Hello my name is Sue Swing and I am a resident of Leslieville in Toronto, ON Canada. I am embarking on a life-long dream to make a difference for children in underprivileged communities in Africa.
My initiative is called Backpacks and Beyond and is a grassroots project whose focus is to provide educational resources and materials to several schools in the village of Azia, a rural community in Nigeria. The project goal is to put together 200 backpacks filled with school supplies, new or gently used, to deliver up to 5 primary schools for kids aged 6-12 before the start of the school season in September 2011.
I am seeking contributions from individuals and companies who share my vision of making a difference for those that have the least. I believe that small acts like these can change the world, and can certainly empower both the children and communities which they live in; not to mention the benefits experienced by those who kindly donate. My commitment to all donors is to provide follow-up regarding the impact of the program. We will be documenting the roll out with hopes to build its continuation from year to year.
I am well on my way to achieving my goal but still require donations of items such as the following: backpacks, binders, pencil cases, notebooks, and writing utensils. We’ve been in contact with the schools and the needs are many: new buildings, access to water, library resources and classroom furniture to name a few. We can make an immediate impact on their library resources through used book donations and other educational resources. Donations of used sporting goods such as soccer balls, footballs, or other games and toys are also easily shared amongst many.
Thank you kindly for your consideration and donations towards this initiative. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you further, or even pick up any items you would like to donate. Initiatives such as these take a sense of community, action and selfless contributions. Together we can make a difference.
Warmly,
Sue Swing
Backpacksandbeyond@gmail.com
