You’ve seen the photos of the kiddos.
And maybe, you’ve even expressed a desire to help.
If so, here’s your chance.
The Peace Corps Partnership Program is a sort-of grant that allows people all over the world to donate funds to Peace Corps Volunteers’ projects. I wrote and submitted a grant to request $2,900 for a project at the Escolinha Estrela da Manha, and it was recently approved as part of the program.
I plan to get a library of 200 children’s books in Portuguese to the Escolinha Estrela da Manha. The director of the Escolinha, an incredible woman named Sybil, has purchased virtually all the Portuguese children’s books she can find in the capital.
Books can fill in the gaps for the lack of training/education of the teachers – you don’t have to know how to teach, books do all the work for you!
Books can open little kids’ minds to life outside of Chokwe, and maybe even instill a little much-needed creativity and imagination.
Books can instill a love of reading that will not only make education easier, but give them such an advantage that the rest of their lives will be easier.
Books are seriously lacking throughout this country, and it’s obvious.
But your donation can, at least in this little pocket of the world, get books into the hands of some kids who both need and appreciate it.
OK, I have to say it, I know there are millions of informercials about how your $1 a day donation can help starving orphans in Africa, and then they proceed to show you depressing photos of these kids and assure you how 50¢ of every $1 will go straight to them along with funding more infomercials… as such, I want to assure you that ALL of these funds, 100 percent, will go directly to the purchasing of books, bookshelves and training in using books for education for these kids. Whether you’re interesting in donating one dollar, or maybe a few more one dollars, each dollar will benefit these lil guys on a daily basis during story time.
I promise to document the arrival of the books and send you a massive THANK YOU in advance. Let me know if you have any questions! Or just check out the site for yourself:
http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate
Keyword “Cooper” or “640-026”
Come on. Can you really say no to this face?
These kiddos are adorable! I am so amazed and impressed by what you are doing! What a great project and something the kids will love and be able to use for years and years to come.
ReplyDeleteI love what you are doing in Chokwe. Sybil, from the preschool, is a dear friend of mine. I will be following your library project.
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