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When
we arrived at the Nyato Nursery School, the children, dressed in green
and pink uniforms, started gathering to begin their day in their newly
built school. Naturally, as a mother of two boys, my heart went
out to
the children. However, the teachers' sincerity and enthusiasm
about the
pen pal program and the artwork the American children had drawn equally
impressed me.
The
students at Bowen Elementary, Sister Clara Muhammad, and Roots
Activity Center in Washington, D.C. had drawn the pictures. Port of
Harlem, provided the supplies to all four
schools and started the pen pal program to give children on both sides
of the Atlantic:
- a
positive
experience with communicating
with other African people
- encouragement
to become globally
aware
- an
opportunity to express themselves
through art and/or writing
Since the Gambian
government provides little funding for education, most schools,
including this one, depend on private funds. What impressed me
the
most was the cost of tuition. The cost of a child's education for a
year is less than the price of one of my son's electronic games. So,
naturally my first thought was how can I help?
You
can join Port of Harlem with sponsoring a child's pre-K
through 2nd grade education for only $99! We will provide you the
child's name, birthday, parent's name and yearly updates on the
student's progress. Early next year, we will also provide you a
picture
of the child. I also invite you to join Port of Harlem
as we visit The Gambia and the child you sponsor in January/February
2007.
Why
this school? This partnership is the result of a more
than decade old friendship between the publisher of this magazine and
Suwareh Jabai, a Board member of the school. To pay on this website
using your
personal check or credit card, click here,
or send $99, indicating whether you want to sponsor a male or female, to
Port of Harlem; 3215 W Street, SE; Washington, D.C. 20020-3364.
Note: Woodward
wrote this article in 2003. We have since updated it.
|
 Some of the students at
the Nyato Nursery School |
