.......give them the pleasure of making a difference to someone in need?
When a friend of yours has a birthday or anniversary and you are searching to give them something that they might want when they have any number of nicknacks already, why don't you give a gift off the EducAid Wish List in their name?
There are any number of cool games, books and more that we would love to get our hands on.
By clicking on this link: EducAid Wish List, you will access all the information you need.
When you think of what you hope for, for the little people in your life: your kids, cousins, brothers and sisters and so on, you want the best and it is probably available for them.
Please help us achieve as close as we can to the same thing for the children we work with in Sierra Leone.
Balla (an EducAid student who received scholarship to study ICT) has been in Venezuela for a month or so now. He has finally been allowed to get out and about. At first, they were banned from receiving visitors or phone calls and even from leaving the compound! Very strange and not a little disquieting.
Now, at last, he has been permitted to go on a tour of Caracas. Here are some photos to prove it:
L'École, 5th of 6 children, and the first in his family to go past BECE (the junior public exams), can't contain himself. His smile is so big, and his laugh so infectious, you can't help but laugh with him. [net too slow for the photo to prove it]
Sheak, a little quieter still can't help chuckling to himself as he re-re-re-reads his results.
They both have passed 9 out of 9 subjects and so excellently that, if sponsors can be found, they will go straight through to tertiary studies.
Both of these lads are from homes with no hope of helping them to finish their education. With real determination and patience, they have battled on, despite quite difficult odds. Today is pay back time.
Their fellow students are full of it. 'You see EducAid students!' 'You see how good we are !'
Rupert and his daughter Georgie talk with the scientists in Rolal
I have had the privilege of visiting Port Loko 5 times over the past 4 years, and have always left wanting to go back and spend more time there. The last visit in April was the longest and the most enjoyable – my son (Tom) and I spent 2 weeks in the country and stayed at Rolal for 1 of them.
Stefan listens to the 'Virtual palaeontologists' at the opening of the Rolal Senior Secondary School
We have great memories of being part of the EducAid family – we sang the school song and played rugby (of sorts) also. Whilst the food was a bit alien to us, we loved the way that we were welcomed by everyone there: pupils and staff alike. We want to apologise to Mr SS for being late for the staff briefings though!
We were struck by the potential for moving things forward by focusing on the quality of life for the pupils and the necessity for training the staff. It is for these reasons that we are really pleased to support the Maronka Safe House and Rolal Teacher Resource Centre over the next 3 years.
These are great examples of how EducAid can lead the way and we are delighted to stay involved. We are also hoping to visit again although it may not be until 2012.
Hoek van Holland to Brussels via Amsterdam outskirts
8th to 11th September 2011
Proceeds to benefit Educaid, Sierra Leone
The trip will start with all cyclists catching the 18.20 train from London, Liverpool Street station to Harwich on Thursday 8 September and boarding the overnight ferry which departs at 23.15. The ferry will arrive in Hoek van Holland at 07.45. Bikes will be unloaded and cycling will start along the coastal route towards Haarlem and then south towards Gouda (80 - 85miles).
Arrival in Paris after 2 days cycling from London, in June 2007
On the second day cyclists will ride along picturesque canal paths catching a glimpse of Dutch countryside and sampling delicious food. The second day (75 miles) will end close to Antwerp. The final day will be a short cycle ride (50 miles) into Brussels ending with a celebratory meal before boarding the 17.59 Eurostar arriving in London at 19.03.
Arrival in Brussels after 3 days of cycling in September 2009
A support vehicle will accompany the cyclists throughout the ride as well as a catering vehicle which will carry supplies to sustain cyclists. Phil Magnus and Paul Gage the ‘Bike Mechanics’ will cycle with the group to support any cyclists requiring maintenance for their bikes. All bikes will be transported to Holland in a van which will be loaded on Wednesday evening in Muswell Hill and will return with the bikes to London after the ride. Bikes can be collected from St James on Monday morning.
In order to raise funds for the project we are asking participants to raise a minimum of £1,000 each in sponsorship and to cover their own costs, which are estimated at £300 per person which will include Eurostar tickets, ferry ticket and cabin, two overnight stays as well as food during the ride.A limited number of places will be available for full-time students who will be asked to fund 3/4 of their costs and to raise a minimum of £500 in sponsorship.
We have 50 spaces booked so need to know by 28 July if you are able to join us!!!
We will arrange for sponsorship donations to be made on-line through www.justgiving.com. Sponsorship forms with gift aid facilities will be available too.
If you would like any further information please speak to Janet Broadhurst who can be contacted on 07956 423 223 or janetbroadhurst@aol.com
Although I have been coming backwards and forwards, for a week or so at a time, all year, it feels like a great relief to be back without the DRC project in the back of my mind.
Without going into too much detail, my year in the Congo has reconfirmed my confidence that EducAid does quite a good job at getting the balance right on quality of input, value for money, respect for beneficiaries and genuine capacity building. Apparently harder than you would think.
In truth, there is a mountain of work to do against a fairly tough background but it goes a long way to making it more exciting than daunting, to know that we are almost certain to continue making a significant positive impact on individuals' poverty. Even more exciting, with the new teacher training and resource centres in Rolal and Maronka, we expect to make a difference to whole communities as we reach out to schools in rural areas that are almost untouched by all the other NGO activities and workshops.
The leadership team have done a wonderful job at keeping things moving forwards and I am really looking forward to getting alongside them again as we bring a number of new projects online: chief among them the Girls' Safe House and the 2 new teacher training and resource centres. It will be good to be living in Maronka too.
When a friend of yours has a birthday or anniversary and you are searching to give them something that they might want when they have any number of nicknacks already, why don't you give a gift off the EducAid Wish List in their name?
