dwellings. They will also be working closely with the children in the surrounding communities, organising games and activities, dancing and entertaining the crowds at the infamous Villa Maria Domingo Familiares (Family Sunday shows) and assisting in the Quest Overseas school. We've six volunteers this summer so they will be kept on their toes!

And last but definitely not least...our team of twelve volunteers touched down in Lilongwe, Malawi today, and will be travelling to their accommodation, in the rural village of Malilo. The team will be working very hard to build a new orphan feeding centre in Mwandika village. Mwandika currently has nothing to use as a feeding centre, and very little to give the children at all, so this is extremely welcome. The generous volunteers have also brought out a whole load of toys and games for the children to use once the centre is completed. There have been recent demontrations in Malawi, but we do not anticipate this will affect the project work.

Click here to keep up with the latest updates from the field.

Price Waterhouse Coopers donate £500!

2011-07-05T12:22:00.002+01:00

An enormous thank you to the accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers,who have match funded the efforts of our Three Peaks Challenge team with a generous £500. This brings the total raised by the nine-strong team to a fantastic £1,610.

What is match funding? It's when a company agrees to match whatever you have raised, either with a set amount or with a percentage of what you have raised elsewhere. It can be a great way of getting your workplace involved in yours and your chosen charity's efforts - for more information, contact rose@quest4change.org.

One hundred per cent of this money is heading over to Tanzania to be used on our Community Development Project in the area around Babati in the Manyara District. This project works with local schools and community groups to create agricultural infrastructure and improve educational facilities. With these efforts, the focus is always on supporting children and adults in the communities to work their own way out of poverty through developing skills and expertise that will allow them to address issues of nutrition, health, income and education. Poverty is not a simple matter, and it requires a multi-faceted approach, which we are working to provide, in partnership with the Livingstone Tanzania Trust.

Find our more about our work in Tanzania.

Charlotte runs, swims and cycles for Villa Maria!

2011-06-29T15:15:00.001+01:00

This weekend Charlotte Ashbridge completed the Liverpool 2011 Triathlon in a fantastic one hour and 51 minutes - well done indeed!

So far, Charlotte has raised a brilliant £615 for Villa Maria, which wil be used to expand 'Katie-Ville', the collection of new houses for vulnerable single-parent families in the shanty town. These houses can cost only around £500 to build, but provide safe, and sanitary homes with electricity, running water and sewerage, which makes an enormous difference to any family previously living in this kind of rough shelter:

The 'Katie-Ville' initiative to offer improved housing to the families of the most disadvantaged children in Villa Maria, began in 2007, after friends, colleague and family set up a fund in the memory of Katie Ashbridge, a volunteer in Peru with Quest back in 2000, and Charlotte's cousin. There is no doubting the commitment of the Ashbridges and their friends to continue to support Villa Maria - thank you.

With supporters like Charlotte, we will continue to provide new homes to give children and their families the best start in life.

If you would like to help us stop children in Villa Maria growing up in these unnecessary conditions, find out about how you can get involved with fundraising or how to donate to Villa Maria.

£6000 for Villa Maria!

2011-06-22T17:18:00.001+01:00

Remember Chantel and Harry Owen, the fantastic father and daughter fundraising team? Their efforts in cycling from London to Paris have overall raised a huge total of £6,000 for Villa Maria!

This will not only enable work to be completed on the Quest Primary School expansion in Villa Maria, but also be used to build houses for some of the most vulnerable single parent families. With space limited in the shanty town, families have been forced to cut precarious platforms into the hillsides and creat shelters made from scrap iron and plastic. With large famlies living in these conditions, sanitation and health are at risk in the area.

Through the Me Nueva Casa initiative started in 2007, Quest4Change has been able to fund the building of over 30 basic but safe single-parent homes. It was this project that Chantel became involved in with Quest as a volunteer in the summer of 2010, and that inspired her and her family to continue their support of Villa Maria.

Without fundraisers like the Owens, Quest4Change could not do the things it does. Thank you.

Quest4Change conquers the UK!

