uganda

Another Millionaire Pitches The Luxe Life For Charity

Can we call it a trend? Yet another millionaire has decided to ditch it all, selling his house and his businesses in order to move to Uganda and start a children's charity. The millionaire in question is England's Jon Pedley, an ex-convict who owns a telecommunications business. According to a story in the Daily Mail, Pedley's decision came after a near-fatal car crash in 2002 which led to a religious experience and eventually a turn toward charity.

His new charity, Uganda Vision, wants to send troubled British youth to Uganda to help support local children orphaned by AIDS and poverty. In order to fund his vision he is selling Justices Farmhouse, a 16th century former farmhouse in the village of Finchingfield in North West Essex. The home has five bedrooms. It is traditionally constructed with a timber frame with plastered elevations under a peg tiled roof believed to date back to the 16th century. In the back there is a garden with a terrace, lawns and shrubs and a large pond, with decking and a summer house and which probably originally formed part of a moat. It is listed with a guide price of £999,950.

Of his decision, Pedley tells the Daily Mail he's "never been more sure about anything in my life."

Tags: charity, essex, jon pedley, millionaire, uganda

Key Closet's $10,000 Jeans

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Charity

These jeans by Key Closet look good, there's no doubt about that, but do they look $10,000 good? I have a hard time justifying $50 for a new pair, not to mention for that kind of money I'd really not know where to wear them. But the price tag is just that, $10,000, and they feature hand-drawn designs, over 1,000 Swarovski crystals, and a one carat diamond on each back pocket. Yes, wear these and you'll have a very valuable backside.

The best part about the whole thing is that although they cost almost as much as a new car, 30% of the profits will go towards building a school for under-privileged children in Uganda. That makes them totally worth it, sort of.

Gallery: Key Closet's 2008 Fall Collection

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Tags: apparel, blue jeans, BlueJeans, charity, clothes, clothing, jeans, pants, swarovski, swarovski crystals, SwarovskiCrystals, uganda

Living Goods, Charity of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity of the Day

Living Goods has a unique model for doing good in the world. They have created a network of door-to-door Health Promoters in Uganda who sell essential health products at prices affordable to the poor in developing countries. This method combines the worlds of microfinance, franchising, and public health with an end goal of defeating diseases of poverty. Living Goods helps reduce illness and death through basic health interventions focusing on diseases that can be easily treated or prevented and yet can often prove fatal in underserved areas. These diseases include malaria and TV and the Health Promoters also help with basic family planning and reproductive health services to both lowering fertility and reduce the mortality rate for pregnant women and newborns. This method also empowers the Health Promoter who earns wages for her services. Living Goods hopes to recruit, train and deploy 4,000 agents in two target countries serving a total population of 4-5 million during their first five years. They also hope to replicate this model elsewhere and partner with other groups to export this model to to other countries including Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana and India.

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Tags: charity of the day, living goods, LivingGoods, uganda

Ugandan Tycoon Orders the Second Private Airbus A380

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

The second potential owner of a private Airbus A380 doubledecker jet has been revealed. The first jet belongs to Saudi Arabian Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal and the second jet will go to Michael Ezra. Never heard of him? I hadn't either. Michael Ezra is a tycoon said to be the richest man in Uganda. He is just 34 and is known as a "sports philanthropist" who has supported Uganda's sports teams and once made a move to buy the Leeds United soccer team. The Daily Monitor has reported that he is paying $260 million for a the Airbus A380 and that his plane will be available in 2010. He could spend another $150 million for the custom designed interior. Preliminary plans for his plane include an office, full satellite communication equipment, a conference room for 12 persons, a karaoke room, a movie room, a gymnasium, medical center four self-contained VIP bedrooms, another four executive bedrooms, as well as a spa.The lower deck of the plane will including living quarters for flight attendants and room for three cars. Ezra's plane will likely be registered in Dubai where he does most of his business. This isn't Ezra's first spendy maneuver in 2006 he spent $250,000 in Dubai for an exclusive Centennial Mont Blanc watch as part of was part of an Emirates charity promotion to help disadvantaged children of the world (a picture of Ezra with the watch is here).

UPDATE: Michael Ezra's website is here. No mention of the plane on there.

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Tags: a380, airbus, michael ezra, private jet, PrivateJet, uganda

Invisible Children, Charity Of The Day

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Charity, Charity of the Day

Invisible Children is a charity that helps the impoverished children of Northern Uganda, in 2005 they started the Bracelet Campaign. Each bracelet is handmade in Uganda from reed and recycled wire and comes with a short film that tells the story of a child who has been affected by the war . After decades of war and upheaval, northern Uganda's economy has been decimated. Millions have been relocated to camps where they must depend on rations from international aid. The bracelet program provides work to the displaced families, and provides them with much needed income. Bracelets come in four different styles, and cost $20. What a great conversation piece, you can educate people by wearing one, and feel fabulous about helping a person in need.

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Tags: charity, charity of the day, CharityOfTheDay, invisible children, InvisibleChildren, uganda