school supplies for child refugees
Donation protected
Tomorrow is ours: shatila refugee camp, Beirut.
My name is James Mulhern. I'm Canadian, currently in Lebanon volunteering with children in a refugee camp. Yesterday I spent my whole day running around Beirut searching for teaching supplies for my students. I'm teaching english in the infamous shatila refugee camp in Beirut. The classes have no textbooks, no materials, no structure at all. After my third book store I finally found what I was looking for. Brain Quest Workbooks, from Jk level to grade 6. I purchased the ones they had in stock and ordered the ones they didn't have. I waved for a taxi and when I told the driver where I was going he refused to take me at first. He later agreed to drop me off near the entrance. "You go into Shatila, and you never come back" he said to me. I've been going there everyday for the past week to teach english. "How much you get paid for that?" I told him it was voluntary.... he laughed at me for the rest of the ride. With over 100 students, I realized quickly that one text book was not enough. So I came up with the idea to photocopy the textbooks. Turns out it costs more money to photocopy the books than it does to buy them. Frustrated and slightly depressed, I felt hopeless. These kids are all so bright, so eager to learn. I've been blown away by their resilience. I decided I couldn't give up.
So now I've decided to come up with this go fund me campaign. My goal is to raise enough money to buy textbooks for every student. I've emailed the publisher and am waiting to hear back on the price breaks for buying in bulk and shipping costs. As of right now the books are 13$ US each. I'm trying to buy 800 of them. That's one of each grade level for each student. From Pre K to grade 6.
Honestly, I was very reluctant to start this campaign. Personally, I don't want the attention and I'm almost to stubborn to ask for help.... almost. This isn't about me though. These kids are brilliant!! They're eager to learn and they deserve a legitimate education. My passion to help them reflects their passion to learn. I will not leave Lebanon until I am satisfied that I've had a significant impact in these kids lives.
More info on shatila: http://m.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/shatilas-population-unknown-as-palestinian-refugee-camp-bursts-at-seams
My name is James Mulhern. I'm Canadian, currently in Lebanon volunteering with children in a refugee camp. Yesterday I spent my whole day running around Beirut searching for teaching supplies for my students. I'm teaching english in the infamous shatila refugee camp in Beirut. The classes have no textbooks, no materials, no structure at all. After my third book store I finally found what I was looking for. Brain Quest Workbooks, from Jk level to grade 6. I purchased the ones they had in stock and ordered the ones they didn't have. I waved for a taxi and when I told the driver where I was going he refused to take me at first. He later agreed to drop me off near the entrance. "You go into Shatila, and you never come back" he said to me. I've been going there everyday for the past week to teach english. "How much you get paid for that?" I told him it was voluntary.... he laughed at me for the rest of the ride. With over 100 students, I realized quickly that one text book was not enough. So I came up with the idea to photocopy the textbooks. Turns out it costs more money to photocopy the books than it does to buy them. Frustrated and slightly depressed, I felt hopeless. These kids are all so bright, so eager to learn. I've been blown away by their resilience. I decided I couldn't give up.
So now I've decided to come up with this go fund me campaign. My goal is to raise enough money to buy textbooks for every student. I've emailed the publisher and am waiting to hear back on the price breaks for buying in bulk and shipping costs. As of right now the books are 13$ US each. I'm trying to buy 800 of them. That's one of each grade level for each student. From Pre K to grade 6.
Honestly, I was very reluctant to start this campaign. Personally, I don't want the attention and I'm almost to stubborn to ask for help.... almost. This isn't about me though. These kids are brilliant!! They're eager to learn and they deserve a legitimate education. My passion to help them reflects their passion to learn. I will not leave Lebanon until I am satisfied that I've had a significant impact in these kids lives.
More info on shatila: http://m.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/shatilas-population-unknown-as-palestinian-refugee-camp-bursts-at-seams
Organiser
James Mulhern
Organiser
North York, ON