Global Volunteers Named Finalist for 2021 .ORG Impact Awards

The 3rd annual .ORG Impact Awards (OIAs) named Global Volunteers as a finalist and “remarkable mission-driven organization” for building better communities in Tanzania. All awards, including .ORG of the Year, are hosted by the Public Interest Registry (PIR) and will be publicly announced during a virtual celebration event on November 9, 2021.

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Healing and Transforming Communities During the Pandemic

Global Volunteers is eligible to receive $10,000 in the Building Better Communities category and $35,000 if named winner of .ORG of the Year. PIR is a not-for–profit organization created by the Internet Society (ISOC) to manage the .ORG domain. The website states: “Through these awards, PIR is celebrating the global .ORG Community for its work to heal, inspire, transform and connect communities over the past year. In 2020, .ORGs were needed more than ever before as the world came to grips with the global effects of the pandemic. The 2021 .ORG award recognizes .ORGs that have achieved great and impactful things, often with little resources and against sometimes overwhelming challenges. These people and organizations work tirelessly in pursuit of their missions – not for recognition or reward, but to simply make the world a better place.”

PIR has been a champion for a free and open Internet for more than 15 years with a clear mission to be an exemplary domain name registry, provide a trusted digital identity and help educate those who dedicate themselves to improving our world. “This year was the most competitive ever—with 633 organizations from more than 40 countries submitting nominations across seven categories. We want to thank all those who submitted entries and congratulate all of the finalists for their impressive achievements,” said Jon Nevett, PIR President and CEO.

RCP Outcomes Recognized and Rewarded

Global Volunteers has made substantial progress in improving the health outcomes of women and children through the Reaching Children’s Potential Program (RCP). The program addresses childhood stunting in order to prevent permanently impaired cognition and severe life-long health issues. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from conception through the child’s second birthday, will pave the path for their future.

Measurable outcomes include (1) 80% attendance at workshops and home visits by each woman enrolled in the RCP Program, (2) improved nutrition measured by the amount of household vegetables, eggs, and chickens produced and consumed, (3) enhanced overall health of mothers and children reported by Ipalamwa General Clinic (IGC) staff from monthly clinic visits, (4) Teachers from three primary schools happily report a surge in student attendance due to Global Volunteers providing children with two nutritious meals daily (5) improved Apgar scores among newborns, and (6) fifty women are gaining entrepreneurial skills through five Women’s Cooperatives (7) reduced stunting in children measured by WHO’s height-to-age table.

Data analysis, conducted by researchers from St. John Fisher College Wegmans School of Pharmacy, shows stunting decreased by 20% (from 37.4% to 30%) in children enrolled in the RCP Program for 18 months. By comparison, it took 15 years to achieve a 20% reduction in stunting across Africa (2005 – 2020). Furthermore, based on our preliminary data which shows the full 4 years of the program, stunting in children has decreased by a remarkable 47% (July 2017 – July 2021). These are unprecedented results in the global community. RCP is a comprehensive program, and the research confirms that families need support in all areas of food, nutrition, education, and health in order to help their children reach their potential. Because this result is directly related to the work of parents improving their children’s food, nutrition, health, and psychosocial support, we believe this program will virtually eliminate stunting in the villages where we work. The most exciting thing about Global Volunteers’ RCP program is it’s replicable and scalable. It could dramatically reduce poverty worldwide.

Read on to learn more about RCP Program initiatives:

Virtual RCP Workshops Conducted in Tanzania During Pandemic