My path crossed with The Eden's Rose Foundation while backpacking through Ecuador in early 2012. My wife's cousin had met the director of the foundation at a music festival the previous summer where he was fundraising and raising awareness about the projects in Ecuador. We made plans to visit the projects during our trip to S. America.
I immediately felt this organization was different than other non-profits and organization's I've worked with in the past. The heart of this organization is the people of Tosagua, the children, the women, and the communities. Their stories were touching, their children, barefoot and malnourished, were loving and playful. My companions and I fell in love with the mission of the Eden's Rose Project and decided to spend some time volunteering. The org. raises money for projects by selling handmade goods (macrame jewelry, hand knit hats & gloves, wood carvings, etc) in the U.S. at music, yoga, and arts festivals. These crafts are handmade by the communities the foundation works with in Ecuador and the artisans are paid above fair-trade wages. We, as volunteers, to some of the jewelry to a touristy beach town to see if there was a market for selling some of the jewelry IN Ecuador so the foundation could send some women down to the beach to raise money or sell their own crafts year-round.
After our trip in S. America, when we returned we became fundraising volunteers in the States, traveling around the country to different music festivals raising money and awareness each weekend. We were able to witness the positive impact of the Children's Basic Needs Center in Ecuador and raise consciousness about the current project, funding for a clean water filtration system, to give access to safe drinking water AT the needs center and throughout the San Ramon community.
This organization is small with a enormous heart. 100% of the revenue from sales are used to help fulfill the project goals. The people in these communities in Ecuador are some of the most beautiful, warm, loving people I've ever encountered. We are trying to grow our headquarters in the U.S. and develop some domestic community outreach programs in the near future. I cannot wait to see all the wonderful and inspiring stories to come out of The Eden's Rose Foundation in the coming years.
My name is Gregory Sheldon. I am writing you from Colombia, as I am on my way with supplies to continue my work in developing Basic Need Delivery Centers for children under 5 years of age in rural Ecuador. I am working in agrarian communities that are in low visibility areas, below the poverty line, and without the ability to obtain basic life necessities. I have worked in the Indian Himalayas with Tibetan refugees, in the Raan of Kuch with nomadic tribal groups, I have worked with Katrina victims, and with habitat for humanity in NY and Santa Domingo Ecuador. I have founded a 501c3 nonprofit called the Eden’s Rose Foundation in 2008. I am working at this time on the building of a Basic Need Delivery Center in the community of San Ramone near the Village of Tosagua in Manabi Ecuador. This is a village of peanut and rice growers that is isolated and marginalized. The community hosts some of the worst seasonal flooding in the region and our BNDC will also function as a community refuge point during the deadly flood season that can last for up to 6 months a year. The Unicef statistics for the problems faced by young children in Ecuador in the areas of malnutrition, dunge, malaria, illness and disease caused by contaminated or dirty water, water borne illness from bacteria and viruses, and sexual abuse; are all seen as nation wide percentages. It is very important to understand that the effected children that make up the bulk of these national percentages often come from specific isolated and rural areas. The small outpost communities around Tosagua are fitting examples. The BNDC’s will give children under 5 years of age a safe sanctuary free from the hazards and dangers that are constantly preying on them. In our center they will receive food and nutritional attention, clean water, running water for bathing and loving guidance for our caregivers. I also work with the communities to create sustainability through job skills training and placement programs, the creation of work cooperatives. Through these mobility programs we have created work for dozens of family members of the children in our projects and brought several thousand dollars of revenue into a community where people live on a few hundred dollars a year. I am receiving support from the local community, the community government and from the regional government. In spite of all our combined efforts and the fund raising efforts of some supporters in the states we are on a skeleton budget and with the recent breakdown of our fundraising Van things are being pushed beyond an already critical point. To be quite frank I have maxed out all my personal credit both on cards with banks and family members, I have worked myself ragged and truly given everything I have and more. I still need Bricks and mortar, clothing for children and special nutritional supplies, beds and equipment to deal with infants and special needs children. I need help and even with the power of god that I feel as a force behind me I am unable to do this alone. I don’t know who you are or what you do but if any of this speaks to you or your mission I hope you will consider getting involved in any way the you feel called.
Review from Guidestar