Well we have had lots going on over the past few months!
The first good news is that our sewing teacher, social worker and school contact for Compass School, Flora, just had a beautiful and healthy baby girl with her partner, Stephen! We wish them all the best!
TA supporter, Carol Colombo-McLean purchased Foldscopes (cardboard flat microscopes) for students in Kenya. With the assistance of retired Science teachers, Patti Merelaid and Susie Chow, as well as Heather Douglas (Algoma U employee and niece to Lois Shaw who runs our tours to Kenya) Carol, 22 visiting Japanese students, TA's Cheryl Mireault, Holly Wickett and Judi McLeish, and an AU instructor, the foldscopes were assembled and experimented with, in a Science lab at Algoma University. it is great to have this wonderful partnership with Algoma! The Japanese students added an origami as well as a note in English and Japanese to the kits, for the kids in Kenya! Heather Douglas is over in Kenya right now with some of the kits and the rest will be taken with our next travelling group in February!
While Heather has been in Kenya, she and Flora have spoken with the Member of County Assembly, Henry Kagiri, to see where he is on getting Compass School back to the way it was. Henry promised to tackle the issues on getting back the semi-permanent classrooms, playground and pit latrines. We are hopeful that this will be done. Special thanks to Heather Douglas for checking into our projects for us!
Welcome to 2 new members to Tumaini Afrika! Sherri Johnson and Linda Mizzi are joining our ranks!
We are so happy to report that funds raised at the Kenyan dinner, and matched by JJ Hilsinger and the Water Tower Inn, have enabled the Mathare Community Outreach program to build two new much needed classrooms! Can't thank all of our supporters and especially JJ, enough for their generosity and caring. Lots of happy kids and staff have benefitted!! Thanks to Diane Hilderley for coordinating things from this end!
So, our AS Big As An Elephant Garage Sale is coming up on June 8! See the attached poster for details! This is one of our biggest fundraisers, so if you have items to donate or can come to see what we have, we would appreciate it! Thank you to so many of you who have dropped off items already! Call lead Diane Hilderley at 705-759-3418 or respond to this email for more information.
We still have a booth in The Ole Warehouse at 69 Church St. behind the Bushplane Museum! We have changed locations within the room and have some new items for sale! Come see our sister group Sequel's items too, as their funds support refugees in Thailand. Micheline Findlay and her crew have done a great job with this not for profit business.
As always, we couldn't do the things we do without the support of the community and others from afar!
Asante Sana!
Holly for Tumaini Afrika
No comments:
Post a Comment