A Season of Thanksgiving: As the year draws to a close, this is a great time to think back and give thanks. We can always find reasons to be thankful - the least of which is that we are still alive and breathing. While there will always be things we wish we could change, we can all be thankful for the little things in life and maintain a spirit of gratitude to all who have contributed to our lives in one way or the other - not just in this year, but also in previous years.
Throughout the year we receive messages of gratitude from beneficiaries saying how much they deeply appreciate your kind assistance provided in terms of volunteering, coordination, donations, moral support etc. Together as a team we have touched many lives this year and I wish to say a big "Thank You" to all of YOU for your sacrifice of time and resources. As you have brought hope and joy to many lives, may you experience joy and many, many reasons to be thankful!
Happy Thanksgiving, Harvest Time and Best wishes
-The Develop Africa Team
Featured: #GivingTuesday - a Great Way to Help Make a Difference and Increase Your Impact
100% Donation Match on GivingTuesday by Microsoft - Double Your Donations Next Tuesday - Mark Your Calendar!
Develop Africa is delighted to be a partner with GlobalGiving and Microsoft in the Give For Youth Initiative. Give for Youth is a micro-giving marketplace where you can fund and follow youth around the world.
Next Tuesday, November 27th 2012, Microsoft is matching donations made to our microprojects at 100% till funds run out ($100,000). Matching starts at 9:00 EST Time and matching is applied at 100% for every $1 up to $1,000 per donor per microproject.
Give for Youth is part of Microsoft YouthSpark, a company-wide initiative to create opportunities for 300 million youth around the world over the next three years. Microsoft YouthSpark empowers youth to imagine and realize their full potential by connecting them with greater opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship, helping them create a real impact for a better tomorrow.
Through this initiative, you will be able to donate towards the specific needs of specific youth. You will also receive a progress report seeing the impact of your donation. Read More:
Preparing Rising Leaders For a Better Future
Here is a feel-good report that we just received from Freetown: "Thanks be to God for Develop Africa and its donor partners who have brought hope and dignity to the lives of many children and their families. Sponsorships from your generous donations continue to help children in Sierra Leone to forge ahead with their education and prepare them for a brighter future. Indeed without your sponsorship, many of these children would never have darkened the walls of schools, whiles very few would barely have made it at primary level.
Students and their families are deeply grateful to donors who have opened a door of hope for them. Indeed your sponsorship is a lifelong assistance to the children and Sierra Leone as a whole. May God richly bless you all as you strive to develop our children into useful citizens." Read More:
Our Computer Trainee Show Us How to Format Text - Proof of Training Effectiveness
We are delighted to share with you a video from the Develop Africa computer lab where one of the girls - Josephine, walks us through what she has learned - how to open a document and format text. At what age did you learn how to format text - making it bold, change the size and color? In the video, Josephine proudly shows us what has she has absorbed, skillfully demonstrating her knowledge.
Background information about Josephine: Josephine is a pupil at the FAWE primary school. Her favorite subject is English Language and her hobby is reading novels. She wants to be a banker when she grows. Her father is deceased and she has four sisters, three brothers. One of her uncles is a baker and the main provider of the home with monthly income of $100 - not enough to cover the basic needs of the home. Josephine wanted to become computer literate as this will help prepare her for her chosen career as a banker. Read More:
Vitamin Supplements to Help Build Stronger, More Disease-Resistant Bodies
It's a delight be a part of helping to better the life of children in a practical way. This report talks about 3 children that have received vitamin supplements. Health and nutrition are so very important and this is in the news almost every day. We all need to ensure we get a balanced and healthy diet and this is true everywhere, including in Africa and particularly for children. The nutritional supplements that we together provide helps ensure that the children get the essential nutrients that their growing bodies need. Read More:
Trip Report - Visit to Develop Africa's Empowerment Training Institute and Door of Hope
A visit was made to the Develop Africa’s Empowerment & Training Center and Door of Hope in Wellington in July. Develop Africa’s Empowerment and Training Center at Door of Hope is a multi-purpose building / facility which on completion will include a vocational skills training school, a computer lab and other relevant facilities. Dr. Jasmine Renner gave a brief talk to the vocational skills training students, children of Door of Hope, teachers and staff. She encouraged them to be diligent in their business, to think creatively and to press to new heights of excellence in vocational and skills training. The children of Door of Hope and students of the vocational skills center were very excited to receive Dr. Jasmine Renner and displayed banners welcoming her and announcing their appreciation for all Develop Africa has invested into the community. Read More:
With the best of wishes...
Sylvester Renner and The Develop Africa Team
Families in Sierra Leone face unprecedented challenges due to rising costs. Inflation makes it difficult for them to afford basic food staples such as rice, cooking oil, and onions.
Extending a helping hand can alleviate a significant burden and provide essential relief to the less fortunate.
