I have now got an official letter so that I can take the torch with me to Sierra Leone and show the girls and I know they will be very excited. They will be able to have their moment to shine too as if it was not for our Maronka girls and the nomination by John below I would not have had the opportunity to carry the torch myself. For all of you not on Facebook, here's a selection of happy torch photos on the day (Kaylem is taking his pose very seriously)
Lots of things are happening in Maronka; Isata is going to University to study Development Studies in October so we have 2 new women to take Isata's place Marian and Isatu, who are both settling in well. We have 4 new volunteers from the Peace Corps staying in Maronka to support the summer camp activities.
The bicycle project is underway in Maronka, a big thank you to Jack from Ghana Bikes and Isata and Cobra for all their hard work in getting this off the ground.
We are entering into a partnership with House of Beth to teach some of our older girls dressmaking skills and we are hoping to sell the dresses they make in the UK, whilst making a donation to a charity that supports anti-trafficking of women and girls so this is a very interesting and exciting project.......more news to follow soon.
Irena came for a month to do a photography project and spent some time in Maronka, the girls loved it and I am reliably informed that Irena is still going through the thousands of photos taken in Sierra Leone and may be doing this for some time. A fantastic project Irena and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Fullwoood Primary School ran a fund-raisng event where the children went through an obstacle course to get them thinking about all the obstacles the children in Sierra Leone have to go through on a daily basis, they raised a massive £492.00 for EducAid. A Big Thank you to all the children at Fullwood Primary School but a special thank you to Heather and her mum Mandy.
Finally remember the ever imminent bike ride......I have now got my bike, a big thank you to Pam Caddow and especially for the jelly seat, so the training has begun and the sponsorship is going well but we could always raise more. I do have just one teeny weeny complaint, I don't like it when you sponsor us anonymously as I want to be able to thank you personally and I am very nosey too. I guess I better not complain and just say thank you to all those that remain anonymous for now!
Please sponsor the EducAid bike ride by clicking on this link
http://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/annbeatty1
If you are interested in knowing more about EducAid's work with vulnerable young people, please go to
You can keep up with the currrent news and activities at the EducAid Face Book website:
