Waltz Volunteers: 1 Man Show, 100% Fraud

On March 2, 2010, a young volunteer (who happens to be my friend) decided to post his concerns about a seemingly dodgy organization, Waltz Volunteers, on an Idealist.org forum.

On June 4, 2009, there was a post in response, threatening to press charges. "AFTER the investigations the police advised Waltz and John to file charges against you but John said that you are just joining college and there is no need of them doing such a thing because it will just ruin your career." This didn't seem right. In November 2009, I launched my new blog with the results of an internet investigation I conducted. A few days later, I released more information.

On October 9, 2009, Idealist.org removed the Waltz profile from their website. Still no word on any legal action taken against John Pertet.

(Read the report here: http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/DiscussionForum/TopicViewerPage/default?start-index=10&topic-id=129363-135#selectedPost)

GVN Foundation - Providing Incentives to Exploit Children?

Recently, I received a forwarded e-mail from a cousin who is into the “social justice scene” on her college campus. She knows that I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro a few years back with a group of friends, and wanted to know if I wanted to do it again “for a good cause.” The e-mail was from Colin Salisbury, the CEO of the Global Volunteer Network, informing supporters about “The 2010 Mt Kilimanjaro Fundraising Trek” to benefit the GVN Foundation.

The e-mail said:

“The 2010 Mt Kilimanjaro Fundraising Trek is just around the corner and aims to raise money for disadvantaged children in schools, IDP camps, and orphanages in Kenya. However, to meet our base fundraising target which provides immediate needs such as food, medical care, and education for the kids, we are seeking three more participants to join the trek.”

According to the GVN Foundation website, $79,908 has been raised for the “Kenyan Children’s Fund.”

(See for yourself: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/projects/kenya/)

It is made clear that much of this money has gone to fund orphanages:

“Our partner works with over 60 schools and orphanages in and around Nairobi. Assist GVN Foundation as we work to provide funding to needy children in 5 very special orphanages and schools in Kenya.”

“Financed the construction costs for needy orphanages- roofs, dorms etc.”

“Providing regular grants to assist with orphanage running costs.”

At the end of this post, I have linked to a number of articles concerning orphans, but one quote, from a blog I follow, Good Intentions are Not Enough, sticks out:

“Orphanages can bring in a lot of foreign donations, and the best way to keep those donations rolling in is to keep the children at a substandard level so that any volunteer or donor showing up will see with their own eyes how "critical" it is to donate to the orphanage. This not only brings in immediate money, but may also lead to the donor/volunteer raising money or collecting donated goods from friends and family back home.”

-Hug-an-orphan vacations by Saundra S.

(Read for yourself: http://informationincontext.typepad.com/good_intentions_are_not_e/orphanages/)

Orphanages have the potential to do more harm than good. Corrupt local people have financial incentives to gather children together to start “orphanages” (where most of the children most likely have a parent) and use the children to attract donors. Stupid Wazungu is questioning the GVN Foundation’s funding of orphanages that seem to fall into this category.

For example, one of the four projects listed on the GVN Foundation’s “Kenya Orphanage Sponsorship” page is “Mamma Tunza’s Learning Centre.”

After catching wind of allegations against this home, I decided to do some investigating. Sure enough, after a few e-mails to friends who had volunteered with GVN, I was forwarded an e-mail by a friend of a friend. She dug out of an old e-mail folder from more than a year ago. Sent from the acting CEO of GVN on November 18, 2008, it detailed a report done by GVN after accusations by volunteers of abuse and corruption at this home.

Regarding the well-being and care of the children...

Two examples of feedback cited in the report were:

“I got extremely upset with the health and wellbeing of the children.”

“I think that the children are at a serious level of vulnerability and are being taken advantage of.”

GVN concluded, “Based on information from VICDA [GVN’s partner in Kenya] and feedback from previous volunteers, the findings reveal that volunteers are concerned with the health and wellbeing of the children however there is no documented proof that abuse (including sexual abuse) has taken place.”

Regarding the alleged misuse of funds and resources donated to the home...

Volunteers reported:

“Much of the funding they [Mama Tunza Children’s Home] receive is not used for the benefit of the children”

“Volunteers have seen Tunza family members leaving with dry storage food that had been donated to the children. I saw first hand that this could be a legitimate concern….”

Based on the information provided from GVN’s partner in Kenya, it was concluded that “there is no clear evidence to support the allegation that funding and resources are being misused by the Director.”

In discussing their action points, GVN said:

“The GVN Foundation will not be forwarding any further funds to [...] Mama Tunza Children’s Home until further notice. The GVN Representative with VICDA will review the program in February 2009.”

