Miss Vicky's Children's Education Fund: March 2009

Mission Statement

The mission of Miss Vicky's Children's Education Fund is to finance the airfare from NYC to Cape Town, South Africa for at least one American teacher to donate his/her tutoring services each summer for several weeks to the children and mothers in Khayelitsha Township District "C" and to provide classroom instruction in the local public school to facilitate a learning environment focused on the improvement of overall literacy. Any additional funds raised will be used to establish a dedicated school library for "C" District. Eventually the hope is to provide each child with a school back pack filled with school supplies and their own reading book during the Holidays.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Update on Fundraising and Teacher Status

Friends:

I am so proud to announce the official opening of a non-profit to assist Miss Vicky in her endeavors to improve the current 50% literacy rate in her District in Cape Town. As many of you know, I participated in a MGMA (Medical Group Management Association) professional trip to view the medical arena in Johannesburg and Cape Town. A side trip to Miss Vicky's B & B impressed me so much with her efforts to improve the living conditions of District "C." This non-profit was established to assist the township residents gain higher educational levels and thus, occupational avenues to pull their families out of poverty.

Tanya, a Council Rock School District teacher (my home district) will be flying over on July 19th to begin her 3 week teaching experience. Tanya has the support of her fellow district teachers who are collecting school books to facilitate learning. The students will undergo evaluations upon Tanya's arrival and departure. The 2010 teacher will also evaluate to ensure that our efforts have value. These statistics will be posted on the blog site. Tanya will be posting frequently during her stay as well.

Tanya's round trip flight is just under $2000.00 and she will live at Miss Vicky's B & B. The Board would greatly appreciate a donation in whatever amount you can afford in this very difficult economic climate. Your donation is tax deductible.

http://missvickyschildrenseducation.blogspot.com/

In advance, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and prayers for this worthy cause.

Sincerely,
Debra Lynn Marra

Vusamanzi Primary School

Vuzamanzi Primary is in Site C in the Khayelitsha informal settlement. First established in 1985, the school has served the community as a community hall for meetings and a hiding place from police raids at the height of the apartheid era as well as a place to educate the youth. Over 75% of the parent community of Vuzamanzi Primary are unemployed and illiterate, many eeking out a living in the informal sector where they sell fruit and sweets at the taxi rank and station. Naturally, there is a high percentage of non-fee payment by these parents who simply cannot afford school fees and the school has now been identified as a pilot school for the no payment of school fees in the Western Province.