Party with a Purpose - A Brewery Birthday

When Empower Tanzania supporter Jake and his sister-in-law Emily were discussing their June birthday plans, the two decided to throw a party at one of their favorite local breweries and invite friends to bring a donation to Empower Tanzania rather than a gift.

Last Saturday, fifty people showed up and did just that, raising nearly $2,000 for Empower Tanzania.

“We know the money we raised is going to help a lot of people living in rural Tanzania who simply need a little bit of assistance to go on and live healthy, productive lives,” says Emily. “We hope the night can be helpful for them…it was certainly fun for us!”

Emily’s husband designed whimsical t-shirts reading “GET YOUR GOAT” in a nod to Empower Tanzania’s Integrated Farming Project and sold them at the party as a way to raise extra money for ETI. Jake and Emily covered the cost of the party so that 100% of the money raised that evening would go directly to our projects in Tanzania.

Jake witnessed the work of Empower Tanzania when he visited several of our sites last summer. Since then, he has been savoring the memories of the experience and looking for ways to make a difference in the lives of those he met.

“I saw the need when I visited Tanzania and saw the great work that ETI was doing, as well as the great people who were doing it,” he explained. “Since returning, I’ve been wanting to do something, but always found a reason not to. With Emily, I realized that there isn’t a better time than now and that a fundraising event doesn’t have to be perfect—it doesn’t even have to be a fundraising event, but rather a birthday party with a twist.”

The two agree that, however small it seemed, they both took a step from talking about doing something to actually doing something. “Honestly, it was fulfilling,” Jake said. “Now, I’m on to the next step: What do I do next?”

We are so thankful for Emily and Jake and their generous friends! Because of enthusiastic and creative supporters like them, we are able to empower men and women currently living in poverty and help them change the course of their lives. Cheers! Want to host an event for Empower Tanzania? Let us know how we can help by contacting leslie@empowertz.org.