African Children’s Choir perform to raise funds.

Today I came across this fascinating story by Angella Wollen in the Sun News, which I thought I must share with you.

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In February 2011, Thirteen Ugandan children started their travel though the Southeast states of the U.S in the quest of raising the support they need for their education.

The children, ages 7 to 11, are part of the African Children’s Choir. Scheduled to perform about three to four times a week,  their concert will feature African dance and songs sung in the native language of Luganda, as well as familiar favorites like “He’s Got the Whole World” and “Highway to Heaven.”

The African Children’s Choir has been in existence since 1984 with the goal of providing education to African children. Since its existence the choir has helped thousands of African children.

The children chosen for the choir are some of the neediest in their country. They are given five months of training by the organization before coming to the U.S. for a year.

“The goal is to find the most vulnerable and needy children to be ambassadors for their country,” said Kari Penrod, tour leader for the choir who has been with the organization for two years.

Kari’s first experience with Uganda was through a study abroad program. After she returned home, she a concert, fell in love with it, and signed up to become a leader two weeks after she graduated…

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When I read this story, I thought this was an inspirational story about brave children in pursuit of a dream, and the people gracious enough to help them reach that dream. If this story appeals to you, please get in touch with the Guardian Network to find out what we do, and see how you can get involved… better yet click on the following ‘link’ right now. We might be a small charity but we’ve got a big heart, and just the same level of passion for our kids!

If you would like to find out when the choir will be in your area, please visit their website africanchildrenschoir.com.

Source: The Sun News

Isn’t it time we start planning ahead…. ?

Africa is the only continent to have become poorer in the past 25 years.  

With each economic year, Africa grows more dependent on international support for food, investment and education; a risky position that would eventually prove to be our detriment. Our delicate position is clearly reflected in a recent report by the United Nations, which stated that the orgnisations global drive to get every child into primary education is being knocked off course by the global financial crisis.

In the annual report on its ‘Education For All initiative’  UNESCO warned that much of the progress of the past decade could be undone as education budgets everywhere – particularly in sub-­Saharan Africa – get cut back as the flow of aid from rich countries dwindles. There are currently 72 million children in the world with no access to education, whilst in sub Saharan African countries 50% of  young adults have fewer than four years of education.

Looking to external sources for funding and charity is not sustainable in the long term. The recent global economic crisis is a reflection of this; once more developed countries got hit by financial hardship, support for developing countries plunged. Do we really want to continue to place the future of our countries and the lives of our brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, in someone else hands?

It is up to us to develop the resources we have in order to safe guard the future of our home countries. One of these resources – indeed one of the most important – are its people and we can capitalize on this by providing them the opportunity to access the knowledge and the tools required to instigate change.

For Africa’s children, education is perhaps their strongest barrier against poverty. Educated children are likely to be more productive when they grow up, get better paid in the workplace, become able to lead and inspire others. Girls are likely to marry later, in more favorable terms and have healthier children.

Help a child receive education today, and help shape Africa ’s economic future. Visit the Guardian network website today to find out how.

Sources:

http://www.unicef.org/mdg/poverty.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jan/20/education-for-all-unesco-warning

Crème de la crème supports The Guardian Network Africa

Harrogate based business and social networking for women is supporting The Guardian Network Africa by hosting a jewellery sale for its members at their forthcoming meeting at the Yorkshire Hotel on Wednesday November 10^th.

Alongside some serious business networking and fun socializing, crème do la crème is committed to making a difference for woman in their business and personal life and to support worthy charitable causes.

We are delighted that crème de la crème have agreed to support The Guardian Network Africa in our mission to sponsor the education of underprivileged children in Africa. A big thanks to Sarah Sanpher of creme de la creme  for organising this for us.

At the meeting members will be able to purchase some beautiful hand made jewellery that has been donated by a kind supporter. Items include pieces made from hand blown Murano glass, ethnic jewellery from South Africa, fantastic costume jewellery for dressing up and for giving away as Christmas presents. There are lots of pearl, crystal and semi precious jewellery pieces with jade, topaz and lapis stones. All are less than half their normal prices and for orders over £35.00 a FREE pearl cluster ring is being given away- (subject to stock).

To see a preview of the stock click here.

To find out more about crème de la crème click here

The Great Jewellery Sale for Guardian Network Africa

Looking good…doing great…

The Guardian Network Africa is launching another big jewellery sale with prices slashed to less than a third their original price!

PLUS – Get a FREE pearl ring with orders over £35- subject to stock availability!

Tourmaline Heart Pendant necklace

A huge thank you to our generous donor who donated loads of beautiful jewellery and ladies’ accessories for us to raise funds to sponsor the education of underprivileged children in Cameroon. Now we need to turn this donation into cash and that’s where you come in!

From delicate creamy cultured pearl necklaces to iridescent freshwater pearl sets, interspersed with shell and diamante all at ridiculously low prices – a steal for the savvy pearl lover.

And if you are a fan of gems and semi-precious stones, there’s a breath-taking selection of necklaces and bracelets made of turquoise, jade, coral guaranteed to provide satisfaction to its owner and even a set of lustre beads interspersed by antique silver rings that will make a perfect match for a classy evening wear.

