Florence's School; Oh, No, Please Don't Ask Me for MORE Money.....

[Guest]

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[Wood Fairy Glenda]

Dottie, Florence's school is on the outskirts of Kampala, the capitol.  I don't think there's a problem here.

[cpbailey]

About donating to the school, it is practical to let the school decide what it needs.  However, I think it is better marketing to let people know what she intends or hopes to buy.  It is easier to buy into things such as books, desks, paper or scholarships than a simple suggestion that it would be helpful.  If situations change (one of my loans the tv was stolen, so it made buying a video console for it useless), then the decisions can change.

Like Kiva, we like the story...tell the school's story, and I suspect there will be a larger amount of support. 

Colette

[KivanSteven]

Gosh Colette, I spent all day at work waiting to get home to post, quite literally, the same exact comment...way to go, thats excellent 

It is just like Kiva...we would want to hear and know what the money would go towards and therefore anyone we tell about Florence might feel more drawn in when they can visualize and understand the purposes and potential accomplishments of their donations.

[Odette]

Good point, Colette.  Compiling as much information about the school, it's needs and wants is a good idea.  Then we have a better picture of what we are donating for and also can shoot for a certain total in donations.

[KivanSteven]

This is somewhat related to this topic but I wanted to throw it in here since its tied in to Florence..just a random thought...it would be so incredible if we were able to gather a bit of profit from the calendars and create a grant fund through which we could draw from when the time and cause was right, much like we are, or I should say, will be doing for Florence and her college.  Just to establish a grant fund to support educational endeavors in the developing world that we are made aware of through Kiva loans...that is real empowerment and she would be the inspiration for it...it could be called the Florence Fund...or something or other...

[Peter S]

yes Steve, nice idea, that's something we might be able to aim for with the 2009 calendar...

anyway, back to Florence Kaluuba and Mirembe Community College..

I suggested earlier on that "pledges" could be made by PM to Jill - just a brief statement of the amount people envisage they would like to donate sometime in January.

Jill has told me that she's all posted out for the moment, so has asked me to say this on her behalf, that she's glad to do this, and keep tally of the pledges as they come in.  She'll be liaising with Drew Kinder the Kiva Fellow in Uganda, and it should generally be quite useful to know how much has been pledged overall.

Diane has kindly volunteered to handle the actual money transfer aspect - see earlier in this thread - and no doubt she'll be explaining the technicalities of all that when the time comes.

So, whoever would like to contribute, please send a PM to Jill, just briefly stating the amount you have it mind to give.  You can pledge any time between now and probably mid to late January when the funds transfer is likely to happen.

Peter

[Eli]

         
          Does anyone have any ideas, can you give me any guidance as to an INEXPENSIVE method for shipping boxes (and boxes) of books overseas, in this case, to Florence's school in Uganda?

A handful of years ago Sven adopted a school in a Africa that was to receive the old science textbooks from his students in his school.  After checking around, the Peace Corps volunteered to get the boxes of heavy books safely to their destination with their airplane full of trainees heading out, at no charge.  Of course we made a donation to the PC for their assistance.  I was the one that delivered them, and literally only had to take them a hop, skip, and a jump over the mountain and hand them off to a Peace Corps Volunteer that was to leave on his first assignment.  They asked him to oversee the project, and he was delighted.  It was easier than we ever imagined, we only needed to put them in boxes that were not too cumbersome to be respectful of the poor PC Volunteers lugging them half-way 'round the world.

[Jill]

           At 3 something, a little bit early on a Saturday morning even for this early-riser,
look what I just found adorning my e-mail inbox!     

Subject:      Mirembe School
Date:      Sat, December 22, 2007 3:07 am

Hello Jill,
 
Thank you for the e-mail and the encouraging comments at Kivafriends. I am happy to meet supportive friends, especially teachers like you.
 
I developed concern for young people who dropped out of school because they could not  afford fees, while others dropped out due to unwanted pregnancies. The school, to this day, offers psychotherapy counselling and vocational training for gainful employment. Up to 500 girls, 75% of whom are young mothers, have been trained and employed since 1996.
 
I read your comments on the article about the school and appreciate all your endeavours to assist the school. We shall continue sharing more about the girls and the school.
 
God bless you,
 
Florence
 
                                                                                         
                                                                                              Thanks, Florence, if you should happen to read this.
                                                                                              We will be in touch.
                                                                                              God Bless.....
                                                                               

[Jill]

            So, I was on my way, finally, back to bed after just now very happily posting the e-mail from Florence,
and I thought I'd check my e-mail just one more time, and I swear, this appeared in the few minute interim
it had been since I had just found the note from Florence......


Subject:      Re: [Kiva Blogs from the Field] Comment: "Mirembe Youth Development Project"
From:      "Drew Kinder" <drewkinder@gmail.com>
Date:      Sat, December 22, 2007 3:27 am

Great Jil.  I'm sure Florence will appreciate the contribution.  Why don't we plan on completing the wire transfer not later than the first week of Feb.   That will give me time to straighten out any problems and still ge the cash to Florence before I leave.
Merry Christmas,
Drew


                      All right, Kiddies, given what Drew just said (though I'll need to double-check this with Diane, later,)
                      Let's call January 31st, 2008 Our Deadline for Collecting Contributions for Florence's School.  ***

 
*** In the meantime, I'll try to get Florence's Wish List with approximate costs and additional information
about the school as a number of you have requested.

[Jill]

        Sorry about the 3 posts in a row, but I want to try to keep things as clear as possible:

       For now, anyone who wants to and who is able to contribute, as per Peter's reply #25, above,
please simply PM me with the amount you want to pledge.

     
       After the holidays, and after I talk with Diane about it, we'll firm up the means by which
you will be able to send your money.   I will post about that, or Diane will, as soon as it's been decided.

     
       Thanks to those of you who have already PM'd me with pledges.
The kindheartedness I've seen here at KivaFriends, whether or not exemplified in money pledges for a school on the other side of the world, well, it's one of the most special and most endearing aspects of this whole motley crew. 
I am a KivaFriend and I'm proud of it!

     
      I have also appreciated the suggestions I've received about how maybe to ship books over, inexpensively enough for it to be a feasible idea.  I hope more and more people will come up with suggestions.  There must be a way....


EDIT:  It feels really important to me that you all understand that I don't want anybody to feel obligated about this, or
         to feel bad/guilty/whatever if you are unable to contribute, or even, if this time around, you're just choosing
         not to contribute.  Everybody here has already shown, merely by supporting and loving Kiva and its entrepreneurs,
         his/her goodheartedness and caring for others in the world.  That's enough.   The rest is .... gravy.

                                                                                                                                     And now, good night....?