One common dream!

I just watched an awesome documentary on Netflix, the other night, called "on the way to school".  My nephew, Kurt, text me, said he was watching it, thought of me and told me I should watch it. Thanks, Kurt, for thinking of me.  I  truly connected to this documentary because I have seen this, first hand, on my many visits to Africa. I highly recommend it and it is a must watch with your children.

It's about four children from four different countries and their grueling  journey's on the way to school. One from Kenya,  one from Morocco, one from Argentina and one from India. These children travel from 2 miles and 1 1/2 hours, to 13 1/2 miles and 4 hours, just to get to school each day.  Although it's not always a glorified journey, they get up each morning and do it all over again. Four different journey's but one common dream!  

On our way to school at 5:30 am, in the rain.

To go to school, to put on a uniform, and to sit in a classroom, truly is a privilege for some children around the world. I think, too often, we forget here in Canada, just how  blessed we are, to go to school! I think sometimes we take for granted, what others find a true blessing and a gift.
Watching this documentary brought back so many memories that not only put a smile on my face but brought tears to my eyes. 

our 3 km journey to school in the rain

a neighbour stops to give us a ride so we don't have to walk!

big smiles on our way to school

a 3km walk and now the bus is stuck...

Elly

Here is just one example of how one family changed the life of one young boy named Elly. I met Elly and his family 5 years ago when he was just only one year old. Friends of mine, Cianna, her Mom, Marilyn and her grandma, Jean, came to Tanzania 3 years ago to visit with me. They instantly fell in love with this cute little neighbour boy, Elly and Cianna and her family decided they wanted to sponsor him. He could not speak a word of english nor could his Mama or Baba. Now, Elly can't wait to get up in the morning, put on his uniform and run out the door with his big smile, down that dirt road to school. He loves school! He is thriving at school! He has straight A's and is so proud of it. 

When I visited this last time Elly couldn't wait to invite me to his home to show me his report card. Elly, at the age of eight, can now carry a conversation in both english and swahili and is teaching his Mama and Baba Ernest to speak english as well. This family is truly grateful for this gift of education. Elly's father told me it was the greatest gift anyone could have given him, an education for his son.

We now have 25 children that are being sponsored to go to school, in Tanzania. Sixteen of them are from Karim Orphanage and nine are the neighbourhood children. Our oldest girl, Salma, just graduated and will soon be off to College. There are still so many more children on the streets and in the neighboring communities of Tanzania that have never seen the inside of a classroom, and they all have one common dream!

I truly want to thank all of you, my family and friends, who sponsor these children and donate to the Education Fund to help make their dreams become a reality. 

To those of you who want to change a life and give a child an opportunity to sit in a classroom,  please contact me at 
403-795-2261 or email me at lizkinnell@hotmail.com
An Education, is the best gift you can give a child. Educate a child and you will educate a community!

Better yet, travel to beautiful Tanzania, Africa and visit our Children's Centre and School and see it all first hand. It will be a life changing experience. Contact me or Bridges of Hope if you are interested in travelling to Africa.

*Don't forget to watch the documentary "on the way to school"with your children and remind them, just how blessed they are to be going to school.

Mama Linda
Tanzania Project Manager
Bridges of Hope