Namaste, Friends and Supporters of dZi,

Looking back at the end of 2006, we budgeted to serve 30,000 individuals in 2007. At the time it seemed like a huge - almost unattainable - number to serve. Well, here we are, October 2007, and we are right on track and will easily reach this goal by year-end. Your support has been the catalyst for all that we have accomplished; we hope it continues and grows as we strive to be even more efficient with your funding and serve those who desperately need our guidance and support in the Himalaya.

As mentioned in our last newsletter, the dZi has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the Mountain 2 Mountain Grant Award - to be announced at the beginning of this month. This award acknowledges the dZi Foundation's cutting-edge work in eastern Nepal - our Revitalize a Village program. In 2008, we will serve over 12,000 in the remote regions of eastern Nepal through this one program - one village at a time. We teach these remote communities to build their own schools, form their own PTAs, and to include women and untouchable caste members within this community process. Creating local investment in these projects is at the core of our work. Local investment helps ensure sustainability and longevity - keys to future success. In the last six months, we have constructed, or remodeled, seven schools; formed six Parent Teacher Associations; built thirty drinking water taps; built two bridges and one community center. In the end, directly serving nearly 6,000 people.

At right: a Revitalize a Village community-development training session in eastern Nepal.

I know I keep talking about our new DVD, but it's with good reason. One entire section is dedicated to our Revitalize a Village program in Nepal - don't miss it. The DVD will be mailed in the middle of October with our new brochure. (This is the one and only fundraising request we send out, by mail, during the year.) Experience our excitement. We could not me more proud of where we have come, and what the future holds for the dZi Foundation.

Wish List

We are looking for 35MM film cameras to bring into the field to photo-document our projects in Nepal. If you think you might have a 35mm film camera to donate, please mail it to: Kir Ayers, 1046 Route 106, Leeds, ME 04263 by Wednesday, October 17. As always, we greatly appreciate your support.

All the best.

Jim Nowak
Executive Director

Marmot/dZi Foundation Jackets - $150

Fall is officially upon us. The perfect fall jacket to help you stay warm and continue to stay active outdoors is the dZi Foundation/Marmot DriClime jacket. A winner of Outside Magazine's Editors' Choice award, the dZI jacket is available in Oceana Blue and two-toned teal for women, and black and two-toned navy for men. All jackets are beautifully embroidered with a red dZi Foundation logo. They are available for $150 - the retail value is $85, so the tax-deduction you will receive for this purchase is $65. The dZi jacket also makes for a great gift with the holidays just around the corner.

At right: dZi staff member, Kara Mueller, models a jacket in the two-toned teal.

Kids Climb for Kids

On September 9, 2007, Cami Dohrn of Seattle, led a group of young individuals, ages 10-16, on a hike in the North Cascades to raise money for the dZi Foundation - the goal was for each hiker to raise enough money to sponsor a child's education in Nepal.

Last year was the first year Dohrn organized "Kids Climb for Kids", with the intent of raising money to support a dZi-sponsored safe house for girls in Kathmandu, Nepal. The residents of the safe house were once at risk of being sold for child labor, as "temple prostitutes", or into the Indian sex trade. With the funds that were raised through the "Kids Climb for Kids" campaign, their daily needs are now met - along with their needs for medical care and education - and the girls have a home and family. These young women now have hope for the future.

Pictured above is the group before they head up the mountain.

This year, Dohrn selected the dZi Foundation to be the recipient once again, but this time to sponsor a child's education. While education in Nepal is free, the children need to have a uniform, backpack and supplies in order to attend. For many families, this is a prohibitive expense, and yet their greatest hope for their children is an education.

The weather for the hike this year cooperated, and twenty individuals showed up - hiking shoes on, ready to go. It proved to be a very successful fund-raiser, raising close to $1200 ($400 of which from a gentleman Dohrn met while mapping out the trek two weeks prior to the event - see email below.)

Email from Cami Dohrn the day after the 2007 "Kids Climb for Kids" hike:

Two weeks ago, I went up Granite Mountain on the fly just to try and see it through the eyes of my hikers and make sure it wasn't biting off too much. That day, I ended up hiking and chatting with a man who was amazing. It was his fourth peak that week! He is in his 60s! At some point in the conversation, I told him why about the dZi, and why I was sprinting up the mountain that day. Anyway, he came back to Granite yesterday to find us. He wanted to see my posse of kids, and make a donation. He asked how many were in our group, and offered to donate $20/hiker. He then handed me a check for $400 - right then and there! It was one of those moments of incredible validation. I was giggling and almost crying at the same time. It was like having an angel appear or something. Really cool.