“GVN will not be placing volunteers at [...] Mama Tunza Children’s Home until further notice. The GVN Representative with VICDA will review the situation and conditions in February 2009.”

Apparently, the review in February in 2009 was more than favorable. Now, of the hundreds of projects in Kenya that are in need of assistance, 4 are posted on the GVN Kenya Orphanage Sponsorship, one of which is Mamma Tunza’s Home.

The sponsorship program allows donors to support the children at Mamma Tunza’s home by paying $30 a month to “...help supply the basics of school supplies, Centre running costs, and meals.”

(See for yourself: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/sponsorship/kenya/)

It has been alleged that Mamma Tunza is herself profiting from the horrific state her children live in. Unfortunately, I find it hard to sympathize with her as her home is one of the stops of a “Kibera Tour,” which brings tourist to see Kibera. With a constant flow of volunteers from GVN, VICDA, and tourists coming to see the “orphans” in their destitute state, it is easy to see how keeping the children looking poor would benefit her personally.

(See for yourself: http://www.kiberatours.com/page/kibera-slum-tour-nairobi)

The deeper a person digs, the more dirt that is found. A report written on July 1, 2009 by two counselors, Collins and Becky, working at Mamma Tunza said, “However, we understand giving cash to Mama Tunza is trouble because she would use them for her personal consumption, but we recommend that a way out has to be found to help these kids.”

(See for yourself: http://uweza.org/documents/counselorsreportjuly2009.pdf)

An organization entitled Caleb’s Hope, visited Kenya to find projects for their organization. Upon a visit to Mamma Tunza’s, it was said,

“I was living and working – well supposed to be – at Mama Tunza’s Children Centre. A very crowded orphanage in the heart of Kibera with children ranging from infants to 16 years of age.

Mama unfortunately only wanted hand-outs, and on a regular basis. It was questionable if the funds were going to the children. Actually, most often they weren’t. And there was no work to be done. Rather it wasn’t allowed.”

(See for yourself: http://calebshope.org/calebs-hope-blog/Calebs-Hope-Meets-Africa-Yoga-Project.html)

After reading the following blog, I would not stand beside its credibility. Certainly, the author is a volunteer who is a rookie in Africa, and, for all intensive purposes, probably has no idea what he is doing. His blog is plagued with ridiculous comments and vulgar language, but an interesting narrative about Mamma Tunza’s orphanage. His claims are unsubstantiated, but the nature of the claims is significant enough to warrant substantiation.

“Irene [director of VICDA] informed me that the new orphanage would be run by Mama Tunza, and I immediately began to tell her my concerns about her placing too much faith in a person that I knew to be far less than trustworthy.... I tried to convince her that Mama Tunza and her cronies were not people that should be given so much responsibility because they would, ultimately, let those people down that had tried to help them....

One day at the site, my faith wavered. I saw Mama Tunza [...] speaking to Patty [the donor] and could tell from the good distance I was sitting at that Patty was beginning to get tense and uneasy. I continued to watch the discussion and, eventually, saw Patty pointing his finger at Derrick and saying "That's exactly why we didn't put any single person's name on the title deed, Derrick, so this kind of a discussion wouldn't have to happen! This home is for the kids and the staff who wish to move here to it, and it's a gift!" My heart sank. Everything that I had felt and known for the past 2 months had come to fruition in those two sentences, and I knew there would be problems from there. To provide some background to Patty's statement, Irene had assured me when we first visited the construction site that her name, as well as Mama Tunza's, had been placed on the title deed for the land and any property constructed on it. This was a smart safeguard on Irene's part, as she was not completely ignorant to Mama Tunza's corruptibility and wanted to make sure that the land and property could not be sold if Mama Tunza and her possie had complete ownership of it. Either way, I knew that this gift had been given to the wrong woman and, furthermore, people's faith had been put in the wrong people [...]

This past Thursday night, all of my feelings, intuition, and experiences came to a boil when [a women] told me that Mama Tunza and most of the administration were trying their hardest to secure the title deed for the land with the intention of trying to sell the land and property on it, keep the money, and keep themselves and the kids that they 'care' for in Kibera [....]

[...] Mama Tunza is one of the worst people I have ever met on this planet and deserves nothing but the products of her ignorance [...]”

(See for yourself: http://missinginafrica.blogspot.com/2009/06/when-i-first-arrived-in-kenya-i-was.html)

Is GVN aware (or even care) about the allegations against the orphanages it supports? Is GVN rewarding those who take advantage of children?

