#GivingTuesday 2019 Recap

This was the 6th year that you fundraised and gave with us on #GivingTuesday. Our campaign centered on raising some of the startup costs to build a library at the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida Refugee Camp! A number of you also gave and fundraised through our other campaigns and events that support various projects in Sudan and Yida Refugee Camp.

To everyone who helped us reach our goal, we are so thankful for your generosity! A few special shoutouts from the day:

Our Instagram Followers! This was the first year we fundraised on the platform. We'll see your full results in a few days, but we already know a good number of you decided to give and help fundraise on Instagram. A special thank you to Jacob Geyer, Ragaa Kunda, Andrea Pitman, Dan Searl, and Ashley Thephasone for encouraging people to join our cause!

Our Soirée For Sudan Committee. Our annual Gala isn't until March 28, but some of our talented planning committee members spent the day raising awareness about the event and reaching their personal fundraising goals. Special shoutout to Faith Pool, Sarah Roberts, and Samantha Stack! You helped raise an extra $525 on #GivingTuesday. 

Our Thanksgiving Supporters. Leading up to #GivingTuesday, three of our supporters shared their experiences in our movement and why they care about Sudan. Thanks to Victoria Busse, Mark Gosney, and Myanne James for helping us kick off this season of generosity!

Missed the big day? That's okay! Giving is still open:

This year we mixed up our festivities with a city-wide Scavenger Hunt here in Memphis! 26 of our supporters spread out across the city in search of prizes and fun places. The winning team was the Marsh family! Congrats Anna, Richard, Tim, & Joe!

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We owe a big thank you to The Arcade Restaurant, Facing History and Ourselves, Miss Cordelia's, Comeback Coffee, Global Café, Choose901, Lafayette's Music Room, The Pink Palace, Tiger Bookstore, and Novel bookstore for hosting our Scavenger Hunters! Thank you for donating your time, space, and rewards for our supporters. And a big thank you to providing a total of $800 worth of gift bags to the winning team! This event would not have been possible without you.

Every #GivingTuesday we have a casual meetup at a brewery for our supporters here in Memphis! This year we were hosted by one of our Brand Partner's Wiseacre Brewing Company. Sudanese food was provided by our good friends at Global Cafe. Thanks to everyone who came out!

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Our supporters who came to Wiseacre also had the opportunity to claim a special code for an extra 25% off all tickets to Soirée For Sudan on March 28, 2020. OBSGivingTuesday is the code. There are only 4 left, first come first serve. REGISTER FOR THE SOIREE »

Thank you to both Wiseacre and Global Café for making the evening possible! Learn more about our Brand partnership program here. 

The Sudanese people are bringing an end to the extremist governance that has plagued their country for decades. As this historic year in Sudan comes to a close, the needs of our Sudanese partners remain largely unchanged. From our schools in Yida Refugee Camp to Mother of Mercy Hospital in the oppressed Nuba Mountains, your support is needed to ensure the Sudanese people can keep creating lasting change, from the ground up. 

Here are three ways you can make your last gift of the year count:

1. Give. The easiest and fastest way to make a difference is to make a donation! You can give online, by check, or by stock. GIVE ONLINE HERE »

2. Give Monthly. The Renewal is our family of top supporters who never stop fighting for change. They've signed up to give automatically each and every month to the programs we support in Sudan. They also get perks: behind-the-scenes updates, free event tickets, and more. JOIN THE RENEWAL »

3. Fundraise. If you aren't in a position to donate, give the gift of time! You can start an online fundraising page for our schools and ask your friends and family to donate. LEARN MORE »

Sign up for our email updates. Find us online at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Movement Spotlight: Mark Gosney

There are lots of exciting ways to give to our life-changing work in Sudan this holiday season. One of the least known is donating from your investment portfolio! This type of giving isn't for everyone, but it does come with some cool perks if you play your cards right. If you are invested, this method of giving is definitely worth checking out. 

We only have a few donors who give this way every year, so they are really special to us. One of them is long-time supporter Mark Gosney. He is the Director of Operations and Programming for Advance Memphis, a faith-based, non-profit that provides workforce development to South Memphis. He says:

I became involved as I got to know Mark Hackett's passion for addressing the genocide in Sudan through a bible-study we were in....a long time ago. 

The first thing that comes to mind is Operation Broken Silence's focus and dedication to the people of Sudan. Also, it is a smaller organization that has taken on a big challenge. And I really appreciate the goal to let people like me engage the work personally. This is especially hard since the work is thousands of miles away and such a large task.

