Wednesday 14 December 2011

Your donations helped give a special Christmas Gift

I would like to start by thanking all of you who have supported us in the past 3 months. The UVic Education program, Norm at 1550's Pub Style Restausrant, Maude Hunters, Oooh la la Cupcakes, Moka House on Cook, Bubbie Rose's, Starbucks, The Lefsrud Family, Social Club, Felicita's, and every single person who came to the events or donated to the cause.  Your generosity has not gone un-noticed, or un-appreciated. We have been in contact with Margaret Okello, the head of the Orphanage and FORWAC in Kenya, and have sent over $1500 for a special Christmas gift. I thought we should share with you where this money will be going.

This is taken directly from Margaret's e-mail to us....

"Thank you so much for the thought of making our Christmas good.

1500 C$ will be equivalent to Kenya Shillings 120,000, if the exchangerate is Ksh 80 to 1 C$:
Ksh 25,000will be given to Ulamba Primary School.
The Christmas gift for last was Ksh 20,000.  They used it to organize Education Day in February this year.  They want to use forthe same in February 2012.
Ksh 30,000 will be a Christmas gift to some 12 -15 families, so that they can have something better to eat for Christmas.
Ksh 8,000 will be a gift to some older college students.
Ksh 5,000 will be given to a university student who is in the course of completing his final year project.
This will be a total of Ksh 68,000, rounded up to Ksh 70,000. 
The balanceof 50,000 will be kept in the programme account to help us start off the year2012 – fees, books and/or uniform."

YOU have all made this possible. I know that we are extremely thankful to you all, and am now certain that the children and community of Ulamba Kenya are even more greatful. You are helping a wonderful cause and we cannot thank you enough for how much you are contributing.

Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday and we all look forward to seeing you at more events in the New Year.

Tuesday 13 December 2011

Sponsor A Child

Education is the foundation to a child's success.  In Canada we are blessed with the opportunity to educate our children, however elsewhere in the world others are not so lucky.  In the village of Ulamba, Kenya, the cost of sending a child to school for a year is often more than a family can afford.  Many children in rural Kenya are orphaned and uncared for, dependent on the support of their relatives and community who struggle to provide for them.  Children without an education do not stand a chance of improving their quality of life, and the cycle of poverty and dependency continues.

The costs for tuition for the 2012 school year as estimated by FORWAC (Friends of Rural Women and Children):

    $100 for an elementary student
    $250 for a highschool student
    $500 for a highschool student boarding
    $750 for a college student

    We are hoping to pay for the tuition of as many students at Ulamba Primary as we possibly can, starting with those who need the support the most.  Please help us reach our goals and make a difference by getting together with your friends, family or co-workers and sponsor a child.  If you are interested please email africaed2011@gmail.com, and make a difference!

Photo courtesy of Anna Lefsrud.

Around the World and Back Again

So school is done for the semester, and our event at Felicita's was even more fun than we'd hoped. Rumble in the Jungle also proved to be an entertaining night out for Sarah as well!
We dressed up for the occasion, and somehow were the only ones. Sarah was awesome and manned the door all night, while Jayne (card-dealer from Vegas), Mel (a Portugese dancer), and I (in my yukata) socialized and enjoyed the awesome music.

We arrived early to set up and The Archers were already there. They blew us all away with their talent.
Shahin looked like their manager, maybe you've found another career option, perhaps a job for the weekends?


The Archers...



...and fans!

Yay Colleen, you won the Lush basket!

Some friends enjoying the show.

Mel, Jayne, Chelsea, Sarah, and Anna (who was in Ulamba last year).

We have now surpassed a fifth of our goal, and are attempting to send money to the students in Ulamba for Christmas.
Thank you to everyone who came out to our events, and those who weren't able to come but still helped us in any way they could.
Thank you as well to Lush and 15/50's for their donations which were greatly appreciated.
Also, a big congratulations to Jordan Gordon who won the trip to Vegas.