Wish list

I'm another year older today - it's hard to believe my 30th birthday party is already 365 days ago! Apart from a night out yesterday I'm not planning on celebrating much, but I do have a wish list... Selecting which projects at Pipeline IDP Camp need assistance most has been quite tricky, but after more than one month of observing and working with the community, I feel confident that the following causes are worthy of financial support:

Income-generating groups: So far I've met with over a dozen of the camp's income-generating groups and all of them are trying to find ways to make their business profitable. Whether they breed rabbits, keep chickens, grow mushrooms, create jewellery or make fireless cookers, all of these people are hoping that their communal venture will be a way to self-sufficiency. They're not quite there yet unfortunately, because most groups have suffered setbacks (diseases, failed crops etc) and need a financial push to get going again. More detailed info about the groups I'd like to sponsor is coming soon.

ECD lesson material: Since starting work as "Teacher Inga" at the camp's pre-school I've noticed a chronic lack of teaching resources and lesson material. Not only do 3/4 of the children sit on plastic chairs with no desks, but the teachers are using the tent canvas as a blackboard & an old jumper as a wiper! Apart from these logistic challenges, the top class teachers don't have the necessary books to prepare the pupils for their entry into primary school. Sure, the kids can sing the 'ABC' song and count until 100, but that's about it. After asking the head teacher what lesson material is needed most, she named 'Sound and Read, Volume 1' as a very useful book. Each copy costs 150 Shilling (2.5 NZD) and they need about 60 of them = 155 NZD

'Rebuilding Lives' housing project: Lauren McCahon from GVN New Zealand started this project in May 2009 after seeing the torn and dilapidated UN tents the people at Pipeline continue to live in. Proper shelter is a pressing issue here so GVN is now raising funds for permanent housing, with each metal sheet building costing 605 USD = 850 NZD. More info and a video can be found here

Secondary school fees: mentioned in my blog post on 1 July.