15,000 Bottle Caps for Africa is a campaign dreamed up by Designer Charles Newman for Under the Acacia, to galvanize individuals throughout the USA and abroad to collect recycled bottle caps to help create a decorative siding for a learning center at our school in Kenya. The local Maasai women are known for making exceptional beaded jewelry and they will be engaged (and empowered!) to paint and decorate the jewelry wall for the learning center. Lil’ MDGs will be joining this campaign and collecting bottle caps for this project until September 20, 2011.

Learn more about this campaign:

Toys for Watotos (Watoto in Swahili means "children") Campaign is a campaign of Under the Acacia to collect books and learning aids for the students of Loita Hills Academy in Kenya. Loita Hills Academy opened its doors in January of 2010 and became the first school in Loita to bring education to hundreds of students in and around Loita. There are currently 300 students between the ages of 3-14 (50% male, 50% female) attending the primary school. This remote Maasai community does not have access to books or learning aids. They have never owned their own book or dreamed of someone sharing theirs with them.  By collecting all kinds of books and learning aids/games these children will have a new outlook on education. The campaign will document on video the collection of items from the students in the United States and the delivery and distribution of items to the students in Kenya creating a cross cultural exchange of understanding and communication.

The campaign will accept new or gently used story books, coloring books, educational books, puzzle books, and text books in English in usable condition for ages 3 - 14 until October 15, 2011. The campaign will also accept learning aids such as games, board games, puzzles, etc. Battery operated or electrical items, stuffed animals, dolls, and video games will not be accepted.

For questions regarding this campaign or to  donate books towards this effort, please contact the Campaign Coordinator.

After the earthquake in Japan, Lil’ MDGs began working with kids to implement a creative fundraiser to galvanize youth to fold paper cranes to help youth in Japan. In Japanese culture, the origami paper crane symbolizes both hope and peace, both of which were shattered when the earthquake and tsunami devastated much of Japan on March 11. According to Japanese mythology, if a person folds 1,000 paper cranes in his/her lifetime, he/she will be granted one wish.

The goal of the “Wish Upon a Campaign” is to get youth worldwide to fold paper cranes to send hope and peace to their peers in Japan. At the same time, DoSomething.org and Students Rebuild announced the Paper Cranes for Japan Campaign. This was a grassroots campaign designed in response to the devastating earthquake in Japan and the millions impacted.

For this specific effort, the Bezos Family Foundation announced a pledge to donate $2 for every crane mailed in to fund Architecture for Humanity’s plan to support Japanese architects’ rebuilding efforts. With a goal to collect 100,000 origami cranes from young people to represent wishes of support and healing, the challenge hoped to raise $200,000 for the reconstruction of a youth facility by the Japanese team from Architecture for Humanity. The thousands of cranes will go on to become a permanent art installation in a school or youth facility being rebuilt by Architecture for Humanity in Japan. This huge display of cranes will be a symbolic gift from students around the globe. Paper cranes folded through Lil’ MDGs Wish Upon a Crane Campaign worldwide were mailed to Students Rebuild to be turned into dollars to benefit Architecture for Humanity’s rebuilding efforts in Japan.

The incredible, worldwide response tothis campaign has exceeded our wildest hopes. Not only did the Bezos Family Foundation double its initial donation to $400,000, an anonymous donor has come forward to add $100,000 making $500,000 for Japan! We have tallied 1 million cranes!

According to Students Rebuild, we’ve seen participation from all 50 United States and 37 countries: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, and Venezuela.

Although the challenge has ended (deadline to postmark cranes was April 15th), Lil’ MDGs is continuing to fold paper cranes to benefit Japan. Folded paper cranes are available for $2 each and all proceeds from this sponsorship will be sent to Architecture for Humanity for rebuilding a school in Japan. Each sponsorship represents a wish and a prayer - to bring hope and peace to a youth in Japan. Please e-mail Kristen for information on how to get involved with this campaign.