A Uniterra volunteer in Nepal recently posted information about this amazing young American woman who is literally changing lives in the tiny village of Surkhet, Nepal.
I now obsessivly follow her escapades as she navigates being a principal, teacher, mother and caregiver to a growing number of children in one of the most remote places in Nepal.
She is truly awe-inspiring. I do not aspire to do what she does. I think I'm a bit too selfish, but this woman reminds me that I can do more than what I've been doing.
Oh, and she's 23!
Check our her foundation's website and read her journal entries: Blink Now Foundation
I've been in Botswana for ten months now. I've had my ups and downs, some of them documented in this blog, others in personal emails.
The beginning of 2011 has been a bit rough with the move and the appearance of the tennis-ball shaped cyst on my right ovaries which is extremely painful but benign.
I've been mopping and wallowing the last few days and frankly, I'm driving myself crazy. So this morning, I made it my mission to regain some gratitude. Funny thing is, I didn't have to look very hard to find it. I was going through some photos taken a few weeks ago at a ceremony to honour the graduating class at Motse wa Thsolofelo daycare and pre-school where I work, and I was instantly reminded of how lucky I am.
Motse wa Tsholofelo Orphan and Vulnerable Children daycare was established in 2000 as a response to the needs of orphans and other vulnerable children in Maun, surrounding villages and settlements. The project is community-based and operates under Maun Counselling Centre. The daycare looks after 52 HIV-affected children aged two to six years-old and their caregivers. It provides educational activities, psychosocial support, meals, caregiver support and home visits to families.
Motse has a huge impact on both the lives of the children who attend the daycare and their caregivers. At the centre, children learn to develop social and academic skills that will prepare them for their future - both in school and in the community. The daycare supports orphan and vulnerable children from some of the poorest and hopeless communities in the regions. They are malnourished, vulnerable to illness and generally "forgotten" children. The centre provides them with three meals a day, basic education and a chance to play in a safe and friendly environment. Children learn basic social skills and how to interact with others.
Being a part of Motse is easily one of the best parts of living in Maun. The kids are hilarious and greet me with giant smiles and loud screams. Since they come from some of the poorest families in the region, their parents have no means to provide them with school uniforms or school supplies.
In December, 30 of our students graduated to Standard 1 (grade 1). We had a graduation ceremony where the kids wore caps and gowns and each received a diploma. To better prepare them for Standard 1, we partnered with an organization called Bonepwa + to provide each graduate with a new backpack filled with supplies to help them continue their education. We held another ceremony in early January to hand out these gifts to the kids before school started.
It's moments like these that remind me that something so little like securing small funds for backpacks and school supplies make a huge difference in the lives of these kids. It's something to be proud of and it's a reminder that I'm doing some good here.
Below are photos from the graduation ceremony and the backpack ceremony.
The kids always put on a serious face whenever I try to take their photos. In an effort to make them smile, I place my fingers on either side of my mouth and show them how to smile. The photo above is the result: A bunch of kids with their fingers next to their mouth! At least the kid in the middle got it!
A graduating student receives her diploma from a volunteer teacher. Motse is run almost entirely by committed volunteers. The head teacher receives P2,000 (approximately $290 CDN) a month and the other teachers receive volunteer stipends of around $100 CDN/month.
A student patiently waits for his diploma.
One of the non-graduating students is all smiles during the graduation ceremony.
The backpacks I helped purchase with money from Bonepwa +.
The school supplies which will help our kids as they move on to Standard 1.
The kids explore the contents of their new backpacks.
My favourite little girl wears her best dress as she receives her new backpack.
