UPDATE: Campaign AND Challenge Extended!
Ten days ago, we announced a challenge grant from a generous private
donor which would grant us an additional
$5,000 if we could raise $5,000 more by the end of the campaign. Today I’m
pleased to announce that the donor has allowed us to extend the
challenge so we are extending our campaign through December
2nd. There’s still time to rally and earn our challenge grant. But we
need your help!
We need to raise $4,000 more to receive our matching
grant. And if we reach our goal, every dollar you donate will be
doubled! Help us meet our challenge and finish our campaign with success!”
Also, many of you may know December 1st as #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving back. We're hoping you’ll
help us with the final push towards our goal by incorporating our campaign into
your #GivingTuesday tweets and posts!
PS: We just received the t-shirts, soap and other perks
in-house so for those of you who have already ordered, they will be coming
soon!"
Thank
you so much for making this campaign a success!
UPDATE: Stretch Goal
Thanks to all of our wonderful backers we just reached and surpassed our initial goal of $20,000! Thank you for all your support! With four weeks left in our campaign, we need your help to raise an additional 10k and reach our first stretch goal! Our new goal will help fund signage and waymarking for a 70 mile stretch of trail, increasing accessibility and usability of the path.
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Backpacker magazine has provided four more one-year digital subscriptions to
give away as sweet perks to help us meet our new goal! And supporters
who give $100 can now get their very own Abraham Path waymarking tile –
the same ones we use to mark parts of the path in the Middle East!
The Abraham Path is a long-distance trail across the Middle East.
Help us show you a different face, one of hospitality, ingenuity, and friendship along a hiking trail across the region. By supporting local homestay hosts, guides, and the development of stories from the path, you are creating opportunities for social entrepreneurs and entire communities to thrive. Join us by donating today.
Guides are fundamental to a memorable experience on the Abraham Path and their ability to contextualize the experience and bridge differences of culture and language makes for a far richer experience. In addition, as guides are trained in different regions of the path, it helps create a tight-knit network of tourism professionals with the expertise to make sure that hikers are fully supported every step of the way. Homestay Hosts likewise embody the hospitality that the path represents. Walkers who make use of the network of homestays interact with local families on a much deeper level, gaining a window into local cultures that only the experience of a homestay can provide.
LET'S
WALK THE MIDDLE EAST TOGETHER!
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WHO WE ARE
The Abraham Path is a long-distance walking trail across the Middle East. The path retraces the journey of Abraham, the legendary ancestor of over half of humanity, who is known for his hospitality and kindness toward strangers. Recreating the journey of one of the first hikers in the region builds a platform for discovery of the Middle East on an intimate, personal level. Founded in 2007, The Abraham Path Initiative in a global non-profit with a presence in the Middle East, USA, Europe and Latin America that acts as the
support, development, and fundraising arm for local partners and
stakeholders along the path.
WHAT WE'VE DONE
- Since 2007, API has built
relationships with local partner organizations throughout 5 countries.
- More than 670 miles of the path
are complete, connecting over 110 communities - and it is growing as we
speak!
- Every week, guides lead intrepid
walkers and share knowledge of the region, while homestay hosts provide
meals, conversations, and a glimpse into their lives.
This model provides entrepreneurship opportunities to rural communities and a window to the world for all who participate.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
In this next phase of development we
are asking for your support in unleashing the full potential of these local
communities. Our initial goal is to
raise $20,000. Our stretch goal is $40,000! With your help, we know we can get
there! By donating to our Walk the Middle East Campaign, you will
provide training opportunities to local social entrepreneurs (our homestay
hosts and guides), and help us develop marketing
materials to increase global visibility of the path. Please support local entrepreneurs, like Manar, and donate by clicking the pink button to the right!
- $5 makes a cup of tea, meal, and a conversation along the Abraham Path
- $15 covers the transport for a woman to attend an entrepreneurship workshop
- $25 buys materials for a local guide to be trained in wilderness first aid
- $50 covers a day walk for a local walker to explore their own region by foot
- $100 creates the materials and workers to mark one mile of the path with paint blazes
- $250 purchases a GPS device used for scouting and mapping the path
- $500 provides an environmental education field trip for a local boy or girl scout troop
WHY NOW?
It is impossible to be unaware of the enormous political challenges and crises in the Middle East. We believe that the Abraham Path facilitates interactions that unite rather than divide, and promote hope rather than fear. The Middle East has never been more in need of openness, opportunity and hope than it is right now.
In our “Scale-Up” phase lasting from 2015-2017, tapping into
the rich potential of the people along the path is one of our foremost goals. A
strong foundation of the path has already been established thanks to the support of people like you. This includes the critical infrastructure of a real path, engaged communities, local partners,
and a committed and invested global board. Building on this foundation, our vision is for the Abraham Path to grow as a beacon of hope and opportunity for the region.
However, this growth must be met with financial and practical
support for our local partners. Guides, hosts, and story developers must have adequate training and resources. YOU can provide
this support, not only impacting individuals, but helping to develop this path
as a resource for generations to come.
WHY IS THIS UNIQUE?
“The Abraham Path combines cultural and economic development,
women and youth empowerment, sustainability and tourism. It is the first
of its kind in the Middle East.” - Ali Abu Kumail, World Bank Group
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The Abraham Path currently
connects over 100 communities and draws in thousands of visitors each year,
many of them locals and expats living in the region. The path is
unique in that communities have taken ownership of the path’s development and
the care and safety of visitors. Walkers from near and far come into direct contact with local people, fostering deep human connections.
"We can share our ideas and learn from each other, we share our experiences and eventually we become friends" - Ghada Rabadi from Aqraba
"We are able to meet people from other cooperatives when exhibiting our products. And we, of course, like to make new connections" - Neithe and Nibel from Samu'a village
In our campaign video you have seen the
role that individuals like Manar play, along
with many of our local partners across the region. Please learn more about
their work and dedication to the Abraham Path on our website http://abrahampath.org
As a trail that runs through long expanses of largely rural countryside, the Abraham Path succeeds in decentralizing its influence and spreading out its impact.
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Supported by local and international partners and people like
you, the Abraham Path is represents a global community of inspired thinkers and big dreamers who see the hope and potential for deeper human connection that the path provides.
Photo Credits: Frits Meyst, Elias Halabi, Matt Harms
THE ABRAHAM PATH IN THE NEWS
Check out these stories of hard work, ambition, and success from the local men and women working to sustain the path:
"The Relationship We Have with Visitors is Beautiful" - Maysoun shares her experience as a homestay operator and the benefits it has provided her family.
First Ever Wilderness First Aid Training in Jordan - Wilderness First Aid is an important course that provides guides with the tools and skills to lead visitors safely and responsibly along the most rural sections of the path. Your support will provide additional courses and thus economic opportunities to local guides.
We have received recognition by two of the most credible institutions in economic development and cultural heritage:
World-renowned conflict-resolution negotiator and founder of the Abraham Path Initiative, William Ury, shares the ideas and origin of the Abraham Path as a mechanism for cultural exchange, community engagement, and economic development:
OUR THANKS TO YOU!
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Donate today and help us reconnect the original long-distance hike!