After the “Eat So They Can Fundraiser” of 2008, the following was posted on the website: “funds will also be used to invest in the future, by paying for Mama Tunza, the woman who cares for these children, to receive an education.”

(See for yourself: http://www.eatsotheycan.org/about/distribution.php)

Irene, the director of VICDA, posted on her blog:

“The mama tunza orphanage construction is now ready for kids to move in.

From kibera slums to such a beautiful structure in a clean and fresh environment. No more open sewerage,flying toilets, gabbage smell for these kids.

It is a dream for them come true. Alot of thanks to paddy and his team.”

(See for yourself: http://givehope-life.blogspot.com/)

On one of the two VICDA websites, it is stated:

“VICDA network with different childreh orphanages and families to provide shelter,education,food,healthcare for orphnas and vulnerable children in Kenya. In the year 2006 VICDA bought a piece of land in Ngong which is a very beautiful area for one of the orphanage in Kibera slum which accommodates 102 children who has lost their parents through HIV/AIDS and other tragedies. Early this year the shelter was fully sponsoered by one of the donor and everything was provided for from beds, bedding, bathrooms, kitchen,stores and accommodation for the workers. August 2009, the kids from mama Tunza orphanage in Kibera slum moved to this beautiful shleter in Ngong.”

(See for yourself: http://www.vicda.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:shelter-for-orphans-destitute-kids&catid=34:child-sponsorship&Itemid=74)

At the end of the report issued in November of 2008, GVN said:

“GVN and the GVN Foundation do not support abuse or corruption. We continue to remain dedicated to improving the lives of the children at all of the projects we support, including the children at Mama Tunza[...] We will continue to monitor both these projects, investigating ways of how we can improve the operations and conditions at the homes [...]”

Your right, GVN does not appear to support abuse or corruption, but it appears that they are rewarding those who do. As an economist, I live and breathe incentives. This will no doubt lead to corrupt individuals keeping children in dismal conditions in order to attract donors.

We invite GVN to respond to the evidence featured in this post.

Though I would enjoy climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro again, I would not do it to support the projects GVN seems to partner with. There are many Community-Based Organizations that are not corrupt and are doing amazing work, but supporting the corrupt ones will only bread more corruption.

Links to Articles/Posts about Orphanages.

BBC News - Most ‘orphans’ have a living parent, says charity

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8375579.stm

New York Times - Aid Gives Alternative to African Orphanages

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/world/africa/06orphans.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimes

Good Intentions are Not Enough - Does Funding Orphanages Create Orphans?

http://informationincontext.typepad.com/good_intentions_are_not_e/2009/06/does-funding-orphanages-create-ophans-.html

Good Intentions are Not Enough - Be cautious when funding orphanages

http://informationincontext.typepad.com/good_intentions_are_not_e/2009/09/funding-orphanages.html

Don't Spill Your Coffee

Now, according to the Mocha Club, your $7 can "sustain life for 1 person living with AIDS."

Instead, your $7 translates into 525 Kenyan shillings. This is enough to pay the rent for a one room mud-hut in the slum and leave some left over to take a bus into town and buy a lollipop. Not only is this kind of marketing dehumanizing, it is also damaging to the very people it aims to help. The Mocha Club is perpetuating the stereotype that Africans are sitting around in their meager existences waiting to be saved by a generous white-foreigner with a couple bucks. Don't spill your coffee - it might kill someone.

Image from www.mochaclub.org

More Questions Arise: Will Waltz Volunteers Respond?

On the Waltz Website, they claim:

“Waltz Volunteer is registered in the United States and has charity or 'non-profit' status. It is possible to give financial, in-kind and material donations to Waltz. Therefore any donations that are made out directly to Waltz by US citizens are tax deductible.”

In order for a donation to be tax-deductible, one must file with the IRS the application for tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) or another similar classification. The Waltz website does not indicate it is exempt under 501(c)(3), thus, it is false saying donations to its organization are tax-deductible.

I searched the IRS Website (http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/) and was unable to find a listing for Waltz Volunteers. The IRS website says that the directory is “a list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions.”

When was Waltz founded?

“Waltz Volunteer Inc. was created in 1990...”

“In 2000, we started International volunteering by partnering with other organizations and have grown to be one of the leading volunteering organizations in the world, based in USA and Kenya thus managing to support our own projects and start income generating activities.”

(See for yourself: http://waltzvolunteer.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102&Itemid=113)

According to the Incorporation document filed by Waltz, the organization began on 06/29/2009.

Inconsistencies? Honest misinterpretation of the facts? We invite Waltz Volunteers to respond to these questions. I will happily post a constructive response from them here on the Stupid Wazungu blog.

