Giving Tuesday 2021

/by

As some of you may know, November 30th is Giving Tuesday 2021. Pidola is launching a quick extension of our Remote Solar Learning Kit campaign from last summer.


For just $65, a family in Bolivia can receive a kit that allows them to access school curriculum over the radio. The tools include: solar-powered lamps, a USB charger and a USB radio. To date our efforts have helped positively impact 100s of families all throughout Bolivia!


Click the link here to visit our Donation Page.


The picture below shows a mother getting her new learning kit earlier this year in the town of Raqaypampa, a neighboring community close to our old friends in Pampa Jasi!


Give the gift of a learning kit today, and allow a remote family to get access to their classes when their new school year starts in February.


Thank you for the support!


Michelle, Nick & Lou

October 2021 News & Updates

/by

Apologies since it’s been a couple months with a post, but we’re back in the proverbial saddle with some progress updates! Please see the bulleted items below:

  • Grant Submissions – we haven’t heard any news from our previous submissions, but fingers are still crossed that Pidola will get accepted by one of the grantors. Of course, we’re continuing to submit applications, and October’s application will be to an organization called Onaway. This will also be our first grant application that we’re partnering with a 3rd party! This also provides a bit more depth and credibility to our application, and we feel confident about our chances of winning.
  • Support Staff – we have brought on a new person to help support some of Pidola’s activities: Shanika Silva. Shanika has great experience working with other non-profit organizations, and we look forward to her bringing additional expertise to our efforts.
  • News in Bolivia – on a weekly basis, I follow the news that’s coming out of Bolivia. My go-to news source is La Razon, and they have an objective stance on happenings there in the country. Feel free to check in periodically on events. NOTE – using Google Translate in Chrome is the best way to view these articles in English.

We hope that this note finds everyone doing well, and look for new updates before the Thanksgiving Holiday!

August 2021 News & Updates

/by

We hope that you’re enjoying your Summer so far, and we’d love to share some news from the Pidola Team:

  • Grant Submissions – as you know, we’re constantly looking for new ways to fund our projects. In mid-July, we submitted a grant application to the Oak Foundation, and should be hearing back from them in a few weeks. Pidola will also be focusing on individual and corporate donors at the same time. Some other funds and foundations that we’ll be applying to in the near future include, but are not limited to:
    • Pulsante Rapid Response Fund
    • Jewish Helping Hands
    • Onaway Trust

If you have ideas of people, organizations or foundations that may align well with Pidola’s mission, please let us know!

Thanks again for all your support, and we’ll see you in September… stay safe!

T

July 2021 News & Updates

/by

First and foremost, we hope that this note finds you all doing well so far this Summer season! We have a few updates for you this month; please see the bulleted items below:

  • Grant Submissions – now that we’ve completed our Remote Solar Learning Kit campaign (thank you again to all that donated!), we’re back to working on grant submissions. There are a few that we’re focused on in the next 6-8 weeks: Oak Foundation, Wallace Global and Suez North American Foundation. We will surely keep you posted with our next win.
  • Partnerships – as we’ve mentioned before, we’re always speaking with potential partner organizations; almost on a weekly basis. We feel it’s important to network and build connections within the ecosystem, specifically where we can partner with fundraising efforts. WinRock and Tip-Top English are just a couple of companies that we’ve engaged with in the last few weeks, and we’re always open for new partnership opportunities. Please share any ideas with the Pidola Team.
  • Projects – we have a couple of potential projects outside of Bolivia that Pidola may be supporting in the coming months. We will share any news as it comes available… fingers are crossed.

Thanks again for all your support, and we’ll see you in August… stay safe!

June 2021 News & Updates

/by

It’s been a busy last few weeks for the Pidola Team, especially as we’ve wrapped up our latest campaign on May 31st. Here are some of the key highlights:

  • Remote Solar Learning Kits – we raised almost $6,500 since launching back in March! That means 100 families will be receiving a remote solar learning kit, and have access to classes and educational materials in the coming months. A huge THANK YOU for all that donated and supported Pidola on these efforts… a great win for us here in 2021!
  • Partnerships – as part of the plan to help Pidola grow, we’re always looking for new and engaging partnerships in the space. These partnerships can not only help us with operations in Bolivia, but can potentially help us build our network and find new fundraising opportunities. The work continues to push for new projects anywhere in Latin America (Bolivia, Mexico, Dominican Republic).
  • Grant Opportunities – there are a few grant opportunities that we’ll be submitting an application for in the coming weeks: Pulsante, Wallace Global, Suez North American. If you know of any grants or potential sponsorships that Pidola may be a good fit, please let us know.

