Heidiminx wants individuals to help in baby steps, not leaps and bounds. Bands can increase awareness by posting a link to the Built on Respect or THC websites or by donating proceeds from concerts.
People can donate laptops and books on CD. “Books on CD are very useful to the students,” Heidiminx elaborates. “One of the students said that it was his best way of learning English. He said, ‘I get books on tape and try to get a copy of the book. It doesn’t matter if it’s Harry Potter.’ He’ll sit and read to the audio.”
Heidiminx is particularly keen to get her hands on copies of Pimsleur or Rosetta Stone Audio CDs for learning basic English. Her “Donate One Dollar” drive says it all. Even a buck would help.
“Some people may be reluctant to contribute because they feel that small amounts of money will not make a difference,” Heidiminx says. But a dollar here will stretch over there: 30 cents will buy an hour at an Internet café.
Heidiminx wants to make Built on Respect as interactive as possible, and to that end she wants to post blogs, take pictures, and post PSAs so that people can observe the organization’s actions and progress while she is abroad.
“Do you realize that $200 pays the Hope Center’s rent for like eight months?” Heidiminx rhetorically asks. “I’m trying to encourage people to do very little things.”
– Rihoko Ueno
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