We give by stock because it fits our stewardship style at this point in our lives. Also, I think we are able to give more because it does not come directly from current income. 

Photo: Mark Gosney (center left) and family at our brand partner The Arcade Restaurant's 100 year anniversary celebration in Memphis.

The US stock market has been on a historic run since the Great Recession. This means that there are a plenty of stocks which have experienced major gains. While that's great news for investors, it can also mean that when high earners sell those stocks, taxes on the gains will be owed. Gifting stock and other investments to Operation Broken Silence can be a win-win because the stockholder gets to claim more of the money as a tax deduction, and we get to use more of the gift to support our programs in Sudan.

Mark has been giving from his investment portfolio since 2016. We asked him if he has any words of encouragement for others who are considering giving like he does. Mark says:

The economy is providing good returns for now. This is a good way not only to "protect" our tax situation, but to share with others. It might be easy for us to be greedy with what we have squirreled away. For me, it is a way to let God teach me that the portfolio really is all His, too. 

The Sudanese people are bringing an end to the violent governance that has plagued their country for decades. One of the many ways Operation Broken Silence is helping them do that is by funding the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida Refugee Camp, where thousands of Sudanese children don't have access to a quality education. 

A unique way to support the 24 Sudanese teachers and nearly 1,100 students at these two incredible schools is to give from your portfolio, just like Mark. We've made the process as straightforward as possible, and you can be confident that lives will keep changing for the better. Download our Stock Transfer Form and follow the simple instructions to give!

For stock held in brokerage accounts, your broker can assist you in making a gift of stock via a direct transfer to Operation Broken Silence. Giving a gift of publicly traded stock that has increased in value and that you have owned for more than one year may provide better tax benefits than giving cash. Your charitable income tax deduction is equal to the fair market value of the stock and you avoid paying the capital gains tax on any increase in the current value over the original cost of the stock. You may also save on brokerage fees because you are transferring ownership rather than selling the stock.

Have questions before giving an investment? Reach out to us at info@operationbrokensilence.org

Movement Spotlight: Myanne James

We don't know where we would be without them. Our community of fundraisers propels entire parts of our mission to empower Sudanese changemakers forwards. From our ongoing campaigns to events, these amazing individuals ask their friends and family to pitch into their goals, all for the education and healthcare programs we support in Sudan. 

We've had more than 900 supporters fundraise with us the past few years. One of them is Myanne James. She is a senior at Hutchison School here in Memphis, TN. I first met Myanne in April 2018 when she did a career shadow day with me. She says:

I first got involved with Operation Broken Silence as a sophomore when I was looking for someone to shadow for my school’s upcoming career shadow day. A faculty member suggested I shadow someone at this organization since they knew I wanted to pursue a career in International Relations. I spent a morning talking with Mark about the nonprofit and its mission. I have continued to stay involved by starting a fundraising team in my civic engagement club and volunteering at our annual 5k.

What stands out most to me about Operation Broken Silence’s mission is that we are empowering the Sudanese through storytelling to enlighten the rest of the world on the atrocities in Sudan. The more people that are informed about the horrors, the more people there are to stand up and help the Sudanese put an end to those horrors. 

Often times, organizations will provide humanitarian aid to people for a short while, but then, once the aid is gone, the people are still left in bad shape. Operation Broken Silence is making sure the Sudanese can stand on their own by listening to what the Sudanese say they need and telling the stories of the refugees, which is what makes this nonprofit so different from others.

Photo: Myanne James (right) with friends.

Myanne has been fundraising with some of her friends for over a year. They've now raised over $600 for the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida Refugee Camp! Since she has been so successful as one of our top fundraisers, I asked her if she has any words of encouragement for others who are considering getting involved like she is. Myanne says:

I have always enjoyed volunteering in my own community. When I was asked if I wanted to fundraise for the schools in the Yida Refugee Camp, my answer was immediately "yes" because I know how valuable education is and believe knowledge is one of the most powerful tools a person can have. No one should be deprived of education. I became a fundraiser because I believe educating the next generation of Sudanese people will empower them and allow them to become reformers and improve their own community.

I recommend setting a goal and timeframe for yourself and even finding a person or two to keep you on track, and then they may even want to fundraise with you! Most importantly, remember any donation made helps pay for teachers’ salaries, basic school supplies, classrooms, and much more, and those donations (no matter the size) are not only changing the lives of the people in Yida right now, but any who follow after them!