Thank you again for your on-going support, and we hope you have a good start to the Summer Season… stay safe!

Michelle, Nick & Lou

May 2021 News & Updates

/by

First and foremost, we hope this note finds you doing well over these last few weeks!


The Pidola Team wanted to share some news surrounding our Remote Solar Learning Kit Campaign.  So far, we’ve raised over $5,000 with this initiative! That means 75 families will now receive the tools needed for basic education for their kids, and critical news and information for the entire community.


For those who have already donated, thank you! If you’d like to donate to our Remote Solar Learning Kit campaign, please click on the link below.


https://www.pidola.org/remote-solar-kits/


The campaign ends on May 31st, so please don’t delay if you’re thinking about donating.


Thank you for your support, and we’ll be in touch next month!

April 2021 News & Updates

/by

We wanted to share a quick update on how we’re progressing with our Remote Solar Learning Kit campaign that was launched last month.


So far, we’ve raised and received commitment for over $3,300!  That means over 50 families will now receive the tools needed for basic education for their kids, and critical news and information for the entire community.

For those who have already donated, thank you! If you’d like to donate to our Remote Solar Learning Kit campaign, please click on the link below.


https://www.pidola.org/remote-solar-kits/


We’re only running this campaign for a short time, and classes are available for kids right now. Donating today will make a huge difference to a family in need.

March 2021 – Remote Solar Kit Fundraiser!

/by

Pidola is launching a new fundraising campaign! The key details are below, and feel free to donate via the link here.

In many parts of Bolivia, and specifically rural areas of the Cochabamba region where Pidola has been working since 2017, students have not been to classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and won’t be able to return to schools for the remainder of 2021.  Rural families are often scattered and isolated and are using candles, batteries, and firewood to meet their energy needs. 

Pidola is working with a local solar installer, Energetica, along with the Ministry of Education and local Municipalities to establish a program to provide remote learning kits to 1,000 rural households without electricity. Each kit includes 3 solar-charged lamps with a USB charger and USB-powered radios and costs $112 USD. Almost half is covered locally, but they need our help to fund the rest of the kit. 

That means for only $65, a remote family with school-age kids will have access to classes and information!

The program for these kits includes user identification, signing of agreements with Municipalities, promotion in communities, and training to use the kits. We’ll be collection donations for just the next few weeks, so please take the chance to donate and support a family in need today.

We appreciate your support, and please check back to the Donation Page for progress updates over the next few weeks!

January 2021 News & Updates

/by

First and foremost, we hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Holiday Season! I know personally it was great to catch up with family (socially distanced, of course), and take some time away from technology. I also know 2021 will be a good year for all of us. 🙂

Some updates from the last few weeks:

  • Fundraising – as always, we are pounding the proverbial pavement to find new funding opportunities. The next grant submission that Pidola will be applying for, is with CLIF Bar in early February.
  • 1 Million Cups – one of the connections we’ve made in the Philadelphia area is with an organization called 1 Million Cups, or 1MC. They provide a platform for early-stage start-ups to speak with local entrepreneurs and business leaders, and gather feedback on solving an organization’s most critical business challenges. Pidola will be presenting to 1MC on February 3rd!
  • Food for the Hungry – over the next few weeks, we’re going to start re-engaging with our key partners in Bolivia. As with most countries, the pandemic has been difficult for the people in Bolivia, so it’s been some time since we’ve last connected. We’ll be speaking with Food for the Hungry (aka FH) to restart our fundraising conversations.

As always, thank you for your support, and we’ll see you in February!

Happy Holidays from Pidola!

/by

As we move into the Holiday Season, the folks here at Pidola wanted to send a quick note of thanks for all of your support throughout the year. Without our supporters and the organizations around us, we’d never be able to push our much needed projects forward.


Please stay safe where ever you are, and we’ll share some news when we turn the calendars to 2021 (phew, thank goodness).


Happy Holidays!