January, 2006
 
We had a recent merger so to speak. For the past three years, Roscoe and Jan Turner have been building schools in rural areas of Thailand. They have decided to combine the work they are doing and do it under our GSBI Foundation.

December 18, 2005

Dear Friends and Supporters of the GSBI Foundation,
 
It is hard to believe that almost a year has passed since the tsunami struck in South Asia leaving over 300,000 people dead and more than one million people homeless. Then and now these statistics defy understanding.
 
The GSBI Foundation initiated a special Tsunami Project in January to focus on providing educational assistance to tsunami victims in Thailand.
 
Recovery efforts have gone on virtually unnoticed by most people in the world; the majority of the media left a couple of months after the disaster. And, in recent months, we have all been shocked and horrified by the stories and images of the devastation from the aftermaths of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Given these recent events, the tsunami disaster has receded a little further from memory.
 
As promised last year when we created our special tsunami project, we want to update you as to the impact the donations have had and are having in helping tsunami victims in Thailand. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the contributors that made a difference in the lives of some of those devastated by the disaster. 74 sponsors donated a total of $12,232 for this important effort and as committed 100% of their donations are being used to benefit the tsunami affected children.
 
As we reported earlier this year, we carefully reviewed the needs in Thailand to determine how we could best make a sustainable difference. We met and discussed needs with numerous organizations in Thailand and decided to concentrate our support on one village -- Khao Thong, in the Muang District, in the province of Krabi, which was heavily damaged by the tsunami.
 
We decided to work as partners with two highly respected non-profit Thai organizations, The International Support Group Foundation and the Population and Community Development Association. This work is part of a community-based project where those that live in the village play a key role in the planning and implementation of the needed assistance.
 
The project focuses on the post-emergency activities that are required for the villagers to put their lives back together and return, as much as possible, to normal. The tsunami struck this small village of 657 people with such suddenness that the survivors had no time to save anything except their lives. The fishermen, farmers, laborers, and other poor villagers are trying to rebuild their small businesses and livelihoods as well as their homes, with minimal or no savings and little access to credit.
 
So far, 60 needy children have been selected by the village committee for the multi-year scholarship program; 30 elementary and 30 secondary school children. We will be receiving periodic reports as to the students' progress and continuing needs. We also hope to visit the village sometime in 2006 to personally meet with the students, teachers, and parents. We plan to provide further detailed information and updates on our website, www.gsbi.org.
 
One of the other positive attributes of this project is that once the villagers are able to get back on their feet and can afford it, they will pay back the amount given for the education of their children. The money will go into a fund administered by the village committee to be used to provide micro loans to assist villagers with the development of local businesses. This will allow us to have a lasting impact in Khao Thong well into the future.
 
In addition to our tsunami project, we have continued our second year of scholarship programs for other needy children in Vietnam and Thailand. We will be posting photos of the children and profile information on our website in the coming months. This year, through our generous sponsors, we have provided scholarship funding for 76 children in Vietnam. In addition to the 60 tsunami-affected children, we have provided support for 10 additional children in Thailand. All the children are visited by local volunteers once a year; and all the money given to support a child goes directly to them and is not used to cover any overhead expenses.
 
Finally, we're proud to report that the Foundation's Global Virtual Classroom Program is now in its third year. The 2004-05 Program welcomed over 2,500 students from 57 schools around the world to participate in the program. Visit our website or www.VirtualClassroom.org to view the wonderful work of the students. The grand prize winners came from Mexico, Israel, China, Canada, and Japan.
 
We also want to thank those of you who have helped us get the word out about this terrific program and would very much appreciate your continued help in this regard. Thanks also to IDT Foundation for providing funding for this project and to our volunteer teachers and judges who support this worthwhile and exciting program. Stay tuned for news about the progress of the 2005-06 teams.
 
Regardless of which holiday one celebrates, this is certainly a time to be thankful for what we have and a time to be thankful for what we can give to others. This year, we imagine all of us will reflect on what our neighbors in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are going through, what the year has been like for the tsunami victims, and appreciate all the good in our lives and our ability to help those in need.
 