I have contacted them saying, "We did a post on Waltz Volunteers using the information from the (idealist) forum. We invite you to read the blog and send us your response to promote an open and honest conversation."

Waltz Volunteers: Corrupt or Misunderstood?

In Kenya, you do not have to search very far to find corruption; corruption usually finds you. My past job often brought me to Kenya to visit NGO projects, attend meetings, and just get a sense of how certain projects were progressing. During late 2008, I was working in Nairobi when I met a young American volunteer. We had a number of quality conversations and met a handful of times at the Nairobi Java House. Over a vanilla milkshake, he expressed his concern of a local volunteer organization which he had come into contact by the name of Waltz Volunteers.

He said he had bad feelings about the "Regional Director" and some of the conversations they had. This young volunteer ambitiously wanted to start a project in Kenya, and the "Regional Director" of Waltz Volunteers allegedly advised him to start his project through Waltz Volunteers. It was simple: he would design a project, raise money, and Waltz would hire a manager and staff to implement the plan. The donor would then be able to visit the project to ensure it was running smoothly. At the meeting where this was being explained, the "Regional Director" offered to show my friend one of Waltz's projects. My friend claims that he was told the project was run and managed by Waltz Volunteers.

They met and walked to the project. When they arrived, there was a volunteer present, but she had not come through Waltz Volunteers. It was soon clearly apparent to my friend that the project was an official project of the Catholic church, not Waltz Volunteers. He became nervous and felt he was involved in a scam.

He was uncomfortable with the "Regional Director." He says now, looking back on the events, that he should have recognized the warning signs earlier. From the circumstances of their meeting, to the "Regional Director's" offering him money in exchange for recruiting volunteers. Without showing the "Regional Director" where he lived, my friend claims the man came to his house to visit him. He says he sent someone to the door to tell the "Regional Director" that he was ill.

When my friend returned home, he sent me an e-mail seeming upset. When looking for internships online, he kept coming across postings by Waltz volunteers. He did not know what to do. He thought of young kids like him who are trying to volunteer, learn, and help others. From his experience with Waltz Volunteers, he was very suspicious of them and would not want others young kids going across the world to work with Waltz Volunteers and the "Regional Director" who he believed were corrupt.

He decided to exercise his first amendment rights and post on an idealist.org forum concerning Waltz Volunteers. He wrote on March 2, 2009:

"I am very suspicious of Waltz Volunteers. While I was in Kenya, the "Regional Director" named John claimed to operate a project that was not his in order to convince a couple I was working with to donate money to start a project like it. It later came to our knowledge that the project was run by the Catholic Church and not Waltz Volunteers. When I called the USA number, not only is it a house not an office, but the woman also claimed to run the same project I personally visited. When I pressed her on names and locations she backtracked and got tangled in her own words. John also sought me out as a foreigner and offered to pay me if I could get him volunteers. I would hesitate before traveling with this organization."

Like he stated above, my friend claims he called the Waltz Volunteer office and asked the woman questions about the projects he had visited. She said Waltz ran and funded their own projects when he specifically noted the area. He says that when he began to talk about the Catholic church and the real name of the project he had visited, rather than the name she said it was, she got flustered and did not know what to say.

Later, in June 2009, this was posted in response by a woman named Carol:

"It’s very sad that you said this because it has taken me five months to investigate and get to the bottom of what you stated above. I have been told everything you are talking about and I personally went to the place you talked about in Kibera and they told me a different version of the story.

I also found out that you had your own reason to say what you did, the police even replayed the call you made in the WALTZ OFFICE in USA so that we know what you said and confirm the conversation. We did these because we fund Waltz Projects in Kenya and part of that Orphanage you talked about is funded by my brother in Spain. It’s owned by Catholic church members.

We realized that John even took his time to come visit you when you were sick and he is the one who took you to that project and left you there. He never took any money from you or anybody. AFTER the investigations the police advised Waltz and John to file charges against you but John said that you are just joining college and there is no need of them doing such a thing because it will just ruin your career.

Lastly you should know by now that waltz is the world third biggest volunteer organization with more than 200 volunteers going through it every month to different volunteer countries and you are the only person who have complained about it. It was given the best Volunteer Award organization this Year. Did you volunteer under it like us or you have your own reservation based on miscommunication?

As a counselor i can only advice you to be careful when you make phone calls to other people. It can be used against you anytime. i hope to see you very soon in the near future for any advice."