Ethnic jewellery lovers would not miss out! We have a stunning silver bead set crafted using silversmith technology that was developed by the Zuni Indians of North America over 100 years ago! And also, hand made necklaces, earrings and bangles from South Africa that mix ancient and modern design in finest grade copper.

Hand made copper bangle from South Africa

Plus, ladies’ summer tops, scarves, lovely handbags leather belts with interchangeable buckles…all available here.

Treat yourself or someone you love with one of these. And what’s more, you’ll be doing good in the process! Thanks to you purchase, a child’s life will be improved for the better through education. Order now.

The Guardian Network becomes the Guardian Network Africa!

The name of our organisation has been changed to the Guardian Network Africa, to give more emphasis to the geographical region our charity impacts. We even have a new domain name for this: www.guardiannetworkafrica.org!

We are constantly finding ways to improve our charity so that we can reach out to more compassionate people who can join us in our mission to sponsor education for poor children in Africa. These children are excluded from school just because they are born into poor families that just cannot afford to pay their school fees.

We have also been listening to your comments and our communications team has made numerous changes to our website to incorporate all your suggestions! Check out the new pictures we have added of our team members who work so hard to power our mission, and their profiles. Now you can see who you are actually talking to! Meet Nguh Akum, our new Field Operations Co-ordinator who swiftly stepped in to help us manage our growing sponsorship activities in Cameroon, Africa.

Nguh Akum - our new Fields Operations Coordinator in Cameroon

You can also read Judith Tamasang’s fascinating story of how the Guardian Network Africa was started.

A few months ago when we just built our website, we solicited help from PR Partners, Harrogate-based journalists that help small businesses raise their public profile through social media and networking, and Rebecca Parsley was delighted to give us an intensive, one-to-one social media session for charity! We have used these online tools and can now update our sponsors and supporters on all the important events and activities as they happen through our new Facebook and Twitter pages. Our sponsors can now publicly share their experience with their sponsored child; our supporters can share their thoughts and suggestions; and our team members in Africa, Europe and America can share their experience on the field across continents!

Thank you Rebecca – you have contributed massively to our progress!

We take your feedback very seriously. Tell us what  could be improved on our media sites. Become our fan on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

The Guardian Network Africa: who we are

About Us

We are a non-profit organisation, consisting of a network of individuals all over the world that share the common interest in helping to sponsor education for underprivileged children in Africa. We reach out and help some of the poorest and most vulnerable children achieve something great in their lives. We firmly believe both in the power of education to change lives and also in the compassion and willingness of those more fortunate, to reach out to fellow humans who need help.

Our Mission

We believe that education is a sure route out of poverty.  We want to give poor children a chance an equal chance to dream and express their minds; a chance to acquire knowledge and skills; a chance to become somebody who can give back to their community. We want to empower them with education – the tool that can foster the much needed development in Africa.

Helping children one at a time through education

Our operational model

We identify children that are precluded from school due to poverty and sponsor their education by paying for their tuition fees and exam registration fees. We also provide them with basic school stationery, text books and a school uniform.

We are unique in that we link each of our sponsors with the child/children they are sponsoring and provide periodic feedback on the children’s progress at school. Our sponsors can therefore enjoy a much closer and satisfying relationship with the children they sponsor than other bigger and similar organisations can provide.

100% of sponsorship money goes to the sponsored child. Our everyday running cost is covered through private donations and contributions.

The following are our ground policies and values expected of each member:

• Passion in our mission
• Transparency in our activities.
• Commitment in our duties and roles.
• Mutual respect for one another.

We may not make all the difference, but we can start, one child at a time. Join us today or support our cause.

New success stories for 2010

We are happy to announce that two more young people, Nadesh and George, have now been included to our success stories thanks to two generous individuals who have accepted to sponsor them. And also, thanks to the efforts of our local representative in Cameroon, Orock, who finds these underprivileged kids.

But there are more kids that need help. Please contact us and join our network of friends to become the “Guardian” of one of these children in dire need of education. www.theguardiannetwork.co.uk

If you feel that you cannot sponsor a child at the moment, there are other ways to help us or get involved. Make a donation, tell your friends about us or organise a fundraising event like we did: www.wix.com/guardiannetwork/Guardian-Network-Accessory-Sale

Any help you can give will go a long way to change a child’s life.

Thank you.

Judith Tamasang (founder)

Meet Nadesh…

Nadesh is a very intelligent orphan who always tops her class. Yet, she was forced to drop out of school when her only sponsor, her aunt, died last year – 2009.

Fortunately, our local representative Orock, found her and she is about to experience a life changing opportunity. Read more about Nadesh here.

The curious case of George…

The curious case of George

George’s childhood was stolen at the tender age of 11 when his parents died, leaving him with two younger siblings. Due to the ill-treatment he subsequently suffered at the hands of family members, George had to resort to an extremely bold and courageous decision that cost him his entire childhood.

We felt the need to give George the opportunity he was so unjustly denied. Read more on George’s story here.