end of summer update

At last I am able to bring you up to date with ABANA's news.
Donations have been trickling in slowly but steadily since April: we have sold all the bottles of Akabanga and now have a new supply to sell, thanks to Jean Marie Vianney. Once people have tried this wonderful almost pure chilli oil, they always want more it is quite addictive! We make a profit for ABANA which goes back into the charity and also helps JMV who is now studying at Kigali institute of Education and without us would have been unable to do anything.

Sonia sold some more of Valerie's wonderful earrings - this makes a profit for ABANA and helps Valerie who is now in her final year at catering college. When we knew her she had never even been  to secondary school and now she has a career before her.

One of my star students, Valens Nsengyumva, is now studying in the hotel trade. He is a brilliant boy who wanted to be a journalist, but in Rwanda you take what is offered- you can very rarely choose your course of study.

We are very happy to be sponsoring a new student - Mary Rose Nyiranzeyimana, Sister of Jean Bosco; part of the letter she wrote is reproduced here:

"My family have tried to find school fees in hard manner, but it seems like a mean of not to give up.
When i inspect well, I find that they have no capacity therefore I,m likely to drop again. My favourite person I want to be is a NURSE if possible. I will achieve it because I'm fond of chemistry and biology.
I really want to step in my Bosco's shoes - a hard working in my opinion.I think I have to believe that i wont be thrown out because of schol fees. I would do well and succeed better than expected. so if find me a sponsor, nothing wont pain again and therefore i could have a hope of better life in future..." 



It is always good to sponsor a girl in Rwanda, because as i have said before, girls very rarely push themselves forward. One of our students - Marie Aimee, is being sponsored for the whole year this year.

Plans for October? Sonia is organising a halloween event in Derby and here in Carnforth we are planning a coffee morning and raffle and also an ongoing quiz.

If you read this blog and feel there is anything you would like to do to raise money for ABANA, please let me know. Your generous gesture can change a life forever. thank you

Whats been happening since October?!

Where does the time go?

Last time I updated the blog, James was about to start his epic cycle from John o' Groats to Lands End. Unfortunately, his friend dropped out and by the time he reached Preston his knee had given out completely. it was still an amazing thing that he did and he raised £60 for ABANA and plans to complete the journey one day soon.
Bad news from Comic Relief - they turned down our request for a grant to build sports' facilities at the school on the grounds that the project wasn't sustainable. I wont give up though there are many other large charities I intend to turn to - the school needs so much. The trouble is, applying for a grant is so time consuming!
The school has now sent me a series of smaller projects and a strategic plan which we might be able to obtain some help with;
We have continued to sell the wonderful Akabanga - via Ebay and also I was allowed to sell some at Lakeland where we raised £25 and at the school in Blackpool where I have just done a terms' work, I raised a further £45.

The wonderful Sonia has just completed a 10k run and she has raised the amazing sum of £150 and counting!!
Valerie, one of our students in Rwanda has just sent some more lovely earrings for us to sell.
I recently had a rather significant birthday and several friends donated money to ABANA to mark it - I am so grateful to everyone who takes the time to find out about us and help us; The smallest amount of money can do so much;.
We are now able to help a number of students who would otherwise be unable to continue with their education and whose only alternative would be to stay at home and help their families to subsist.
All the students that we help are so grateful for what we are doing - they dont take anything for granted and in fact they work as hard as they possibly can to show us how grateful they are. They know that there are many people thinking about  them and this gives them confidence and a feeling of self worth which many rwandans dont have.
Here is part of a letter from Jean Bosco Nzeyimana from April 4th:
i really appreciate how your presence comfort me and I will never cease to thank all those generous people who have accepted to do something.I can stand somewhere and say something, this is because of people like you and my parents who didnt give up to give me a hope
April is a very sad time in Rwanda - the anniversary of the 1994 Genocide and I know that every single Rwandan is suffering in some way. This years' theme for the commemoration of the Genocide is -
LET'S LEARN FROM OUR HISTORY TO BUILD A BRIGHT FUTURE   

ABANA with your help is helping them to do this    THANK YOU
www.charitygiving.co.uk/abana