Karin Rosain

Sometimes volunteering locally can affect change half way around the world.

As a public relations expert, Karin Rosain became involved with Lahash International assisting the Portland, Oregon based organization with their strategic communications needs. That relationship would not only change Karin’s life, but it would also impact the lives of orphans living in East Africa.

For the past five years Karin has become more deeply involved with Lahash, an organization that assists in advocating and caring for vulnerable people in neglected regions of Africa. Karin served as event director for Lahash’s first-ever fundraising banquet that raised more than $14,000 for repairs to an orphanage in Uganda. The funds allowed the orphanage to install solar power, new latrines and a new roof for several of the dormitories.

In January 2010, Karin launched a grassroots advocacy and fundraising initiative through Lahash called Project 34.8. She trained to run a 34.8 mile (56K) ultra-marathon to raise $4,800 to pay for the school fees of 12 Sudanese orphans. Karin completed the Two Oceans Ultra-Marathon in Cape Town, South Africa on April 3, 2010 and raised more than $5,500. While in Africa for the race, Karin used an 8-week sabbatical provided by her employer, Waggener Edstrom, to spend a month volunteering with Lahash s partners in Uganda and Sudan. She lived and worked at Amazing Grace Orphanage and St. Bartholomew’s Orphanage, gathering stories for several advocacy projects, as well as providing tutoring and mentoring secondary school students.