Third grade teacher Janny Caron matches students’ fundraising efforts to sponsor secondary education
Payette, Idaho, September 14, 2010 — Janny Caron of Middleton, Idaho, teaches third grade at Payette Primary in Payette, Idaho where she inspires students to support the Indigenous Education Foundation of Tanzania (IEFT). Caron found herself at an IEFT fundraiser in May of 2009 showcasing their vision to educate and support under-served Tanzanian children. Caron decided to approach her students to help raise funds and sponsor Samwel Kuresoi, a young student at Orkeeswa Secondary School in Lashaine Village, Tanzania.
Caron matches the monthly donations that her students raise to sponsor Samwel’s education and, though many of her students come from impoverished areas themselves, she wanted to use the support of Samwel to educate her students and help them appreciate the opportunities afforded them with free education in the U.S.
“My class was going to be studying Africa, so I thought it would be a marvelous opportunity for my young students to reach out to another student,” said Caron. “Hopefully, I have empowered the children with the idea that touching one life can ripple like water and create a chain reaction of hope and a future for others less fortunate.”
Samwel, the son of a farmer and an elderly mother, is the first of his nine siblings to attend secondary school. He likes Orkeeswa because the instructors teach as well as counsel and ask questions about problems in students’ lives. “All things that I missed at the other school, I found at Orkeeswa,” he said. Caron’s 23 students have studied Africa and learned about Samwel’s culture and are expanding their understanding of diversity.
IEFT will expand Orkeeswa Secondary School facilities until full build-out is reached in 2013. So far this year, IEFT has completed two new classrooms with two staff offices, a staff house, and received funding for two science laboratories and two staff offices. The construction of a 1,000-watt solar system also adheres to IEFT’s efforts to focus on sustainable infrastructure and the use of renewable energy resources in rural Africa, where access to electricity is also extremely limited.
September 13, 2010 marks the first day of classes for the new class at Orkeesaw Secondary School, when 35 students ranging in ages from 14 to 20 will begin English immersion classes. In order to continue to develop the school for new and current students, IEFT has an immediate need for energy efficient laptops for their solar-powered computer lab. IEFT would like to raise enough money to purchase 35 energy efficient laptops for Orkeeswa Secondary School.
IEFT’s Impact to Date:
115 – Total number of students attending Orkeeswa Secondary School in Lashaine Village since Open Day on April 14th, 2008!
1,000+ – IEFT volunteers, donors and sponsors joining together to make a difference!
120,000 – Liters of safe drinking water provided to students
70 – Goats donated to women’s micro-finance initiatives in the local community
1,020 – Wattage of solar system installed in June 2010 to bring electricity and light to classrooms
About the Indigenous Education Foundation of Tanzania (IEFT)
The Indigenous Education Foundation of Tanzania (IEFT) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community-collaborative organization that provides quality, affordable secondary education to under-served indigenous children in rural Tanzania. IEFT empowers children to positively transform their own lives, improve their communities and break the cycle of extreme poverty, while working to preserve their culture and traditions. Through the development of Orkeeswa Secondary School in Lashaine Village, IEFT provides secondary education to children who have little hope of continuing their education past primary school. The opportunity to receive further education is the key to escaping extreme poverty for students and their families. www.ieftz.org.
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http://www.ieftz.org/
