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NEWSLETTER
ARCHIVES VIDEO
ARCHIVES Introducing: PROJECT KENYA! "When I was originally thinking of starting Write Around the World,” says Mike Lewis, “I envisioned little children writing in the dirt with sticks because they did not have any pencils or paper. So when the kids here got down on the ground to practice their writing lessons with pieces of charcoal, it really struck a chord.” Currently, the one-room school sits in a temporary structure that is very hot, and has poor lighting, a leaky roof, and virtually no ventilation. There isn’t a toy in sight. During the hot months, the dirt floors are sprayed twice a month for the problematic Chilgoe flea that burrows into the foot and causes large painful ulcerations. During the rainy season, malaria becomes a serious threat. Malnutrition is always a major health concern as well: during the two weeks Write Around the World founder Mike Lewis spent visiting the area, three local children died of malnutrition! The 63 school children, 22 of whom are orphans, attend the school from 8 to 5 pm, five days a week. The levels range from preschool to 2nd grade. The children are too young to walk alone and are escorted home by one of the two teachers, rain or shine. They are fed morning millet porridge, a hot lunch and afternoon tea. The Kenyan government requires that religious instruction be part of every school program and Life Spring Academy complies, by providing the basic requirement. In addition to founding the local church and school, Alex and Florence have also become social workers, school administrators, medical caseworkers, and citizen advocates to the local government. (In addition, they have established a larger ministry organization called Life Spring Ministry.) Alex and Florence are doing some great work for the local children and community of Nangili, but they desperately need our help. Write Around the World will direct all financial and other means of support exclusively to Life Spring Academy school and its children, in keeping with our organization’s secular mission. We are not endorsing any religious views or sponsoring any other church-related activities through this engagement. In sponsoring Life Spring Academy, WATW pledges to help raise $22,000 towards a new and safer school building, a used van for student transport, scholarships for children to continue their education beyond the second grade, books and other educational resources, as well as food. We are incredibly excited about this new opportunity, and we will be hosting fund raisers, informational slide shows, school supply drives, and other activities in the coming months. Watch for your invitation to join us! (Click here to view our Letter of Intent concerning Project Kenya)
Introducing:
PROJECT
BOLIVIA!
Sucre is the prosperous capital of Bolivia and attracts families
from the countryside to the city with hopes of a better life. Many
of these families are under an intense strain to make ends meet,
and often times the mother is left alone to fend for herself. The
children are then forced to work on the streets, sometimes being
the family’s solitary earner – foregoing school in the
process. Ñanta is an alternative education center for the
working street kids of Sucre. Please
watch Mike’s video introduction of Ñanta.
Introducing:
PROJECT
GUATEMALA!
Pequenos
Pero Listos (Small but Ready), will be Write Around
the World’s primary focus. This branch of Estamos Listos works
specifically to establish preschools for underprivileged
children in rural communities. The classes are taught by local teachers
(often offering employment to out of work teachers) who have completed
advanced training from Estamos Listos. The local communities must
provide a facility for the classes to be taught. Once a teacher
and location are secured, a class “sponsor” must be
found to fund the project, which covers the teacher’s monthly
stipend, necessary school supplies and class furniture. Sponsoring
a class costs $3,300 annually. Pequenos
Pero Listos’ first project was only one year ago, but like
all good ideas – it took off. The project now has 16
successfully operating kindergartens, with a goal of doubling
by the end of 2009. Currently, school supplies are brought into
the country in the suitcases of supporters and sponsors. Some items
are purchased in Guatemala City from donations. This process cannot
support the desired growth, and WATW
is planning on lessening this burden by providing the necessary
supplies to meet the upcoming expansion so they
can focus on what matters most – educating more children! Fred
Zambroski is the founder and driving force behind Estamos Listos.
Fred is an American now living in Antigua, and is passionate about
the success of this Estamos Listos. He, like all administrative
and supervisory labor, is 100% volunteer based. For more information
see www.letsbeready.org |
