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Our Goal: Changing 125 Children's Lives

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Hi,

My name is Debra and two years ago I went to Tanzania for 3 months to work at Mlimani Community Foundation. Mlimani is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization established in 2011. Mlimani aims to improve the lives of impoverished children living in rural Arusha by providing shelter, food, education, and clothing to children in need. Currently, Mlimani is serving more than 125 children.


I taught in a small village outside of Arusha called Uswahilini. I worked with a class of 35-45 students, aged 3-5. We explored the alphabet, counting, and basic writing and arithmetic skills. I also collaborated with the founding director of the school on plans to expand our program and build financial sustainability. I helped organize and fund the addition of a new classroom so that we could divide the students more evenly based on skill rather than age. I also assisted in the planning, fundraising, and purchase of acreage on which we plan to build our future school. 


My friend Mark, the co-president of the Santa Rosa Junior College Black Student Union, expressed an interest in helping me find a way to make Mlimani's first permanent classroom a reality. Thanks to him, I met with the BSU and we agreed to collaborate on a project to send 6 SRJC students to Tanzania this summer to volunteer and build this classroom. 


We are reaching out to local elementary, middle, and high schools, churches, local councils, friends, and family to build more support for this project. We are asking all interested parties to host coin drives to help us raise money to build this classroom. Mlimani is also in great need of school supplies. Old math books, english books, and other learning materials make great donations. Organizing a fundraiser such as a talent show, play, rummage sale, or party can also be great ways to raise money. We need as much support for this project as we can get. Sharing this exciting opportunity with co-workers, family, friends, and your community is also a wonderful way to build support. None of us have a ton of money, but if all of us give a little the impact will be innumerable. 


Here are some websites that may interest you:

http://www.mlimanicommunityfoundation.com/&h=2AQEqDN4h&s=1">http://www.mlimanicommunityfoundation.com/

http://www.facebook.com/SrjcBlackStudentUnion


Any and all support you are able to offer would be absolutely incredible and deeply appreciated. With the support of this community we can change the lives of more than 125 children living in poverty. 


Thank you for your time.


Sincerely,


Debra


Meet Mark:


Ever since I can remember, my wildest dream has been to fix Africa. I understand how impossible this sounds. All my life I have been given reasons why it isn't possible to fix Africa: it's war-torn, ethnically divided, and too poverty stricken. These reasons are hard to argue, but does that mean I shouldn't try?  My father always told me that I would not be able to accomplish my goals through one action. He would point to the stairs-giving me a mental image-he'd say, "you can't just leap to the top, you have to take one step at a time." This semester I have taken my first step towards accomplishing this incredibly wild dream. 


I teamed up with Debra McCracken, a young woman who had gone to Tanzania in the summer of 2011. Debra had begun something special, she educated orphaned and impoverished children in Tanzania. After her trip Debra grew an attachment to the children and this profoundly, positive cause. Debra expressed to me the dire need for increased awareness and further development in the region; specifically, the need for more classrooms and tutors. As I listened to Debra, I could also hear the voice of past doubters loud and clear, but I decided to try! We teamed up with Damion Square, and Angela Webb-Pigg, two equally impassioned community leaders, and we are making this dream a reality. Although we have broken records raising money through school bake sales, we still need your help. 

Your donation would mean more than money. You would be giving inspiration and hope. Your donation reassures us that our community supports young, ambitious, adults on a path of positivity. 



Meet Angela:


My name is Angela and I am currently a student at the Santa Rosa Junior College.

I am an active member of the campus BSU (http://www.facebook.com/SrjcBlackStudentUnion
) and we've been steadily working to reorganize and revamp our efforts within the community. Our club recently joined forces with an organization based in Tanzania that is focused on building schools for orphaned children. 


In pairing with the foundation we are helping further the efforts to build more schools and provide for more children. Our club has already raised $2500 towards the $5000 it will take to build 2 more classrooms. Through our fundraising efforts the members of our club were given the opportunity to become a part of the cause and join other volunteers in Tanzania for the summer of 2013. 


As a young woman in today's world, I have not yet had the privilege of traveling to places outside of the U.S. I always believed that my first venture to another country would, ultimately, involve my providing some type of aid and helping those in need. I have an innate sense of altruism and so this opportunity is truly calling to my heart. It could not be any more important to me to help re-instill hope within these children's lives while also seeing parts of my own dream realized through traveling abroad.


Please help me by donating any dollar amount that would fund my trip to Africa. Every dollar that you donate will go directly towards the costs for my trip. The goal that I've set would cover all expenses for the trip including airfare and would enable me to be within the country for 3 weeks as a volunteer. To ensure a safe trip there and and back our group will be traveling with IVHQ which is an international volunteer association.

(http://www.volunteerhq.org/)


Going to Tanzania would truly provide me with more than experiencing other places in this world but also help to build a brighter future for children while providing sustainability within a community that is much deprived. I am currently putting in my own efforts to make this trip happen but it would mean so much to me to have your added support. 


I am incredibly grateful for any and all support here on this page. Thank you so so much. 


Blessings!





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Organizer

Santa Rosa Junior College Black Student Union
Organizer
Santa Rosa, CA

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