One Village at a Time

I have been a volunteer with one village for about 7 years and have proudly watched them grow and acheive their mission. It is wonderful to work with this organization and see how they are helping shools and villages in Africa recover from the devestation caused by Aids, extreme poverty, and other challenges. I would highly recommend others to join the cuase and help Susan Gross and her team.

I have been a volunteer with one Village for 3 years. It as AMAZING organization! Susan Gross is an wonderful women who puts her life on the line every time she goes to Kenya and she is always happy and excited to get there and do the great mission of One Village at a Time. Can't say enough good things about this organization!!

i have known susan since high school and to watch the wonderful job she does with one village st a time makes me sooooo proud to have known her so long --- she is amazing with what she has done and the dedication she has shown --i follow her blogs when she visits i keep in touch with her when she is home --- only one word describes her and that would be AMAZING . it is such an important organization and her effort is endless.

A wonderful organization and a very worthy cause! I only recently found out about One Village but I'm amazed at what they've managed to accomplish. And even more great things to come, I'm sure!

I have been a volunteer grant writer with One Village At A Time for the past several years. A friend had told me that the organization was looking for grant writers and even though i was fairly new to grant writing, I was welcomed with open arms. (That's the way this group is ... everyone is embraced and appreciated.) I was able to "learn on the job" and it's been such an amazing experience. This year we were accepted onto the Global Giving website, which has allowed us to raise funds for and awareness of the work we do in Kenya. Executive Director Susan Gross is a tireless advocate, a spirited leader, and a joy to work with. She has brought together a dynamic group of volunteers that works hard to make life better in the poorest part of Kenya. We may be small, but our impact is huge. We change lives, we empower girls and women, we help villages become self-sustaining, we offer hope. We do this all one village at a time.

Susan has done a great job with One Village at a Time. Charity is something that begins with one person at a time, just like this organization and it works miracles. Congratulations..

It is unusual to receive calls from communities discussing projects but today was a special day as I received a call early in the morning from a young woman who was widowed last year in a one of the OVAAT sites in Siaya. All she wanted to tell me was, I quote " Mama KMET, please pass our gratitude to Susan for all the support - Now I have hope that my children will go to school ---I have enrolled in the micro finance and I am planning to start a small poultry business" Long live OVAAT

I am quite pleased with the efficiency and the dedication ' One Village At A Time' has shown over te years. It takes a lot more than money to bring order to disordered lives.. The work this organization performs allows a fundamental opportunity to bring happiness and self reliance to a proud but often forgotten group of people in a remote area of Kenya.

Many thanks to One Village at a Time has brought so much change through her insights on Social site management . KMET family is pleased to have hosted mama OVAAT and hopes that their good relationships in working for the Kenyan community will be sustained . KMET therefore extends many thanks to Susan Gross as you travel back to the US today.

This is one of those hands on, smaller, less big money funded little organizations that makes a huge impact on children and families who could easily be forgotten. It is very difficult to work as hard as they do every year to raise money to continue. But they do it and are the true meaning of non-profit in my eyes.

One Village at a Time is an example of what a difference one person can make in the life of another. Working with One Village I was able to make a difference in the lives of orphans in Western Kenya (one of the poorest sections of the country.) One Village is different than other organizations because One Village is about self-sustainability and empowering people the skills and faith to manage their lives without continuous help.

I started volunteering with One Village during the Spring of 2011. The organization was gearing up for its fourth annual Harambee fundraiser and I volunteered to help with last minute tasks before and during the event. I had never met any of the members, so I was a bit nervous going into my first meeting with them. Within only minutes of meeting them, I was overwhelmed by the passion and excitement that each volunteer had about the cause. These women and men are truly amazing. Their dedication toward this non-profit is infectious, and they will go to the ends of the earth to raise even a few extra dollars, knowing how many children that money can help in Kenya. After my first Harambee, there was no question that I'd be returning for the next one. I have not stopped volunteering since and can guarantee that there will never be a time in my life that I am not involved with this incredibly unique organization.