We appreciate your continued encouragement and interest in the GSBI programs. Thank you also for considering a donation to allow us to continue to keep these financially needy children in school for another school term as well as expand our efforts in support of other needy children around the world. We sincerely appreciate your support.
 
We wish you all the blessings of the holiday season.

Andrew Ezzell                                       JoAnn Patrick-Ezzell

December 1, 2005
 
The following document is an agreement that grantor organizations must enter into in order to obtain funds from the GSBI Foundation.

GIVE SOMETHING BACK INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
GRANTOR CERTIFICATION

The Give Something Back International Foundation is an all volunteer tax exempt 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization located in Sarasota, Florida USA.
 
We guarantee the donors to our scholarship programs that 100% of their contributions will go to benefit the children we sponsor. All overhead expenses are either donated or paid for by other fund raising means. We give grants to organizations only for the targeted purpose of providing educational support to financially needy children. These funds cannot be reprogrammed or used for any other purpose or for general organizational or administrative support.
 
We expect the organizations that receive grants from us to operate by these principles.  Therefore, our grantors must certify on an annual basis that 100% of the grants received from the Give Something Back International Foundation go to support only the educational needs of the children we sponsor. We expect our grantors to pay their own overhead expenses or address those needs through other fundraising methods.
 
Please advise us, if you have any questions or if these terms and conditions are not acceptable to you. If you are in agreement, please sign this certification letter and return it to us. Thank you.
 
Sincerely,

Andrew Ezzell
GSBI, President

August 24, 2005

Visit www.VirtualClassroom.org for registration for the 2005/06 Global Virtual Classroom Program. The registration deadline for the 2005/06 program is September 23, 2005. The contest begins on October 1, 2005 and concludes on March 31, 2006. Cash awards will be presented to the winning teams and all students will receive a certificate of participation.

April 21, 2005
 
Dear Friends and Supporters of the GSBI Foundation,
 
As a contributor to the Give Something Back International Foundation and as previously promised, Andy and I are writing to update you on the status of the effort to provide education related assistance to children impacted by the tsunami. At the outset, let us again express our heartfelt thanks for your concern, generous contribution and support.
 
Two weeks ago, I returned from Asia. I spent time in Bangkok and Southern Thailand and had discussions with many individuals from a diverse set of organizations. I received very helpful information and insights from leaders and representatives from USAID, the Thai Red Cross, the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, the ISG Foundation, and other local non-governmental organizations (NGOs). I also met with individual Thais, other foreign nationals, and tsunami victims.
 
I saw some of the destruction and visited some of the ravaged areas. Sadly and, not surprisingly, the most moving part was to speak with children of families that had been wiped out. The majority of the tsunami's casualties were not affluent beachgoers but poor people who lived in fishing villages and shanty towns close to the shore.
 
Recognizing that immediate humanitarian relief requirements had already been addressed, my primary purpose was to express our compassion and willingness to help, assess the status of the worldwide response and, importantly, determine the nature of the ongoing education support needs and how best to address them.
 
Initially, as you no doubt read, the affected areas were without food, water, shelter, and medicine. In Thailand, through the efforts of the government, the Thai Red Cross, and non-governmental organizations, funds were provided for basic necessities, such as food, bedding, and clothing which have helped people in their daily struggle to survive. Distribution of food and basic necessities continues. There have also been funds allocated for simple home repairs in the easier to reach locations. Additionally, the Thai Government Finance Ministry has set up a fund with the intention of alleviating the suffering of the business enterprises hard-hit by the unprecedented disaster. Unfortunately, many people are still without jobs and a way to support themselves and their families.
 
Hundreds of wave victims are still in shock. Around 400 orphaned children are still receiving counseling. Therapy and counseling sessions have been provided for approximately 12,000 people. The hospital estimates that over 10,000 people are still suffering from depression, high anxiety, and insomnia due to the loss of family members, relatives, and friends.
 
