A New Roof on the Preschool!

For years now we have had constant problems with the roof at Preschool leaking. Although many attempts have been made to patch the offending areas rain still seemed to seep through into the school. This caused extensive disruption to lessons as the water flooded the main classroom.

Now I am so thrilled to say that we have a brand new roof! This was paid for by the general funds of our Sponsor a Child scheme. The new roof brings with it many benefits including the obvious lack of disruption to classes. Volunteers can now paint the interior of the preschool (something that is already well under way) without having to repaint in a few months time to cover the water damage. CARE have been very kind in donating some beautiful wooden tables and chairs which we can store without the worry of them becoming damaged by the water.

Seventeen Children Sponsored!

Through our charity, The Happy Africa Foundation we have our Sponsor a Child (SAC) programme which has gone from strength to strength. We have 17 children sponsored who all (but one) attended Preschool and now roughly half have graduated to Primary School.

To begin with we had four children sponsored, however the popularity of the scheme has been fantastic and we have had a steady increase in donors coming forward. We started meeting last September at the Preschool and have since met on the second Sunday of every month. We sit with the parent, relative or guardian and establish the needs of the child that month.

Donations can range from a blanket or mosquito net to school uniform and food packages but sadly not a house, which has been asked for! This is also a time when health issues are raised and the appropriate treatment is either bought for the next meeting or more immediate aid is given.

We have been having trouble with attendance so now our meetings will take place every two months. This means that the families are not so disrupted (they can attend church and do farming) and a larger, more substantial donation is given.

Since we started SAC we have given, amongst other things, the following items: Mats, blankets, mosquito nets, toothbrushes, toothpaste, Vitamin C & B, Multi Vitamins, basic first aid, school uniforms, rucksacks, pens and pencils, clothes, food packages and much, much more.

To find out more contact Lucy Pollock - lucy@africanencounter.org

www.happyafricafoundation.org

Sponsor a Child!

Hurrah! Sponsor A Child is up and running in Mozambique!

Inacio Lorenzo's Sponsorship Profile

We here on the ground have selected a group of about 15 children to be eligible for sponsorship that are particularly vulnerable based upon concerns about their health or their family's ability to provide for them adequately. We know these children and their families through the preschool and Bairo Desse, the zone in which our camp is located.

We have chosen to launch SAC with the children that we feel are most in need of immediate support. Once these children have all been sponsored, we plan on making sponsorship available for all of the children at the preschool. However, it's our priority to get this first group of children sponsored!

Once a child is sponsored, we will use the funds to provide them with 1 year’s education, 2 x school uniforms, 2 x school shoes, 1 x school sweater, 1 x raincoat, health checks, a year’s supply of vitamins B and C, text books and a stationery pack. Funds for sponsorship are moved through the Happy Africa Foundation, our sister charity based in the UK. We have chosen to move donations through the HAF in order to keep it separate from the money that goes towards the general operations of camp and the projects. That means that if you sponsor a child, your donation will go directly to the child you have sponsored.

Here is the link for Sponsor A Child in Mozambique with the Happy Africa Foundation.

If you have any questions about sponsorhip or would like to sponsor a child, please email Lucy, the head of the Happy Africa Foundation, at lucy@africanencounter.org