Many of you know that my brother Songbae, once a well-heeled finance banker in NYC, is now working for a non-profit economic development organization in Kyrgyzstan. He’s returning to his Peace Corps roots, I think.
In any case he’s setting up a “mini” scholarship program for the local employees in his current office.
If you are interested in donating money and love the idea of a 44 cent overhead (that’s a postage stamp these days, right?), read on.
From Songbae:
“Short version:
I am hitting you up for money.
Long version:
Background
When I say “mini”, I mean pretty small. Last year our office paid for ten employees to take English classes four times a week after work. The total cost was $250 for one month (that’s $250 for all ten employees). The program was discontinued because of the cost, the economic downturn and poor attendance.
The Project
I’d like to re-start that program with private funds, i.e. your money, with two basic changes. First, only 50% of the payment will be made upfront with the remainder made if attendance requirement are met. Second, other classes besides English would be included, e.g. accounting, etc.
The Ask
I’d like to make this a three month long “pilot” program and am looking for roughly eight donations of $100 (at $250/month for a total of $750). In return, whoever you sponsor would be required to send you monthly email updates, tell you about their life in Kyrgyzstan and send pictures.
If you’re interested, you can just send a check in my name to my sister in LA. Let me know and I will send you her address (though I haven’t asked her if it’s ok yet! Note: It is okay – let me know if you need my address). Please don’t worry if this doesn’t sound interesting to you. I’m sure I will think of other future projects that will need “funding” as well.
Hope all of you are well!
Songbae
P.S. I have no problem paying for this myself but I don’t think they’d let me :)”