Hassiatou Karimou graduates from Terminale and becomes the first girl in Libore to graduate from the Amadou Madougou Secondary school
Hassiatou Karimou, is the first girl to graduate from the Amadou Madougou Secondary School in Libore! She has been a recipient of the P4K Scholarship sponsored by the Burlington Rotary Club. We are very proud of her achievement and this very special milestone. This year 72 girls were awarded scholarships by Pencils for Kids and all but 8 will be continuing with their education next year. As a result of the focus on additional tutoring provided by the scholarships, the community of Libore has a much higher rate of success for girls than its neighbouring communities that receive no such sponsorship.
We are hopeful that Hassiatou will be the first of many to go on to University and then give back to their communities. She is a role model for so many young women who never thought they would have the opportunity to go beyond grade 6. Now they know what is possible!
On Sunday, Pencils for Kids received the NGO of the Year award from Nations United, an organization dedicated to providing a platform for humanitarian causes. It was voted on by the public and is awarded to the NGO that people believe is an example for other NGOs to follow in terms of their practices. We are honoured and humbled by this award. It was an evening filled with humour, entertainment, and heartwarming stories. And it reminded us of how lucky we are to have been in the company of so many good organizations and people.
But how did we get there? So many people have impacted our journey for the past six years. Our P4K team has given countless hours of service, without ever seeking personal reward or recognition. Every member of our Executive brings their own special talents to the table day in and day out. An extraordinary group of caring, dynamic people.
Our colleagues at Pivot Design Group have treated this project as if it was their pride and joy from the very beginning of our association. I can’t even recall the number of times I have called, emailed and discussed website issues with Karen Ha, the person in charge of our file. She has always taken the time to explain, to perfect, to initiate and to innovate. The pivot team truly cares about the people in Niger and it reflects in their passion for the work. And it feels like only yesterday when Ian Chalmers said to me that he wanted his company, Pivot Design Group to be involved, to donate its time freely to P4K. Our website and communication materials speak volumes about their attention to detail and design. And they have always added their “heart” to the work at hand. Without a visual platform like www.pencilsforkids.com no one would know who we are. And they have never once asked for anything in return except to be part of the P4K effort. To every person at Pivot, a very special and heartfelt THANK YOU. Our award would not have happened without you.
Here is the acceptance speech from Sunday night, June 24th:
Six years ago we heard that 30 children were sharing one pencil in a community in Niger, West Africa, called Liboré. Our hearts broke, and we were moved to take action. “Let’s help one community educate their children”, we decided, and see if we can make a difference.
Despite barriers of language, culture, distance and safety, and with no knowledge of international development, we jumped in. As Ray Bradbury, the brilliant science fiction author once said, “Go to the edge of the cliff, jump off, and build your wings on the way down”. That’s what we did.
We are extremely grateful to Nations United for offering organizations like ours, and the other wonderful ones nominated tonight, a platform to speak and to be heard. Tonight, because of you, and all those who voted for us, the wings we have been building can soar to new heights. You honour us, just as we have tried to honour the people of Liboré.
The people of Liboré, are the genuine recipients of this award. They struggle to survive. To get food and water. To receive an education. They are participating fully in remaking their own future. Each school, kindergarten, farmers program or sewing centre has been conceived and built together. Kinder, wiser and more hospitable people I have yet to meet.
Your award of NGO of the year — recognizes that this is a team effort. And P4k is a team. A family. Entirely volunteer. Thousands have helped us give children in Niger a chance for a better life. Here with me tonight is Iffat from Pivot Design Group, the group that has so beautifully designed our website and communication materials, freely as volunteers. Thank you. And thank you to every single volunteer on our team. This is for you.
Finally, a huge thank you to our families — who have supported our efforts and commitment and loved the children in Liboré as much as we have.
Let me end with my favorite anonymous quote about a pencil:
A pencil maker told the pencil 5 important lessons just before putting it in the box :
He said:
Everything you do will always leave a mark.
you can always correct the mistakes you make.
what is important is what is inside of you.
in life, you will undergo painful sharpenings, which will only make you better.
The children of Parkland Players & Meadowbrook players have worked really hard the last several months to help raise $2619.00 for “Pencils for Kids” . Their Before & After School Care Children ages 5 -12 helped to paint & sell beautiful wooden art pieces as well as created unique beaded projects. The older children from the Before & After School Care program came up with the idea to sell the beaded projects to classmates, family members & community. They also started a“ Pencils for Kids” Charity Raffle where businesses in their community generously donated various prizes such as gift certificates or gift baskets ranging in values from $30.00 – $320.00
Through the help of their B/A School Care Children & parents as well as parents of their Infant &Toddler Group Daycare & Preschool Program , they were able to sell several hundreds of raffle tickets to family members, the community and family friends. Without the generosity of the families of the children in their programs, they would not have been able to reach their goal!
P4K is delighted to have the support of such an incredible group of people who jumped in to make a difference!!! As a result, a new kindergarten will be built in Sorey Bene, a village in Libore, and many children ages 3 -5 will now have the educational resources and opportunities to give them a head start in their schooling.
Congratulations to Parkland Players and Meadowbrook Players!
The P4K Markham Chapter at Markham District High School (MDHS) is raising its voice to make a difference in the global community by lifting children out of poverty through education. After learning that 30 children shared a single pencil in a classroom in Libore, Niger, the P4K Markham Chapter decided to take a stand using this video to signify the importance of education to the students at MDHS. Read the rest of this entry »
By providing classroom supplies, programs, libraries and schools to communities in need, Pencils for Kids works to create a world in which all children have the opportunity for an education.
