Some Highlights of 2014.

Highlights from 2014

We got our first large donation from a foundation! Now we are well on the way to buying the land for a school for these children. Billa has friends like me in the UK, Norway, Germany and the Netherlands all trying to help! It is a small world after all. 

Now all of these children come to his center every day. Here they are
standing on the land where he plans to build a school.

Billa started teaching 5 kids under
this Mango tree in 1995.

Also in 2014, I traveled to Kenya and visited the Mogra orphanage and school, I was so impressed with them that I have added them to our network of worthy causes to help.

We sent a motor scooter to Future Leaders UCC in Teshie, Ghana.

Here I am giving Daniel the scooter to ship.. 

Billa will use the scooter to get around and visit the ladies 
who have received micro loans.

and found a wheel chair for Kwadwoa's sister in a village near Kumasi Ghana.

We sent pencils to the young children at Mogra Star Academy the Mathare slum of Nairobi, Kenya.

and a computer to for the students at Mogra Star Academy,

800 children attend school in the Nairobi slum and there was not One single computer. Now they have Two. I hope to find a generous computer company to donate enough for a computer class. That will really make a difference in the lives of these children. 


and diapers for the babies at the orphanage

.We collected sewing machines from friends for the vocational sewing center at Future Leaders.

Anne Marquis just kept showing up day
with more great stuff.

Here women learn a trade for free and are required to pass it and empower other women in their community.

What started as one phone call to rescue textbooks from the recycle bin at a local elementary school grew and grew until my garage was packed full of donations bound for Africa. One schools trash is another schools treasure.

 It took a village (or a neighborhood) to get everything sorted boxed and delivered.

My neighbor Tom Smith loaned his truck.

During the summer our network of volunteers grew into a team of angels collecting donations.

Retired school teacher Marge Buzelli found school supplies.

Oakton teens helped sort through clothes.

Gail bought school supplies and sewing notions.

Before long I was getting calls from several Fairfax County public schools to pick up their lost and found items.

Carloads full at each school. Now I had more than I could use for the shipment to Africa so......

Light weight clothes went to Africa, Some coats went to The Closet in Reston, Virginia which helps needy families. Mof the warm coats went to help refugee families arriving from Darfur. It is pretty cold here in the winter compared to East Africa.

 Sameaia, pictured here,  even took some school supplies with her to a village school in Sudan. The network is growing and growing and growing!

TaDa...everything arrived safe and sound in West Africa!

I found these promotional back packs at a
school lost and found.

The kids in Ghana got them for awards. 

I 

Here the sewing machines are getting a tune up before the
women at the sewing center put them to use.

More pictures to come! Boy this blogging takes time and there is so much to do.....Happy New Year!

If you would like to donate for a 2014 tax deduction, here is the paypal link or send a check to Painting Brighter Futures- IWDC at 3113 Fox Mill Rd, Oakton, Va 22124