A blog to track the setting up, running and day to day life of the
Maronka Girls' Safe House in Sierra Leone.
This blog will track the ups and downs,
the challenges and achievements as this project is brought to reality.
After 2 days of hard graft integrating all our ideas for the project and catching up with each others' developments, we had the best BBQ: apple and blackberry cake and chocolate cherries are the best!! We had a variety of weird and wonderful meats, venison, bison and ostrich, not just sweeties
The sun was shining until late into the evening and the Caipoeira demonstrations held us in awe, courtesy of the boys; Kofi, Kaylem and Kharmani and of course Sienna who was determined to get involved.
Seriously though, what we had was the opportunity to meet like minded people who want to support the Maronka Girls' Safe House and the ideas were flowing on Friday evening. Despite the recent riots with people looting portrayed in the media, there are still loads of giving and kind hearted people here who shared their ideas with us and offered support for the project.
In December we have Jane coming out to share her skills and experience with us and Rebecca will be joining Educaid to carry out training for some staff and senior students;
We have over 50 new dresses sewn for our girls;
Several people have offered to speak to their organisations, churches and local communities about our project to gain support;
The Amazon wishlist has had over 80 items purchased since Friday;
Many people have sponsored a starter kit and box-seat;
Several offers of sponsorship for students;
A potential fundraiser from December 2011;
Everyone offered to go out and spread the word about the Maronka Girls' Safe House and to support us where possible.
We have produced a powerpoint presentation and a selection of fundraising materials to promote this project, if you would like a copy or you know someone who would be interested in supporting the project through volunteering, sponsorship or you have ideas to support us please get in touch.
Ann & Miriam
If you would like to sponsor a box-seat and starter kit: box, toiletries, stationery, cup, mug, spoon, etc - please donate £40 using the details on the donate page on the educaid website or use the charity choice button at the side of this post. It is all about making each little girl, resident in the home, feel special and valued as an individual.
In 2007 I was lucky enough to take a sabbatical from my work and I spent a month in Sierra Leone, teaching at the Rolal school, through Miriam and EducAid. Standing up to teach English in front of 50+ children was not the easiest but it was the most satisfying thing I had done in a very long time.
I also gained a good insight into the country through the pupils at the Freetown school who guided us through different places, Kroo Bay, Congo town, Moa Wharf and other deprived areas of Freetown.We had the opportunity to visit other charities and see their work and without saying anything detrimental about the other charities we visited in Sierra Leone I believe EducAid is having the most impact by far on peoples’ lives. All the money donated goes to the project on the ground. They provide 100% free education in 5 schools in Freetown and the provinces.
When we returned to the UK, Rudolph and I decided to set up a charity HOPE - Helping other people’s education and to fundraise to build a well in Maronka; the children were walking many miles and many hours each day to get water for the village. The well cost £3000, and we raised that in under 6 months. We are also sponsoring a young man to train as a doctor.The money it takes to sponsor this man each year is less than most of us spend on Christmas presents each year and I find that incredible that I can help someone to attain his / her dream so easily.
Although I did not know what I wanted to do with my future I decided to take a year out to travel, (my other passion) so I left my job after 23 years working in social housing and put my worldly possessions in storage and embarked on travelling here and there and I had a great time gadding about.
I planned to go to South America in September this year and in April whilst I was making the most of my free time visiting Cornwall I got chatting to Miriam and she told me about this fantastic idea she had of setting up the safe house in Maronka and asked me if I would like to come out and set it up. Miriam has a great sales pitch and she convinced me it would be better than bumming about sipping cocktails in South America for 6 months and to her surprise I agreed with her so that's my story and now the future is about the girls..............
I know this project will have a huge impact on these young girls’ lives and it fits in nicely with my other passion of mentoring and coaching people to attain the best they can in this lifetime. I believe I can make a difference in terms of building the girls’ self esteem, giving them love, education and a passion for learning and living the best life they can and as much as I have to offer in terms of skills and experience I know that I have lots to gain from this too!
If you know anyone who would like to support this project in terms of volunteering, funding or any other idea you my have please get in touch.............
It's less than 3 weeks until I head out to Sierra Leone on 4th September so if you were thinking about purchasing an item you better be quick and click on the amazon wishlist
The wishlist enables our supporters to purchase items for the girls safe house so please pass this onto friends and colleagues who may want to support us.
Items range from £1.99 up to £50 so please do purchase something if you can as every little helps to make the safe house a comfortable and learning environment for the girls.
To everyone who has purchased items already Thank you so much, I have just packed up another parcel today of books to come with me on the 4th September, stay tuned for regular updates over the coming months.
Thank you again for all your support, this dream has become a reality thanks to your kind generosity, if you know anyone who might want to support us by volunteering, sponsorship or in ways that we haven't yet thought of please pass your thoughts and ideas to us.
Ann x
If you would like to sponsor a box-seat and starter kit: box, toiletries, stationery, cup, mug, spoon, etc - please donate £40 using the details on the donate page on the educaid website or use the charity choice button at the side of this post. It is all about making each little girl, resident in the home, feel special and valued as an individual.
Ann Beatty creating order out of the chaos of my flat, is making packs of information and fund-raising ideas for our get together this evening. Assorted dynamic women are assembling at 20 Craster Road to share ideas about how to support the Girls' House and keep it sustainable.
The packs are nearly ready and the bbq and chilli are all but ready. The chocolate cherries are in the fridge and the wine is ready for uncorking.
