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HISTORY
The
story of HopeFirst Foundation is one in which each of us finally
gets to answer to the unending pleas of our own souls to give back
to our own communities here in the U.S. and to those in Zimbabwe
that have irrevocably transformed our lives for the better.
 How
do we give back to Zimbabwe, a country that has so richly provided
us with a source of constant joy and celebration because of its
immense musical traditions, yet a country ravaged by social and
economic distress, with millions of children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS
pandemic, and whole villages in which populations consist of elderly
grandparents tending to their dying adult children while simultaneously
looking after their orphaned or soon-to-be-orphaned grandchildren?
And how do we give back to the people of the United States, a country
of such material abundance and one that has afforded us the freedom
to achieve our dreams regardless of sex, religious, social and economic
background, and yet one in which sometimes in the relentless pursuit
of individual success, we lose a natural curiosity for the world
around us and forget to sing and dance?
HopeFirst
Foundation is a culmination of the desire to see the cultures of
the United States and Zimbabwe come to a mutually sustainable sharing
of the best each culture has to offer. For Zimbabwe, it is the joy
of singing, dancing and celebrating a rich, vibrant musical heritage
despite social and economic hardship - always living life with the
power of music to transform even the most difficult of circumstances
into opportunities for social change. For the United States, it
is the indefatigable pioneering spirit and drive, as well as the
abundance of resources that lend us the opportunity to be the best
we can be, regardless of the background into which we were born.
OUR
BOARD
Diana
Chamrad, President, Treasurer, Director
Kim Foley, Secretary, Director
Molly Carney, Director
OUR
FOUNDERS
Diana
Chamrad
Child-Headed Household Program, Chair
Diana Chamrad has worked as a clinical psychologist in a rural
community on Whidbey Island, Washington, for over fifteen years.
Diana earned her undergraduate degree at University of Texas at
Austin and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Ohio State University.
She eventually ended up at the University of Washington’s Department
of Psychiatry for her clinical internship and decided the Pacific
Northwest was a perfect place to work and play.
Diana
has been interested in Zimbabwean music and culture since 2000 when
she was introduced to marimba and mbira music. She currently plays
in two marimba bands and is convinced of the therapeutic effects
of playing and listening to music. She is also Adjunct Faculty at
Antioch University Seattle with particular interests in international
public health, the psychological effects on children functioning
as heads-of-household, and the role of psychologists in international
settings.
Kim
Foley
Cultural and Educational Program, Chair
Kim Foley has worked in educational technology for nearly twenty
years. She is a published author and educator, and her work has garnered accolades from organizations such as Scientific American,
New Scientist, National Academy Press, National Science Teachers
Association, AT&T Learning, and USA Today. She earned her Master of Science in Arts and Media Technology degree
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Kim is interested in working with others to support
their understanding and usage of technology with the goal of making
technology more accessible to everyone.
Paul
Mataruse
Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Paul Mataruse currently lives in the
U.S. Paul works in pharmaceutical sales and
plays
traditional and contemporary Zimbabwean marimba music. It's Paul's desire to see HopeFirst Foundation change the predictably
tragic lives of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
SITE
CREDITS
Photos:
Photos courtesy of
Jan Christensen and other contributors.
Many thanks.
Web design: Persistent VISION.
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In
Zimbabwe, HopeFirst Foundation will focus on programs that advance
the technological capabilites in the villages in which we work,
provide counseling and tutoring, build wells and bore holes, and
establish satellite musical centers in the villages.