I found out yesterday that my grant has been approved for a girl's empowerment/HIV education camp this coming summer (Or...winter...June. Whatever). I'm so, so excited, not least of all because this was the first major grant that I've written and it was accepted on the first attempt. I've asked for a little under $3,000 American to fund 4 days at a youth hostel in Kruger Park (!). We're going to spend time with 24 12-16 year old girls from my village to discuss things like gender roles, self-esteem, life goals, relationships, and of course HIV and how it is effected (affected? whichever) by all of the above. I'm ecstatic, and I feel like this is something that really has a chance of helping girls in my village.
As far as my other project goes, I sent out 11 letters last week requesting book donations from various philanthropies and NGOs throughout the world (though mostly the US and UK). Hopefully we'll start hearing back from them soon. Would anybody out there in the US like to do a book drive with me? (Mom? Ed'd? Kate and band-uh!?). This is going to be the only accessible library for 20 miles -- which actually translates to about 2.5 hours. Which, of course, actually translates itself to inaccessibility. My dream is sections of books in SiSwati, Xitsonga, and English. Children's books, novels, books for adult literacy programs, pamphlets and information on health and agriculture, resource and textbooks for learners to do research projects and papers. I want lots of shelves and comfortable chairs and a computer with internet access. I want this to be a place where both kids and their parents can come to spend a few hours just enjoying the written word, or learning something new, or...whatever.
Is this ambitious? Incredibly so. But if there is one thing I've been passionate about my entire life its books and literacy and I can't imagine a better windmill to start tilting at.
Wish me luck, friends.
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