Over the years, we've had fundraisers just like Myanne support teachers and students in Yida. Many of them can be found across the United States. I know that the teachers and students at the schools we support in Yida Refugee Camp are grateful for the commitment from each of them, including Myanne. 

The Sudanese people are bringing an end to the violent governance that has plagued their country for decades. One of the many ways Operation Broken Silence is helping them do that is by funding the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida Refugee Camp, where thousands of Sudanese children don't have access to a quality education. 

A fantastic way you can support the 24 Sudanese teachers and nearly 1,100 students at these two incredible schools is to become a fundraiser, just like Myanne. December is actually one of the best months of the year to raise $100 for the school!

Both schools are funded entirely by our fundraisers and givers. That means every single person getting involved counts. The more the merrier! Have questions before starting a fundraising page? Reach out at info@operationbrokensilence.org

Sign up for our email updates. Find us online at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Movement Spotlight: Victoria Busse

At the heart of our movement is a small, but incredible monthly giving family that we call The Renewal. These are our top supporters. They believe in the Sudanese people so much that they give monthly to the education and healthcare programs we support in in Sudan. 

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Today I want to introduce you to one of our Renewal family. Victoria Busse is a College Counselor at Hutchison School here in Memphis, TN. I first met Victoria in 2013 when she was interning with us. She says: 

Even after my internship ended I stayed connected to the organization because I believed in the work that was being done. I love that we support the mission for the Sudanese people by letting them take the lead. They're living the experience, so they should have the most input into what structures and services work for their community. I love that OBS comes along side them to assist and not simply to direct funds. 

I work at Hutchison School as a College Counselor, which essentially entails helping girls find colleges they want to attend and then lots of revisions for essay drafts, interview prep, resume revisions, and course advising for the underclassmen. As an educator and lifelong learner, I deeply value access to schools. I love that my contributions are funding classrooms and teachers as I believe that education truly can change someone's life.

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Photo: Victoria Busse (right) with Robin Loeffel (left) at our 2018 Gala.

Victoria has been giving monthly since March 2018. Our Renewal family has grown quite a bit since then, so I asked her if she has any words of encouragement for others who are considering giving monthly like she does. Victoria says:

OBS is such a personal and thoughtful organization that cares about supporting and growing this community in Sudan that has endured so much. Being a Memphian, I love that it was created here and that the city and churches of Memphis are rallying to help our brothers and sisters across the globe.

We currently have 76 members in our Renewal family. They can be found everywhere from here in Memphis to as far away as California and New York. I know that the teachers and students at the schools we support in Yida Refugee Camp are grateful for the commitment each of Renewal members has made, including Victoria. 

The Sudanese people are bringing an end to the violent governance that has plagued their country for decades. One of the many ways Operation Broken Silence is helping them do that is by funding the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida Refugee Camp, where thousands of Sudanese children don't have access to a quality education. 

The best way you can support the 24 Sudanese teachers and nearly 1,100 students at these two incredible schools is to become a Renewal member, just like Victoria. Monthly giving is automatic and effortless, and you can be confident that lives will keep changing for the better.

Both schools are currently short about $2,000 in monthly support. That means we need 80 more individuals and families to join The Renewal by giving $25 a month. 

Every member of The Renewal gets a quarterly update that takes you behind-the-scenes of our work and receives a special pin that only Renewal members have! Members that give $25+ a month also get two free tickets to Soirée For Sudan each Spring and Eden's Run 5K each Fall. Have questions before signing up? Reach out at info@operationbrokensilence.org

Sign up for our email list to get updates from Sudan and our movement. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Movement Spotlight: Kush Bhatia

Operation Broken Silence may be a small organization, but with the help of our awesome movement, we’re able to make big waves to empower the people of Sudan. Some of the most involved and enthusiastic members of our movement can be found across the country!

Kush Bhatia is a student at White Station High School here in Memphis and serves as a Model UN representative in his junior year. We first met him in 2019 when he was participating in Tennessee Governor's School For International Studies. He says:

My role in White Station’s Model UN club is one of the 11th Grade Representatives. With this role, I communicate with incoming freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are new to Model UN and debate in general. Working alongside the other grade-level representatives, we teach new delegates the procedure of Model UN and provide tips and tricks for them to succeed in the committee while also having a fun time.

WSHMUN has been a tradition at our school for the past five years and we want it to become bigger and better every year. Our goal is to invite schools from the Memphis area to compete in a one day conference where they can gain some experience before competing at rigorous three-day conferences across the nation. This year turned out as a success, it was not our biggest turnout but we were still able to have a fun time and teach new delegates how Model UN works. We hope that next year we are able to have more schools and delegates show up.  

