We will have our first meeting of the Itatu Board of Directors in November. Our goal is to meet about 3 times a year. We would like to obtain charitable status within the next few months.
The primary role of Board members will be to generate ideas for fundraising and awareness of Itatu, to share in some of the book-keeping duties and to communicate about ways to improve the lives of the children we support.
Board meetings will be very informal. The first one will be held on November 26 in the evening at my apartment here in Toronto. If any of you are interested in being on the Board please contact me. We’d be happy to have you.
I have just finished calculating the costs for Annie to attend a boarding school for one year. In order to attend boarding school, students must pay school fees and they must bring certain personal care items with them. These items include a cup and plate, a pail, bedding, soap, lotion, laundry detergent and toothpaste. They must also buy a school uniform including socks and shoes.
As I tally the totals for the items Annie is taking with her, I feel as if we are somehow cheating her. The individual cost of most items is minimal ($1.00 for a plate and $2.00 for laundry soap). The final cost of sending her to school for a whole is $350. This seems like such a small amount. When I convert the Canadian dollar amount into kwacha I see that it is well over a month’s full salary for most of my friends in Malawi. Given that most families have at least 3 children it’s not a wonder why so many can’t afford school fees.
Annie will be going to school with more than many of her peers. I have opted for her to have more than one uniform and Azikiwe decided she needed a suitcase for storing her belongings. I spoke to Annie earlier this week. She is very excited about starting school. She wants to study hard and make everyone proud.
Good luck Annie.
A Powerful Truth – New York Times (click to watch slideshow)
A friend told me a few months ago that I am lucky to have found my passion. A passion is not something that is always rational or easily explained.
All of my life I have cared deeply about those less fortunate than myself. I recall as a teenager wanting to sponsor a child in Africa and being told that I could not because the money rarely reached the children.
I was disappointed then but I know now that this is true in many cases.
I fund Itatu by myself with donations from generous people who support my passion. All of the money goes directly to the children. I don’t even give Azikiwe a salary even though today, Saturday, he is driving around finding charcoal so that the cooks can prepare food next week.
I believe strongly in what we are doing for the Malawian children. Unlike them, I am lucky to have been born and raised in Canada. I have been lucky to have access to clean water, health care and education all my life.
The world is full of suffering and I feel a drive to help ease some of that suffering. Itatu was started with the goal of assisting girls. It is often stated that if a girl is educated, a family is educated. Evidence shows that educating girls reduces poverty, maternal mortality and infant mortality.
Sometime the question of children here comes up, i.e. why not help the children suffering here in Canada? My response is that I do assist children here. I assist them by being a role model for global education. I assist them by showing them that teachers have lives and interests outside of the classroom and I assist them by teaching them about hope and sharing.
Please watch the video posted here. It is an inspiring message of hope.
If we all do a small part the world can become a better place for
everyone.
Tags: educating girls, malawi, orphan care, orphans
