About: Be The Change Volunteers (BTCV) is a development aid non-profit organization dedicated to our mission of improving education opportunities worldwide. Our mission is accomplished by partnering with local communities to address infrastructure, equipping, and training needs. We operate primarily in developing-world countries serving remote communities with a demonstrated need for educational facilities and resources. Our organization is unique because we do not simply send funding to these communities. We provide on-site, in-depth needs analysis to help identify long term solutions to be completed in phases over time. Teams of generous self-funded volunteers that we call Changers, travel to partner communities to participate in our education-focused service projects and unique and profound cultural exchange opportunities – or, as we like to say, we build schools and we build relationships that unleash the power of education all around the world. More about BTCV...
Testimonials from real Changers
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Testimonials: Take it from our volunteers and supporters becoming a Changer is an amazing experience and a worthwhile investment. Read some real Changer testimonials here...
The Book about the first 10 years of BTCV
Dear Changers,
We are so grateful for the support you have given to the BTCV mission by funding schools, libraries, students and volunteers. When BTCV was ‘born’ in 2007, the Co-Founders had a simple vision to help kids around the world have the opportunity for a quality education. From the start, that vision included some big hairy audacious goals (BHAGs) that would inspire and motivate progress and change. Two of the original BHAGs were to complete 100 projects in their lifetimes and to encourage partner communities to ensure equal opportunity for girls to enroll in, attend, and finish school. As BTCV has grown into an international development aid organization that involves hundreds of incredible volunteers and supporters, like you, from cities and countries all over the world, we have reached major milestones for each of these BHAGs. This year, the halfway mark for 100 schools was achieved with BTCV 050 in Puerto Rico and we fulfilled the second by seeing average enrollment for females in BTCV partner schools exceed 50%. These are the changes we wanted to see in the world – and reaching these goals has inspired us to stay on mission and keep working hard to Hand Deliver Hope everywhere we can! BTCV reached these milestones because of your support and we can only achieve all of our other BHAGs and goals with your continued support. We are celebrating these milestones in two fun and significant ways. First, our book, Hand Delivered Hope, which tells the story of the first 10 years of BTCV will be available this summer from Trilogy Publishing. In addition, our Co-Founders have pledged $50,000 in matching funds for donations made towards the BTCV Sustainability Endowment in 2020. The endowment is a special fund that will allow BTCV to stay on mission and be self-sustainable into the future and onto the next generation of leaders. So, if we can raise $50,000 in donations, the Co-Founders will contribute a matching $50,000, totaling $100,000 into the Endowment - $50K in honor of 50 Schools and $50K in honor of 50% Girls! Only through October, anyone who donates $100 or more to this matching opportunity will receive a signed copy of the book, Hand Delivered Hope, as our gift to you for your generous support.
Thank you for making dreams come true!
Be The Change!
We are so grateful for the support you have given to the BTCV mission by funding schools, libraries, students and volunteers. When BTCV was ‘born’ in 2007, the Co-Founders had a simple vision to help kids around the world have the opportunity for a quality education. From the start, that vision included some big hairy audacious goals (BHAGs) that would inspire and motivate progress and change. Two of the original BHAGs were to complete 100 projects in their lifetimes and to encourage partner communities to ensure equal opportunity for girls to enroll in, attend, and finish school. As BTCV has grown into an international development aid organization that involves hundreds of incredible volunteers and supporters, like you, from cities and countries all over the world, we have reached major milestones for each of these BHAGs. This year, the halfway mark for 100 schools was achieved with BTCV 050 in Puerto Rico and we fulfilled the second by seeing average enrollment for females in BTCV partner schools exceed 50%. These are the changes we wanted to see in the world – and reaching these goals has inspired us to stay on mission and keep working hard to Hand Deliver Hope everywhere we can! BTCV reached these milestones because of your support and we can only achieve all of our other BHAGs and goals with your continued support. We are celebrating these milestones in two fun and significant ways. First, our book, Hand Delivered Hope, which tells the story of the first 10 years of BTCV will be available this summer from Trilogy Publishing. In addition, our Co-Founders have pledged $50,000 in matching funds for donations made towards the BTCV Sustainability Endowment in 2020. The endowment is a special fund that will allow BTCV to stay on mission and be self-sustainable into the future and onto the next generation of leaders. So, if we can raise $50,000 in donations, the Co-Founders will contribute a matching $50,000, totaling $100,000 into the Endowment - $50K in honor of 50 Schools and $50K in honor of 50% Girls! Only through October, anyone who donates $100 or more to this matching opportunity will receive a signed copy of the book, Hand Delivered Hope, as our gift to you for your generous support.
Thank you for making dreams come true!
Be The Change!
We are at just over $23,000 towards our $50,000 goal!!
Help us reach the $50,000 Founders Match!!
Help us reach the $50,000 Founders Match!!
Check out This video about Be The Change Volunteers
- Honoring Our Son Phomotso -
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In May of 2016 Phomotso Makeke Cook, the adopted son of BTCV Co-founders Jimi and Cristi Cook, tragically passed away from a heart attack in his sleep at the age of 23.
Phomotso was an early inspiration for our "BTCV Kids" fund, a scholarship program that allows students to live out their dreams through the gift of education. He attended school at Farview (BTCV 004) in Mt. Fletcher, South Africa where he met Jimi & Cristi, telling them of his dream to be a photojournalist on the very first day he helped work on that BTCV project. His contagious smile, passion for education, and relentless pursuit of his dream instantly won the hearts of the whole BTCV team, and a little over a year later he was able to come live with Jimi and Cristi and complete his junior year of high school at Columbia Independent School (CIS) in Columbia, MO. When he returned to South Africa, he finished his senior year of high school and passed the National exams with flying colors, making him eligible for university enrollment. He applied, interviewed, presented his portfolio and was accepted by the prestigious Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Pretoria, South Africa to study photojournalism – the chance to pursue his dream. To read more of Phomotso's story and see his portfolio Click Here. |