St Jude Fundraising Event

We are working with the Smith Foundation to plan and host a fundraising event for the School of St Jude. The event will take place in the evening on March 29 (the day before I take off for Tanzania!) and will be held at the Collaborative. We are planning to have music and food, as well as photos, St Jude website browsing available on several laptops set up around the space, and some short talks (with lots of photos).

Cindy will be talking about the history and goals of the school, as well as sharing information about the ongoing plans for future growth and instructional improvement. Freda and I will be discussing both the leadership and teacher training aspects of the work, as well as sharing information about the coming visit, and our vision for learning possibilities in the school's future. We are expecting about 100 people, should be a fun time for all, and will hopefully raise funds for buses, land, teacher salaries, or even individual sponsors for new pupils.

Haba na haba, hujaza kibaba! Little by little, we can solve this problem!

Bilali

I have finally organized my sponsorship for a child at the School of St Jude. His name is Bilali, and I met him in December when I did a "home check" for his entrance process. He is seven, in Standard 2, and lives with his Bibi (grandmother) in Arusha town. He is a lovely and very smart little boy, and I am thoroughly enjoying sending small gifts and letters to him. I know how important it is to him and to his bibi to be in the school - life changing - so I know he will work very hard to do well.

Here are two pictures of Bilali on his first official day at school. In the first, he is enjoying his first day in computer class, and in the second, smiling big enough to see a front tooth is missing (clearly seven!).

In addition to Bilali, in the month I have been home, five friends here in America have also signed on to sponsor children at the school, a blessing for these little ones who have such great need and such big dreams. Thanks to everyone for your support! If you are interested in finding out what is involved in sponsorship for a St Judes child, you can visit their website: www.schoolofstjude.co.tz - or - you can send me a message or give me a call. I will be more than happy to provide you with information.

I will keep the blog updated with information about Bilali and his schooling as it comes in, and will be very thrilled to see him again when I return to Tanzania in April for additional work with teachers.

St. Jude's Sponsorship

For more information on how to support the School of St. Jude in Moshono, Tanzania, East Africa - either through sponsorship of a child or a general monetary donation, please visit the following site. http://www.schoolofstjude.co.tz/ Asante sana! Sangiki