Interactive

January 2010

In October 2005, Christopher Ride, Managing Director of Interactive, took on the challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro - the highest mountain in Africa [see News 2005]. His climbing team was very capably led by Photo Marandu and his assistant guide Hamisi Semkiwa. After a gruelling five days on the mountain and the successful ascent of Uhuru Peak, Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 meters), an agreement was made between Christopher and his two senior guides to sponsor their four children to private school so they could learn English and get the best education possible. Since 2006, Johnson Joseph Marandu (10 years old) has been going to Moshi Academy Boarding School and Aneth Joseph Marandu (7 years old) has been going to Moshi Academy as a day student. Since 2007, both Saidi Hamisi Semkiwa (8 years old) and Fatma Hamisi Semkiwa (7 years) have been going to Moshi Airport School.

"We all want the very best for our children," Christopher Ride commented. "And this is my way of thanking both Photo and Hamisi for getting me to the top of Kilimanjaro (and back!) in one piece. In all my travels, two finer gentlemen I have never met. It's very important to have a good education, especially in Tanzania," Christopher added. "Learning English opens up so many opportunities for the children. It's great to receive their report cards each year and to be able to follow their progress, which has been very positive so far. I am hoping that a future President of Tanzania is in the making. If you are planning to climb Kilimanjaro my advice is to get Photo and Hamisi to guide you. If you do, you will have an experience you will never forget."

We will keep you up to date with the children's progress in future.

December 2008



As part of our ongoing support of Oxfam, Interactive is pleased to be bringing Christmas cheer again in 2008. Oxfam Australia is part of a global movement of dedicated people working hard to fight poverty and injustice.

As part of our ongoing commitment to a sustainable future we will be sending e-Christmas cards to our customers. In 2007 the savings generated enabled Interactive to provide veggie gardens and 42 farm animals via the Oxfam program. From our support this year a school will be built and the supplies needed to allow the children to learn and study!

Visit www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au to see how you too can contribute to this important and life-inspiring work.

April 2008



Interactive proudly entered a team in one of the largest and toughest team events in the world - Oxfam TRAILWALKER 2008. The 100 kilometer charity event raises money to abolish poverty and suffering around the world. Led by Interactive Managing Director, Christopher Ride; with his team of David Rowe (AXA), Magnus Ohlsson (Audi) and Roger Prezens (UBS), successfully raised over $15,000 - the highest fundraising team in IT & Telecommunications and the fifth-highest fundraising team among all the competitors.

"Honestly, we were just thrilled to finish the course in one piece!" Christopher commented. "The fact that fundraising went so well was terrific, also." The Interactive Chasers finished in the trek in 21 hours 18 minutes, in 74th place out of a total of 663 teams. "Thank you to everyone who supported us and to our able support team who did such a fantastic job." 

December 2007

Interactive is bringing Christmas cheer to Oxfam this year! Oxfam is one of Australia's leading charities, working with communities across 29 countries to deliver broad solutions to world poverty and social injustice.

This year, as part of Interactive's commitment to the environment, we are sending an e-Christmas card to our valuable customers, instead of a printed version. Through the savings we have made we are happy to say that we are, through Oxfam, providing four veggie gardens and 42 farm animals to the most needy communities! These gifts contribute to Oxfam’s agriculture program where families receive farm training to cultivate vegies patches and breed farm animals to earn a living. Visit www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au to see how you too can give a life-changing gift!

Interactive has recently sponsored a 4x4 vehicle for the "India North East Mission".
Working for over twenty years amongst the 150 million people in the eight states that make up North East India, the mission has been building, equipping, feeding, teaching and encouraging schools, orphanages, drug rehabilitation centres, churches and prisons.

Public transport in this part of the world is often unreliable, if indeed available at all, and much time is wasted trying to get personnel and equipment from A to B.

The addition of the locally built 4x4 vehicle has already proven a great benefit to the mission staff enabling them not only to make schedules according to program needs, but also to expand their work into villages that would otherwise be unreachable. Some of these people are so remote, they have never been visited by a local politician, let alone a non-government organisation!

The Mission wishes to thank the Board of Interactive for their generous assistance.