Lindsey Hodgson, Lead Operative of Operation Sock Monkey. and a long time supporter of P4K,  sent greeting cards drawn by the children of Libore, Niger, to Melissa Farran, a teacher in Brooklyn, New York — and together with her class they have raised awareness and funds for Pencils for Kids, selling the greeting cards and other school supplies that have been donated!!! A gigantic thank you to Lindsey, Melissa and her entire class in PS  261 for the incredible efforts for Pencils for Kids and the children of Niger!!!

To read the full story, go to: http://www.operationsockmonkey.com/2013/05/06/kids-for-pencils-for-kids/ 

This past week 200 new soccer balls from One World Futbol arrived in Libore, Niger donated by P4K’s Soccer for Kids program run by Mike Mitchell. Through Mike’s incredible efforts the money to purchase 100 of these balls was donated, and the remaining 100 were generously given by the One World Futbol organization itself. THANK YOU ONE WORLD FUTBOL!!!  DHL was also generous with its shipping and enabled us to get them to the children of Libore in record time.  These are the most amazing balls — always inflated, never needing air. INDESTRUCTIBLE!!!!

Hamani Djibo holds up the new soccer ball and a “thank you” to One World Futbol!!!

Pencils for Kids is excited about the progress of our Farmers of the Future pilot in three schools – read about our community outreach efforts in the blog of our partners Eliminate Poverty Now, titled “Expanding the Community Reach of Farmers of the Future”!

Third year students design and sew beautiful dresses

We also visited the Coopers Sewing Centre and the girls are doing so well — there are separate areas for each of the three levels, and literacy and numeracy training as well.  The Cooper store continues to sell clothing made by the girls, and fabric and sewing notions, which helps to support the Centre.

The Cooper store and the manager who runs it!

In addition, as of 2012, the girls all pay a fee to enter the Centre.  Chairs made by the Handicapped Centre are rented out as part of a chair rental business and this income helps to support the Sewing Centre and programs. It has come a long way since we purchased four sewing machines a few years ago and is well on the road to self-sufficiency.

New site for the future Cooper Centre – Robin and Hamani

P4K also helped them purchase a tract of land for the future home of the Cooper Center – a centre that will be the home to the Cooper store, the sewing centre, to fabric dyeing, soap making and cooking in the future.  A true community centre and training place for women.

Cooper students also have literacy and numeracy training