STOP PRESS 2: due to fantastic generosity we have reached more than double my initial target -- many thanks to all who donated.  The event is over -- SPW organised it incredibly well and it was terrific fun (including for my vociferous support team, Jane, Catherine and Eleanor). If anyone is reading this who would still like to contribute, the site is open until 26 May, and SPW will be able to use whatever you can give them. Click here to see what they can do with the funds.

Young people in developing countries face challenging futures. Student Partnership Worldwide works with young people on health, environmental and education issues, and to help prepare them as citizens and leaders.  I'm taking part in the SPW mini-triathlon on 26 April to help raise funds for their work. I'll do the swimming, cycling and running  -- and you can help with the cash!

SPW works with hundreds of thousands of young people in the rural areas of eight countries in Africa and South Asia.  They help young people learn skills for dealing with sexual and reproductive health including AIDS, and livelhooods including farming. They work in cooperation with national and local government and, most importantly, with communities themselves. Their mantra is youth-led development.

It's a revolutionary approach to volunteering, where 85-90% of the volunteers come from the developing countries themselves. This means there's a lasting legacy in the growth of young, local leadership (former volunteers are in high demand in national development programmes).

Pit latrines. School AIDS clubs. Courage to speak out about abuse. Demonstration farming plots. Fuel-efficient stoves. It's all highly participatory, and youth led. Click here to learn more about SPW.

Your donation makes a difference.   Every little helps.  Thank you!

Bob Grose

PS: find out about the triathlon at http://spwtriathlon.com/

In December 2009, SPW Zimbabwe in partnership with UNICEF initiated a response to the cholera outbreak in all the SPW communities. SPW extended national volunteer contracts up to March 2009 and trained them on cholera campaigns as well as management. Activities that volunteers are currently involved in include conducting cholera awareness campaigns, door to door education, monitoring distribution of UNICEF water bowsers as well as assisting with management of cholera funerals. In addition, SPW volunteers are instrumental in providing information on cholera cases for initiating rapid response and for the national statistics.

To date SPW through the 'young people we care' members has managed to out reach to more than 2000 families.