2011-06-14T10:40:00.013+01:00

Three of the Quest team, Si, Jon and Eoin, plus six other keen Quest4Change supporters and intrepid walkers headed off on a madcap dash around the corners of the UK, to complete the Three Peaks Challenge – summitting Snowdon, Scafell and Ben Nevis in under 24 hours…would they make it? Of course they would!

The 9-strong team reached the top of Snowdon in an impressive three and a half hours and in fairly grim and cloudy conditions…none too shabby.

Scafell posed less of a challenge height-wise, but Simon managed to liven things up in his traditional Bolivian dress, leading one bemused but clearly impressed fellow fell-walker to tell him he looked ‘fabulous’….he clearly hadn’t noticed Si had his trousers on back-to-front!

Ben Nevis proved the longest and most tiring climb, not that this prevented Shane from dancing his way down the slopes. All were agreed that the views from the top were well worth it:

Well, nearly all...

Climbing: 13 hours

Driving: 35 hours

Fundraising total: £1,095...and counting (donate here)

3 Peaks - Charity Challenge for Quest 4 Change from Simon Tierney on Vimeo.

If you would like to raise money for Quest4Change by climbing Three Peaks, or even just one, please email rose@quest4change.org or call 01273 777206 for more details.

Mundo's Marathon - in his own words

2011-06-03T13:43:00.002+01:00

Thanks to Edmund Northcott not only for raising £500 for Casa Lar de Mangueira, but also for sending us this account of his London Marathon day - with all that ensued....

07:27 - Train from Tufnell Park
09:45 - Start gun
09:49 - Crossed the start line
13:45 - Passed Out!

Firstly I would like to say a gargantuan THANK YOU to all those that sponsored me and I can assure you that the money has gone to the most tremendous and well deserved causes that I can think of, Macmillan and Quest.

The big day was certainly memorable in many different ways. I made my way to Blackheath early on Sunday morning to mingle with the swelling crowd at the ‘Blue Start.’ This was an experience in itself listening to everyone exchanging stories of their latest marathons while I anticipated the titanic task I was about to take on for the first time. With my bag stowed, and all the necessary (but albeit rather provocative) stretches out of the way I headed to my starting pen. The crowd was gradually ushered forward to the start line and the race officially began. There was alot of jostling at the start and dodging the running beer bottles and bananas proved rather tricky, but I eventually managed to find a steady pace.

The crowds that lined the sun soaked streets of London were tremendous in offering support, often in the form of hysterical screaming but occasionally offering sweets, orange slices and beer...I mean water! The first half passed surprisingly swiftly and by mile 15 I was feeling rather good. Needless to say this was a short lived experience and by mile 20 the heat and sheer distance took its toll and each mile felt like a marathon in itself!

The final stretch proved to be extremely difficult (as if I wasn’t expecting that!) and although I kept running, the photo you see above is at 25 Miles by my Mum. At 26.15 miles I suffered something extraordinary and woke up in a wheelchair hysterical and delirious jabbering away to the paramedics. Apparently I was quizzical as to why my legs hurt so much and why I was dressed in such skimpy attire, and to my horror they replied I had just run the London Marathon. My immediate reply was, “what on earth did I do that for?” I then lay in agony with cramping legs and dizziness for 2-3 hours, but got a much needed massage from the wonderful people at Macmillan.

So despite not getting a medal my body obviously thought it would be far more dramatic to make a hell of a scene just before the finish line to make it a truly memorable day, just not for all the right reasons. My Mum had a wonderful day rubbing shoulders with Colin Jackson and Jonathan Edwards, until she got the fateful text from St John’s ambulance saying her son was receiving medical attention, much to her inconvenience!

I think it’ll be a while until I venture onto the marathon scene again, but thank you once again for the devotion you have shown to my charities, and I hope you won’t hold the last 500 yards against me.

Yours so very gratefully,
Mundo.
What an effort and a great blog, thanks Ed!

Find out more about Casa Lara and ways you can support its vital work.

Donate through eBay

2011-05-27T13:01:00.004+01:00

If you sell items on eBay, did you know you can donate a percentage of the final sale price to Quest4Change whilst you do it?

You decide exactly what percentage of the price goes to us and what percentage to keep for yourself. Not only will this benefit our projects in South America and Africa, but your listing will be also get higher visibility through the eBay for Charity pages.

