HopeFirst Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization as recognized by the U.S. federal government.

OUR MISSION

HopeFirst Foundation is dedicated to transforming the lives of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and fostering a sense of community, personal reflection, and artistic discovery.

HopeFirst Foundation pursues its mission through an exchange of cultural and material resources between the United States and developing countries by

• providing assistance to AIDS orphans resulting from the HIV/AIDS pandemic;
• improving access to potable water in remote villages; and
• promoting the sharing of musical and cultural traditions.

THE GAMBIA

In addition to our ongoing work in Zimbabwe, over the past year we've begun working in The Gambia with a group of highly energetic and dedicated volunteers, headed up by Sandy Murray and Barbara Trenary (when not traveling the world, Sandy works as an RN and Barbara an industrial hygienist).

The Gambia is a small country of 1.5 million people in Western Africa.  It is ranked in the lowest 25% of world economies. The majority of people live on less than $1-2 per day. There is an urban area near the coast with somewhat modern amenities, but once the black top ends, the villages are without much of what the West takes for granted.  Each village has variations on scarcities: lack of water, food, healthcare, schools, and enterprise.  HopeFirst Foundation is working to assist Gambians at the village level with school and library building, sustainable enterprise development, health promotion, and education needs. 

CURRENT PROJECT NEWS

We've been quiet but busy these last months. HopeFirst has been working in Zimbabwe and The Gambia, and this summer we hosted two Zimbabwean mbira masters in the states for a cultural exchange. Read more about these projects.

Learn about our latest projects!

Bikes to Africa Project and
Early Childhood Development Centers

OUR VISION

We envision a world where children are able to live out their childhood as children, where everyone has access to the basic resources they need to freely dream and realize their dreams, and where people on opposite sides of the planet foster an exchange of resources unique to each culture, resulting in a sustainable, mutual benefit.

HOPEFIRST FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER

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