Donations Delivered!

 Today I want to thank all of the generous people who gave donations to my special little friends in Ghana. I hope these pictures make you as happy as you have made these children.

 Sunshine has a new home!

Billa chose Mary to receive the bunny from Marin in America because Mary has been such a good student and had the highest scores on her exams of any of the students in her grade. Billa believes that if the other children see Mary receive an award for her hard work it will encourage them to do the same.

  On the left is Marin, in her neighborhood in the suburbs of Washington DC. She is wearing her lacrosse uniform and holding Sunshine, the bunny she plans to give to Mary in Ghana. On the right is Mary, in her neighborhood outside of Accra, the capitol of Ghana. Mary is wearing her new lacrosse uniform and holding Sunshine, both gifts from Marin. Both are beautiful, sweet girls who lead very different lives. Marin attends a wonderful public school near her home. Mary's family cannot afford the minimal fees (approximately $50 a year) for her to attend her local public school so she takes classes at Future Leaders Underprivileged Children's Center. The goal of the center is to teach her basic reading and math until funds can be raised to send her on to public school.

Twins Melina and Teddy of Great Falls, Virginia went shopping with their mother to buy clothes and toys for Christabelle and Felix also 4 years old twins who attend school at Future Leaders.

Christabelle and Felix were a bit confused when I gave them these gifts. It took them a few minutes for them to realize that they were not just holding these things for a picture but they were theirs to keep. They live in the poorest of conditions and there is no money to buy a luxuries such as a doll. You can tell by the look on her face how much she loves the little doll that Melina named Rainbow.

I turned around after taking this picture to see an audience of other children probably wondering why the twins were getting these special things. This was a good time to pull out the fruit snacks and everyone else was happy.

More gifts in grateful hands. Asana got a backpack and Juliana got some new shoes.

The children learning with  the Leapsters and Leappads. I was so impressed with how quickly they learned because they had never used anything like this before. They were mesmerized. This will make learning to read while also learning English so much easier and more fun.

I have included the following pictures to give perspective on how helpful these supplies will be for the children. Future Leaders was started by one man, Billa Mahmud, who grew up like these children in this same community. The school is funded only by private donations, students use very basic learning materials like chalk tablets and notebooks that have been used by many other students before them. I will keep collecting used lap tops and learning games so don't throw anything away.

Thank you!!