I have a great project for your club.
On June 15th of this year I was contacted by Linda Greenberg from Annapolis, Md. She works with a homeless charity ( http://www.homelessdrive.com/ ) and a Uganda charity ( http://www.4uganda.org/ ). She has arranged for two kids from Uganda to be accepted to the Scattergood Friends School ( http://www.scattergood.org/ ) in West Branch, IA beginning with the next school year. She has worked with Kiwanis Clubs in the past and contacted me as a current Lt Governor and President of my club. She is working with the local Rotary club in Uganda to help the kids get ready.
Brian is a 16 year old boy abandoned by his father and Fortunate is a 15 year old girl. A Kiwanian travel agent estimates $2500 per each child for travel expenses to Iowa. Iowa’s Scattergood Friends School has generously offered scholarships to allow each of them to attend for $2365 per child instead of the normal $20,000 per year. Since it is a boarding school, the tuition includes room and board. Linda thinks an additional $600 per child will cover the rest of their expenses for the year.
Right now these kids have nothing. They wear clothes that are left by the tourists that come to see the silverback gorillas that live near them. Yet Brian has started a “kindness club” where once a month they get together and do something nice for a needy person. Linda said their last project was helping a woman in her 80’s. She lives in a rundown shack that is miles from the nearest water. They carried water to her and helped fix up the shack.
I told Linda that I would try to help her get the kids here and pay for their education. This is a big challenge, but could be an extremely rewarding project for all involved. I need to raise $5000 before August 22 for their travel costs and $4750 for tuition for the first year. I don’t know yet the specific date that the tuition will be due. The extra $1200 for living expenses will probably be needed soon after their arrival as well.
This is my plan:
- Find 25 clubs or individuals that would be willing to donate $200 before August 22nd. This should cover travel expenses in time to get them here for the start of the school year.
- Find 30 clubs or individuals that would pledge $200 per year beginning now and commit to a total of 4 years to cover their tuition. The Hiawatha-CREW Kiwanis club and Marion Metro clubs have already pledged $200/year so, technically, I only need 28 more.
These kids deserve our help. They have the potential to become adults who can help their country balance the needs of the people and the needs of the beautiful animals that surround them.
If you or your club would like to help please contact me soon. I must have a majority of the funding in place by the end of July. Donations/pledges of any amounts will be greatly appreciated.
Thank-you for your consideration.
Byron Tabor, Lt. Governor
Division 9 – Nebraska-Iowa District
319-310-7821 or btabor@member.kiwanis.org