You may have read or seen media reports of President Clinton's and President Bush's visit to the shattered fishing village at Ban Nam Khem where children gave the former Presidents drawings of giant waves sweeping away their relatives. They visited with women therapeutically teaching the children through art to let it all out and to draw how they feel. One little girl drew her mother's face in the sea as she was recalling her mother drowning. There were also drawings of boats hanging from trees.
 
You may also have seen recent media reports about the latest aftershock from the earthquake a few weeks ago. That event has only exacerbated what is already a difficult situation. What was clear to me was that the tsunami horror remains vivid in many people's minds.  At first, many were so afraid of new waves that they started to hide in the rubber plantations. One survivor told me the wave was so high and so dark that she was still afraid of the sea. Many of the aid workers I met with indicated there was a significant need for psychological counseling expertise, training and support for teachers who are trying to help their students, and programs for children to deal with the trauma.
 
The December 26th tsunami as well as the subsequent aftershocks clearly has jolted people to be more alert. Many of the affected Asian countries are now initiating plans to establish an early warning system for natural disasters in the Indian Ocean Region to enable prompt action to be taken to evacuate people in adequate time as well as take steps to protect property.
 
I also spoke with some forensic experts who are assisting with identification. The job of identifying the remaining bodies at the morgues is estimated to take at least a year due to technical and other problems, including DNA contamination. In Thailand, alone, 3000 bodies remain unidentified with tens of thousands of unidentified in other countries. The many missing person flyers I saw were eerily reminiscent of the days following 9/11 and the deep horror and sorrow.
 
The tsunami waves hit Phang Nga, Krabi, Phuket, Ranong, Trang, and Satun - the six Andaman Sea coastal provinces in the South of Thailand. The tsunami that struck the western shores of some of Thailand's principal tourist destinations wreaked havoc, took an immeasurable human toll, and rocked the economies of these areas.
 
The hardest hit areas were Khao Lak, Krabi, Ko Phi Phi and the Phang Nga Province. While Kamala and Patong beaches in Phuket have made significant progress with recovery efforts, other areas have a very long way to go. As one person said, Khao Lak village doesn't exist anymore. Khao Lak was a haven for migrant workers from the north who offered cheap labor. In fact, in Khao Lak and Phi Phi Island, tourism services are completely on hold until beach rehabilitation is accomplished and properties are rebuilt.
 
As you know, what GSBI has achieved in the past and is doing in the tsunami-related work is - in the most effective way possible to ensure that all of the funds and resources are directly provided to the recipient and are monitored by volunteers to ensure that 100% of the benefit go to the children. After visiting the area, reviewing many damage assessment reports, and meeting with various organizations, our focus is on helping those in the most seriously affected areas.
 
We have committed the tsunami funds to children whose families or caregivers do not have the financial means to support their education as well as to orphans living with relatives or neighbors who have difficulty supporting their educational needs. We will be receiving specific confirmation from our volunteer colleagues in Thailand of the names, locations, and specific needs of the identified children. Since the current school year is ending, the support will be provided for the identified children in the coming school year.
 
We are also awaiting a report from one of the volunteer social workers who is visiting children of migrant workers now living with families in the northeast whose parents are dead or missing from the tsunami. The Issan region of Northeast Thailand has the lowest per capital income among Thailand's four regions. Like other children of migrant workers, without a chance of getting an education or vocational training, they will grow up to become the next generation of cheap labor.  We have also committed to help these children once they are identified and the specific needs are assessed.
 
Thanks to your support, we have reached our goal of raising enough funds to sponsor 100 children from Thailand affected by the tsunami. In fact, we have raised enough funds to sponsor 120 children. After consulting with local volunteers in Thailand, we have been advised that the need may be such it would be better to commit to sponsor 60 children for two years rather than 120 for one year. This enables families to plan and children to have assurance of the commitment to their education. As we receive the final information and feedback from our colleagues, we will determine the best course of action.
 
