User:Smile to the Future (STTF)/sandbox

Smile to the Future (STTF) is a registered Dutch Non-Governmental Organization, which is based in The Netherlands and Belgium. It was founded in 2013 by Nando Ngandu, and its main headquarters are in Maastricht.

STTF is specialized in finding solutions to reduce poverty. For example, it carries out humanitarian trips abroad, and engages in social development and entrepreneurial workshops in different parts of the world.

History
Smile to the Future was established as an authorized non-profit organization from The Netherlands in August 2013. Its first office in Maastricht opened in the same year. An initial website in Dutch was launched and the international corporate site in English was released in October, 2013.

The main idea behind Smile to the Future is to allow humankind to create a pleasant environment within our modern societies where local and international people can come forward and put their skills to use within the framework of national and international projects. Their main objective is to contribute to social improvement by stimulating international knowledge exchanges. The organization mainly focuses on three different areas of poverty.


 * 1) * Financial challenges.
 * 2) * Environmental concerns.
 * 3) * Education issues and lack of relevant knowledge from other people.

Smile to the Future believes that each of these mentioned areas need to be considered while undertaking new projects in the countries where they are operating. They believe that this will boost self-reliance and sustainability.

Selection of persons who are involved with our organisation is based on three main values: the desire to learn, commitment, and optimism.

After focusing on projects in developing countries in Africa and Asia, STTF also desires to support Europeans. For instance, it has launched a new event for entrepreneurs called “Mind Your Business Maastricht 2014”, the official motto being “Stop dreaming. Start acting. MYB”. Smile to the Future is ready to host its first business event in October 2014. Speakers from different backgrounds (public and private companies, universities and other relevant institutions) will conduct presentations about the basics of entrepreneurship. Those who participate in the workshop will be highly motivated individuals with new, entrepreneurial ideas, who wish to set up their own companies in The Netherlands (especially in the Dutch region of Limburg). “Mind Your Business” can also improve the national and international economies by finding new contacts who are able to support new entrepreneurs in order to generate wealth and employment in the future.

Smile to the Future Netherlands
Smile to the Future has over 30 members in The Netherlands in 2014. It has various departments such as Marketing, Public Relations, Events, and Human Resources. There is also a department which organizes humanitarian trips abroad.

When The NGO was founded in August 2013, there were only three people working. These were the permanent staff, which set up the basic formal and organizational basis for the team. From October 2014, the amount of motivated volunteers in the office started to grow steadily. From this ground basis, everyone coordinates the different projects that Smile to the Future is undertaking. This is not only in Europe, but is applicable to the rest of the world.

Smile to the Future Belgium
A new office in Brussels, Belgium was founded in September, 2014. It operates with other partner organizations and contacts who contribute to fundraising for all of our projects.

Smile to the Future Kenya
Smile to the Future often organizes travel-based projects to Kenya from Europe. The main headquarters are located in Nyeri. Each year, there are international volunteers who travel from different European cities and collaborate with the staff members in Kenya by working with them in different small-scale projects that are related to education, new sources of alternative energies, water supplies, delivery of food packages and school stuff and sport activities. STTF´s main mission in Kenya is to reduce structural poverty by introducing new sustainable technologies which will make people self-reliant. From December 2014, Smile to the Future will start setting up its first solar panels in the Nyeri region.

Organizational structure
Smile to the Future is a charity organization with a board of six people, excluding the Strategy Managers of some projects. Nowadays, its employees work at the offices in Maastricht, Brussels and Nyeri (Kenya). They are supported by volunteers, interns and sponsors.

Funds
Funds are raised via five different sources:


 * Crowdfunding
 * Government
 * Local Authorities, such as Gemeente Maastricht and the City of Brussels.
 * Private donors: people who prepare donations to them via online contributions and vis-à-vis contact.
 * Benefits from selling fair trade products.

The Light Project:
By using recycled plastic bottles that are filled with water and chlorine, a large number of people who live in Kenyan slums in Nairobi and Nyeri can live in lighted houses by using an effective and cost-friendly system which is implemented in a safe and convenient way for everyone. The technology was invented by Canadian students and Smile To The Future was one of the first NGOs that started using this alternative way of producing energy for the local households. Thanks to this initiative, it is possible to replace dangerous kerosene lights, which pose huge health risks, and is one of the leading causes of fires in the slums.

The Water Project
This initiative can allow local inhabitants from the Nyeri area to have access to clean water thanks to a Kenyan citizen, who can provide clean and safe water for everyone, as well as a local trout farm. The water is pulled from a nearby hill and goes through a natural filtering system that uses different kinds of stones and plants with no use of chemicals. This project allows a lot of people to use clean water that is suitable for drinking. The number of diseases has been reduced since it was implemented by international volunteers from STTF in the past years.

Education
In addition to school furniture and supplies, STTF has been preparing fundraising campaigns in Europe and a lot of children from the Githiru area can receive new sets of uniforms from the Netherlands. This is for local youth who want to attend classes, in order to improve their educational backgrounds.

Biogas project
Biogas is a cost-efficient, comprehensive and clean option energy solution that consists of reusing previous residues, which can be utilized as fertilizers by boosting sustainable development and eco-friendly environments, thus avoiding the use of hazardous materials by other people.