US Students Continue to Fund Education in Africa Through Unique Charity

Tampa, Florida, January 25, 2007 - One Here...One There, an international charity devoted to educating children in sub-Saharan Africa, has announced a $5,000 gift to Micro Credit in Africa, Inc., (MICA) for their work on improving educational conditions in Niger.

Micro Credit in Africa is a nonprofit organization that seeks to alleviate poverty in Niger, Africa through development projects focusing on education for women and children. Four main areas are being implemented: an Ox Cart economic development program, a Seed program providing fertilizer, a Pharmacy program distributing First Aid kits, and an educational program including job skills training.

One Here...One There is a unique student-oriented charity that enables college students to donate $20 at the time they pay their college tuition to help cover the cost of a student’s education in sub-Saharan Africa. In some areas of Africa, a child can be educated a whole year for as little as $20. Colleges and universities are encouraged to participate using a tuition-billing option program. And students, faculty, and the public are encouraged to donate on-line.

The funds are delivered to African non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as MICA, and are used for funding tuition, books and other education-related expenses.

"Access to educational opportunities presents a set of critical challenges, particularly to girls and young women," said MICA Founder Haoua Diatta. "There are physical, economic and cultural barriers each female student must overcome. The reality is that many girls simply are denied a chance to go to school, because their labor is needed in the home or in the fields or in the market place. We need to empower girls and women through providing scholarship aid, job skill training and mentoring within the larger framework of micro-credit activities."

The Micro-credit program involves the extension of very small loans to the unemployed, poor entrepreneurs and to others living in poverty who do not meet the minimum qualifications for traditional credit. Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize last October for their pioneering efforts in the micro-credit movement, which has developed micro-credit institutions throughout the world. Though not directly affiliated with Dr. Yunus, MICA extends this program in Niger.

MICA provides an ox and a cart to village women, who rent them to other villagers in need of transportation. Through rental revenues, the women can eventually own the ox and cart. MICA also supports education projects, including AIDS education, character education and job skill training.

"The hope for the future in many parts of Africa lies in education," said Jan B. Latour, charity president. "One Here...One There provides a simple way for one child here to foster the future of one child in Africa, hence the organization’s name."

A portion of the funds for this donation came from a pilot program One Here...One There conducted with Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. In the program’s initial year, One Here...One There raised more than $10,000 for educational purposes in sub-Saharan Africa. One hundred percent of donations are directed to African NGOs for the benefit of students. A grant from the Elizabeth B. McGraw Foundation is covering all operating expenses for the charity during its start-up phase.

For more information on MICA, visit www.microcreditinafrica.org.

For further information about One Here...One There or MED, visit www.onehereonethere.org or call +1-727-514-OHOT in Tampa Bay, Fla.

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