Plus, every time you list an item for charity, you’ll get a fee credit on your basic insertion and final value fees equal to the percentage you donate. So if you donate 50% of your selling price to a charity, eBay will waive 50% of your fees. Not bad, eh?

Prefer shopping to selling?

You can also raise funds for the projects Quest4Change supports just by going shopping on our Buy.At Webshop, a directory of online retailers such as who give away a commission of each purchase back to us. The best bit is that this is free of charge for us - and free of charge for you. All you have to do is visit the Quest4Change and click through to whatever retailer you want... including Marks & Spencers, Late Rooms, Expedia, Ticketmaster, Ethical Superstore. Not to mention Orange, O2, Snapfish...and many many more. Give it a go!

Sad news for the Amazon Rainforest

2011-05-26T15:05:00.005+01:00

The Brazilian Congress yesterday approved a reform of its forestry code, making it easier to clear land in the Amazon for agriculture, passed by a large majority, although yet to be approved by the Senate or signed into law by the President.

The new code will grant an amnesty on fines to landowners who were involved in illegal deforestation on their property before July 2008, if and the farm is 400 hectares or less in size. It would also retroactively legalise the clearing of land that is used for agricultural purposes, tree plantations, or rural and eco-tourism, if it was deforested before July 2008.

In its current form, the forest code sets out how much of their land farmers can clear. Eighty percent of the forest must be left intact on property in the Amazon jungle, 35 percent in tropical savannah zones within what is known as the "legal Amazon" – which encompasses the nine Brazilian states partially or totally covered by rainforest – and 20 percent in the rest of the country.

Perhaps more significantly in environmental terms, however, is the fact that the new law on land use will also affect the use and abuse of the forest from now on: reducing the amount of forest that farmers have a legal responsibility to preserve, while allowing the cutting down of trees along rivers, on hilltops and hillsides.

In a particularly sad turn of events, on the same day as the parliamentary vote, a married actitivist couple, leaders of a nature reserve in Nova Ipixuna in the northern Amazon state of Pará. According to their family, the two environmentalist farmers had received death threats for their activism against illegal tree felling in the area.

According to Greenpeace ecologist Paulo Adario, "Brazil woke up to the news of the murders of two leading environmental activists, and it's going to bed with the murder of the forest code."

According to Aldo Rebelo, the Communist Party parliamentarian who introduced the law, he is acting in Brazil's "national interests", and making it possible to legalise 90 percent of rural properties that are in violation of the regulations. It will also allow the massive agri-businesses that dominate the economy to make larger profits.

A total of 700,000 hectares were deforested in Brazil's Amazon jungle in 2009 and 2010, the lowest level of destruction since records on deforestation began to be kept in 1988. But a government report whose preliminary results were released on May 19 stated that from August 2010 to April 2011, deforestation rose 27 percent with respect to the same period the year before, with the destruction especially concentrated in the soy-growing western state of Mato Grosso – a phenomenon that the government blames on expectations that an amnesty would be approved.

Of Brazil's 5.3 million square kilometres of jungle, 1.7 million square kilometres are currently protected.

See what we do to protect the Amazon Rainforest in Peru.

Nominate Quest for a Responsible Tourism Award

2011-05-26T12:19:00.003+01:00

Closing shortly are the nominations for the 2011 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. Quest were proud to achieve a “Highly Commended” back in the 2007 Awards, but we would be thrilled if we could go one better this year. We work very hard to make our projects as sustainable and ethical as possible, so we can provide mutual benefit to the community and to the volunteers.

By providing long-term support to the projects where we work, we can ensure that not only is the work done by our hardworking volunteers maintained, but that it forms part of a long-term development programme. Over the years, Quest4Change has raised over £1.5million, 100% of which has gone overseas to be used where it is needed. Read more about Quest's other ethical and environmental policies here.

Convinced? Nominate Quest for best volunteering organisation! Not only would you have a warm glow inside from recommending us (we hope), but you would also find yourself in with a chance of winning a seven-day all-expenses paid trip for two to Kenya, staying in the Masai Mara and Rift Valley...

....just click here