I think it is important to discuss global issues in high school especially because we are the future. Understanding political, social, and economic issues at an early age allows for high schoolers to be experienced once they go to college or begin working as well. Knowing what is currently happening in your local community or city is important, but understanding global issues, especially in today's world, is what is truly important. Also, through Model UN, individuals are able to research and understand the issues that they may have never heard about or were not as educated about in the first place. 

Photo: Model UN student leader Krishna Dasari (left) and Jonathan Zhang (right) with our Executive Director Mark Hackett (center) at the conference.

Kush and his Model UN peers asked us for some help to introduce our cause and Sudan to students from across the city. He says: 

"I contacted Operation Broken Silence a couple of months before our conference because I had worked with them earlier in the summer with the Governor’s School for International Studies. What I was able to learn from the one day I spent with the OBS team in the summer, I immediately knew that I had to have Mark or anyone else from the team come talk to the delegates about the pressing issues in Sudan. Also, what OBS does is perfect for a Model UN setting as it deals with issues in foreign nations and gives insight into places not discussed as much. 

I think hearing about Sudan was a major wake up call for some students as they were able to see issues in a nation that isn’t discussed at all basically in high school. Hearing the personal experiences Mark shared with everyone was really able to connect to the students, and they were able to place themselves in the shoes of the people in Sudan with the descriptions Mark gave. Also, seeing what OBS has already accomplished gave students new ways of thinking about how to help make a difference. Whether it be small or big, students were able to see that differences can be made in places you think issues may never change, such as Sudan."

Kush's conference had an incredible turnout and raised $185 for the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida! Thank you to Kush and your peers for using your talents and community to empower Sudanese students and teachers!

Whether your are part of a campus group or just want to get some friends together to host an event, you can email me at atetzeli@operationbrokensilence.org and I can help you get started!

The people of Sudan are overcoming two of the greatest challenges facing humanity today: war and genocide. Operation Broken Silence is accelerating their ability to generate lasting change by funding storytelling and movement-building, education and emergency response, and grassroots advocacy programs. You can join us by starting a fundraising page for our schools in Yida Refugee Camp and asking your friends and family to donate.

Sign up for our email list to get updates from Sudan and our movement. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Help Make Classrooms in Yida Refugee Camp Safer

Hello movement members! 

I hope October is off to a good start for all of you. We've had a small, but important need pop up at our schools in Yida Refugee Camp. It requires a little extra effort from us to fix. 

About this time last year, a bad rainstorm swept through Yida and caused severe damage to the Endure Primary School. Thankfully no one was hurt, but the storm temporarily slashed attendance by about 50%. Because of your extra fundraising and giving, our Sudanese education partner was able to repair the damage and get classrooms back to normal for hundreds of students fairly quickly.

Another rainstorm recently hit Yida and damaged another school in the camp. Thankfully all of the classrooms at Endure Primary and Renewal High, our newest school in Yida, made it through okay. 

The rainy season is now coming to an end; however, our education partner doesn't want to leave our schools vulnerable to weather events like these. We've already personally experienced how damaging they can be. In light of another school being damaged by dangrous weather, our education partner has asked us to help weatherproof the classrooms we are committed to serving.

How You Can Help

This is one of those times that money will just fix the problem. We need $1,250 in extra funds to provide waterproof tarps to our education partner in Yida.

These tarps will be added into the roofing of all the classrooms at Endure Primary & Renewal High Schools. $1,250 will also allow our partner to purchase extra tarps that can be kept on hand for when new buildings are added. This is a problem worth getting ahead and staying ahead of. Here's how you can help:

1. Make a donation! Giving online is the fastest way to help make these classrooms safer for students and teachers. GIVE HERE »

2. Give monthly. There are many ongoing costs at the school such as teacher salaries, schools supplies, and urgent needs that pop up like this one. You can make sure you are always helping by setting up an automatic monthly gift! LEARN MORE »

3. Become a fundraiser. If you aren't in a position to give from your wallet, you can help by giving the schools a little bit of your time! You can start an online fundraising page and ask your friends and family to give. BECOME A FUNDRAISER »

Virtually all of the funds we have raised this year have already been sent to the schools or are committed to other projects. In the bigger picture of our annual fundraising, this is a relatively small need that we hope can get knocked out in the next few days.

I hope you can join us in this little extra push. It will make life a lot safer for the kids and teachers at the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools. 

Onward, 
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director, Operation Broken Silence
info@operationbrokensilence.org