This is a village that had recently developed a partnership with Sharing to Learn (www.sharingtolearn.org), a nonprofit organization started by Denise Ortiz, a teacher in New York City that goes to poorer villages in Africa, helps build libraries, promotes global education and children´s rights as well as supplies them with material donations. Prior to CAISL's donation drive, Sharing to Learn helped Makuleke to open their first library in the village, and CAISL students complemented this project by collecting pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons, scissors, erasers and many other types of supplies.

Through their participation in this project, EC 3-4 students learned how they are similar and different than other children in the world. They read a book about the children in this village and learned about the things the village children like to do. The EC 3-4 students made a story book about their interests and cultural customs for the children of Makuleke to send with the supplies collected. Before Christmas break they combined all the donations and were so impressed with the boxes and boxes of what had been donated. Some of the children even cleaned out their toy baskets and closets and sent some wonderful items along with the huge amount of school supplies collected. Everything together was just under 74 kilos – a lot more than they had ever imagined they would collect. It was a huge success!

The boxes were shipped December 16th. The children enjoyed watching the video of the Makahlule Preschool children and teachers receiving the supplies. It was truly amazing to see how this chain of events ended. You can view photos below and two videos at the following links:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGbFJBPHu88

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmJypbWjNHE&feature=email

The EC 3-4 students and teachers would like to thank all the parents for their generous donations and extend a special thank you to the Schmelz family for their extra help with the shipping, as well as to Denise Ortiz of Sharing to Learn for passing out the materials collected. This project proves that our littlest students can do big things!!! Great job, EC 3-4!