On a final personal note, people directly affected appreciated the heartfelt condolences as well as your sincere, tangible support. I found that nothing speaks louder than the support of just being there, offering sympathy and understanding, assuring them they have a future, and by contributing to the local economy by being there. As visitors hopefully return, it will help sustain people as they get back on their feet; help families pay for school fees; fix broken homes; repair boats; in short, help ends meet. This area of Thailand and other affected areas in the Indian Ocean need visitors to help them regain their livelihood; rejuvenate the fishery industry; get commerce working as before; and, rebuild lives. If your travel plans allow, we encourage you to visit Thailand and/or other affected tsunami areas to help support their economies.
 
We very much value your interest and support and will continue to keep you up to date on the Foundation's progress. We are planning another volunteer trip at the end of the year. Additionally, we are working with another Thai-based colleague on a counseling and therapy program for children and teachers in conjunction with the Thai Department of Education and the Department of Health. We are also providing free access to our Global Virtual Classroom platform, www.virtualclassroom.org to Thai schools to enable them to communicate and work with schools from around the world that have reached out to them. We know there will continue to be a lot of humanitarian assistance and cooperative action needed in coping with this complex situation. We plan to post status on our website and we will send you another update at years end. We welcome any questions or suggestions. Thanks very much for your generosity and support.
 
Warm regards,

JoAnn Patrick-Ezzell     &     Andy Ezzell

January 11, 2005
 
Dear Friends,
 
The scale of human tragedy in South Asia is sometimes beyond our ability to completely fathom. It is clear, though, that the disaster is beyond the scope and capability of any one organization or government to address fully. We are committed to do what we can within our area of expertise and experience to help educate children who have suffered.
 
As you know, the Give Something Back International Foundation, since its inception has focused on providing primary and secondary school educational opportunities to needy and disadvantaged children in Thailand and Vietnam. We are currently sponsoring 83 children in Vietnam and 10 children in Thailand to attend school. It is very gratifying to know that these children are in school today because of the caring and generous support of our donors.
 
In response to the crisis, we have been in contact with our partners in the region and in Thailand. As a result, we have established an immediate goal to provide educational sponsorships for 100 more children in Thailand as soon as possible - children that have been affected by the tsunami. Many of these children are from southern Thai fishing villages. Many are now living in relief camps. Many have been orphaned or separated from their families and need assistance.
 
We have learned that much-needed food, water, medicine, and shelter is starting to be provided to thousands of children and their families. As the recovery effort continues, it has become very clear that the simple process of attending school is a critically important step returning a sense of normalcy to the lives of children affected by the tsunami and its aftermath. Returning to school is also instrumental in helping children begin to recover from trauma and shock by being able to talk with others about their experiences. Unfortunately, there are many barriers for children in returning to school. For example, books, uniforms, bicycles and school supplies are needed. We've been told that many kids want to go back to school but many lack even the basic necessities.
 
JoAnn is currently working with our partners in the region and in Thailand. She will be making a trip as a volunteer in February to lend assistance as well as to help identify the children that the GSBI Foundation will sponsor. When she returns, she will provide a detailed report to all our donors on the success of her trip.
 
In Thailand, for every $100 contributed, we can send a child to school for one year. This covers necessary expenses of school supplies, books, uniforms, transportation, and rice. Please know that 100% of your contribution goes to the children. The GSBI Foundation has no paid employees and has no overhead or expenses related to your sponsorship of children. The Foundation's sponsorship program is run completely by volunteers.
 
Additionally, as we did during the first start-up year of the GSBI Foundation, JoAnn and I will match all donations received for this very critical special initiative to aid the tsunami affected children in Thailand. Your tax deductible donation can be sent to the address noted below.
 
Thank you very much for your continued support. The lives of these 100 Thai children will be very positively impacted by your caring and generosity.
 
Sincerely,
 
Andrew Ezzell, President
JoAnn Patrick-Ezzell, Chairman

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