I volunteer with One Village at a Time to help write grants and brainstorm new initiatives. Working with this group of people has been an honor and a privilege. It is amazing the things that we have accomplished in such a short amount of time. Susan's commitment to this cause is unparalleled, and I'm sure the story of this organization has only just begun!

I started volunteering for One Village at a Time back in 2007. At the time I was struck by how much they could with such a small budget. Only a few dollars made a life-changing difference to a child in rural Kenya. One Village does what most non-profits don't dare. They go into the poorest, most remote villages and take a holistic approach to improving lives. Villagers are empowered to be part of the solution (and eventually the entire solution) so that they are not just providing handouts. The Director truly understands the issues facing these villages: cultural differences, tribal conflicts, parent/child relationships, and more. All things that are crucial to success and easily misunderstood by "Westerners". In 2011 I was asked to be on the Board of Directors. There I had additional insights into how far each dollar donated is stretched. The money is used incredibly effectively. The passion and heart of everyone involved in the organization is inspiring. I see big things for the future of One Village at a Time.

For the past three years I've volunteered with One Village at a Time and the experience has been personally rewarding and eye-opening. I have seen and learned a great deal about the struggles of our people in Kenya and been excited and proud of the work that has been done. I look forward to continued work with OVAT and hope to some day travel to Kenya so I can see the tremendous efforts of OVAT in action. Please support this beautiful and necessary organization. A little effort and love go a long way!!

I joined the team in 2010 and I'm happy to say that One Village at a Time is one of the best experiences I've ever been part of. The idea is so simple and beautiful, be the raindrop not the rainfall as the founder told me once. When you are looking to make a difference in the developing world sometimes you get bogged down by the complexity of npo's and at times wonder where your efforts are going. OVAAT is a grass roots organization and the money goes straight to Kenya. Its nice to know that OVAAT sees the big picture, but takes small steps towards it.

I first started working with One Village At A Time earlier this year on their Harambee committee. This past May I was honored to be asked to be on their Board. The first thing that struck me about the organization was the passion of the Director, Board members and everyone else who volunteers their time and effort. The needs we try to help meet are broad in scope, from supporting a feeding program to health education to seed money in a microfinance capacity. We support villages so rural that they have been passed over by many other international organizations. I am also passionate about the fact that our aim is to not just throw money at a problem, but to create an environment where these projects become self-sustaining in an incredibly short period of time. One of the ways we accomplish this is by creating an environment where all stake holders are vested in the project and held accountable (the schools, the students as well as their families). With the entire organization being made up of volunteers I am also very proud to say that 100% of the money we raise goes directly to the goals of the organization.

One Village at a Time is truly unique. As a smaller organization One Village is free from the rigidity inherent in larger non-profits and has the ability to track every dollar that is donated and subsequently put to work in Kenya. Additionally, One Village, has pursued a strategy of partnering with existing Kenya-based NGOs; leveraging their experience and relationships to improve the effectiveness of its program.

I have been a board member since 2009 and am extremely proud to be part of an amazing organization. I have traveled to Kenya to witness firsthand the incredible work and progress One Village has made. The micro finance and feeding programs coupled with reproductive health education has empowered the children and their parents in the communities we have worked with. Something as simple as donating a reusable pad to a young female in school will prevent her from staying home for a week during her menstrual cycle or using cow dung as a substitute. Lending $100 to buy a cow or start a soap making business has enabled parents to take over the feeding programs in their children's school so they do not go hungry. One Village is different from other organizations because we are ALL volunteers and have other jobs. Every penny we raise goes directly to the cause and makes a huge difference in someone’s life who desperately needs it.

One Village At A Time is a small but mighty nonprofit. I know the founder and have been impressed at all of the hard work that she has put into developing this organization. She personally travels to Kenya to ensure that all donations are being used in meaningful, productive ways. She works tirelessly to educate all of those involved. The donors are kept informed of how funds are used and the value of their efforts. The villages in Kenya are empowered to create their own plans for sustainability and supported to maintain hope, health, and equity.