Unfortunately, my friend claims the response above is stocked full of lies. 1) John visited his home when he had not shown John where he lived. John was told by another person living in the house that my friend was sick. 2) There is nothing wrong with calling an NGO and asking questions about their projects. "Defamation" is a civil suit, thus, the police would not advise anyone to "press charges." 3) My friend never claimed John took money from anyone.

My friend was threatened for posting on a forum that he was suspicious of an organization. Finally, on October 7, the silence on the idealist forum was broken, and Peter wrote:

"I came to Kenya a few months ago with «waltz volunteers». I believe this Organization is fraudulent."

He goes on to say:

"I also personally went to three of the projects Waltz claim to be affiliated to in Nairobi, none of them have ever heard of this organization, never received funds and have never had a volunteer placed with them from Waltz."

"When confronted, the CEO John, makes threats."

(Read the full text here: http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/DiscussionForum/TopicViewerPage/default?start-index=0&topic-id=129363-135#selectedPost)

But wait: there is more!

"I looked into the US address given as the headquarters of this Organization and found that it is in fact, a house in a suburb. When I called the headquarters, an elderly lady answered the phone."

There is nothing wrong with having an office in a house. But the plot thickens.

On the Waltz Website, it is stated:

"Waltz Volunteer Inc. manages to run its own community centers, shelters, rescue centers, orphanages, homes for elders, health care facilities, schools and others..."

"We started international volunteering in 2000 and have grown to be one of the leading volunteering organizations in the world based in USA that manages to support its own projects. We handle our own volunteers/interns personally in their placement countries, showing how much we value the lives and safety of our volunteers."

(Read the website yourself here: http://waltzvolunteer.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=36&Itemid=54)

The website claims the organization is based in the USA and began in 2000. According to the Florida Department of State, Waltz began on 06/29/2009.

(See for yourself: http://ccfcorp.dos.state.fl.us/scripts/cordet.exe?action=DETFIL&inq_doc_number=N09000006403&inq_came_from=NAMFWD&cor_web_names_seq_number=0000&names_

name_ind=N&names_cor_number=&names_name_seq=&names_name_ind=&names_comp_name=WALTZVOLUNTEERS&names_filing_type=)

A woman by the name of Maria later wrote: "My experience there is very similar to what the others are saying, a large amount of money was taken from me too and when I tried to verify where it went, I was met with threats of police and court..I was also told that I had been recorded and the police were on me."

Idealist.org responded on October 9, 2009. Brenden from the community support team posted, "We wanted to let everyone know that we have momentarily removed Waltz Volunteer inc's profile from Idealist.org. We wanted to get in touch with them and ask some questions in regards to the concerns and issues raised here in our Forums. This community is for you guys, and we appreciate everyone taking the time to keep this conversation going."

Carol, the women who claims to be a Waltz Volunteer who invested in the claims, was alleged to be in a management position for Waltz Volunteers. She responded on October 20:

"Maria, Kelly and Peter are the same person called Lida Sourla.she is from Greece .She had her own personal differences with Mr. Pertet and she swore to revenge on him using all means."

To me personally, this accusation by Carol is believable if I did not know my friend who told me about this situation in the first place. He had no "reason" to state his suspicions other than honest concern for other volunteers. He was met with threats. It is clear that he was not alone.

Kelly, a woman in France, summed up the situation perfectly on October 23, 2009: "So, Jacob had his 'own reasons' and was out to tarnish this organization's name, Maria Peter and I are all one and the same person, who had their own personal reason for "revenge", all these people were personally investigated by Carol, who is just a former volunteer and has no personal gain here...

Yes, that adds up perfectly."

Stupid Wazungu will continue to watch this story. This is my first post on the new blog. I hope to continue spotlighting "Destructive tactics, corrupt NGOs, and the stupid white people who support them."

Unfortunately, volunteer organizations are easy for con men. All it takes is a phone number and a clever website. Once a volunteer contacts the organization, they find a local project and ask if they would like to host a volunteer. Of course they are not going to say no. In fact, in my experience in Kenya, I come across many people who claimed to have their own volunteer organizations. Most of them have invested in a website, but have had no volunteers. Many Kenyans see this as a way to get rich. They say, "Once a volunteer contacts you, it is very easy to just find a project for them to work at."

All foreign volunteers should thoroughly investigate the organizations they plan to volunteer with.

In the coming weeks, I will be investigating the available information on various volunteer organizations in Kenya and posting them to the blog.

I invite either side to respond to this post. I want to promote an open and honest discussion. If there is anything above that somebody believes is untrue, they are encouraged to voice their opinion.

Send to: stupidwazungu@yahoo.com