Today is a day of gratitude, and of hope. We have officially ended our fundraiser for Kyosei Training Centre here in Arusha. The support we have received has been overwhelming—over $7500 USD raised. Incredible. This amount of money will go so far here.

I’m happy to announce that the fundraiser has been wildly successful in meeting its objective—to finish the completion of Kyosei’s new school. The finishing touches are still being done, but the rooms are finished—polished floors, ceilings with crown molding, painted walls. The furniture is almost ready to be delivered—32 brand new double desks and 64 chairs for the kids. We even have enough money to load the classrooms with supplies so the children will have everything they need to start the school year in January.

All of this could not be done without the help of several people. Thank you to my loving, selfless partner who has gone on this amazing journey with me. Tara and Richie, who just wrote an article about their experience volunteering around the world, were a huge help with the actual construction of the site. And of course all our donors—so many people contributed to this cause. My heart swells with gratitude, and with hope.

It can become disheartening to read the news and see what’s happening in the world today. There are serious political struggles in Hong Kong, Bolivia, and the United States. There are still cultural and religious clashes throughout the world. Violence and hunger persist. It’s easy to give in and despair.

But there is good in this world as well, and it’s growing stronger.

Yes, there are many problems, and big ones. But the problems aren’t insurmountable. We are solving them. People all around the world, in places both rich and poor, from drastically different cultures, are working to build the future. We are bettering the world for our children, and our children’s children.

And we will succeed. We will not only live on, but thrive. We will take our rightful place within the ecosystem of our planet, and we will unite as a species. We will continue to progress forward. We will continue to learn from each other, and we will continue to make the world a better place for all. We will change the world. It’s happening right now. Are you a part of it?