Who knew in January of 2020 as we prepared our campaign for the 2020 Giving Challenge that all of our plans would for in-person events would be shut down by early March just as we finished our 2020 Cultural Book Exchange? Who knew that the favorite phrase of the year would be “unmute yourself?”
One thing Ghanaian Mothers’ Hope did know was that our donors would step up and make the 2020 Giving Challenge would our best ever and change the lives of many children and teachers in Sarasota and Ghana. Thank you for being there.
The summer of 2020 was a time for GMH to think about the future. Our Reading Camps were shut down as school systems in Ghana closed all school from March 2020 to January 2021. Thanks to our donors we were able to send supplies of books to be distributed to children in the remote villages of Ghana. In September of 2020, Sarasota students were on Zoom or in person and we began the process of creating an online event for the Cultural Book Exchange.
In June of 2021, Debi Frock dressed in African clothes and took students at Alta Vista on a true virtual zoom trip to Ghana to experience the country and culture after reading F is for Fufu. The children bumped up and down on the dusty, bumpy road, saw children with water jugs on their heads, and even tasted some Fufu in one of the classrooms.
The Ghanaian children at St. Andrew’s School came to Sarasota virtually and were amazed at the beautiful classrooms at Alta Vista. The video chat between the children at both schools had many big smiles and found that children from both cultures do enjoy many of the same foods, pizza, and sports, soccer. It wasn’t perfect, but the purpose, finding fun in learning about others through books, rocked the world for many children. GMH was the instrument, but you, our donors were the stars.
2021 also brought three much needed reading camps in Ghana. Each child, 152 in total, took home five new books. Did you know that children who have books to read at home progress faster?
What if you could not read? How would your life be plunged into darkness? How would you function? Imagine that despite your efforts, you can only pick out a few letters. Now what? Where is your future? At Ghanaian Mothers’ Hope we strive to build educational bridges to empower both the teachers and students so that they may have a hope for a future. The 2022 Giving Challenge is just around the corner, April 26-27 noon to noon, online giving only. That giving will once again be matched dollar for dollar for every unique donor up to $100 each. In 2020 you gave over $9,000. Our matched brought us and additional $8,000. Our goal this year is to raise $15,000. That is 150 donors giving $100 each. In the next few days you will receive a save the date post card. Please help us continue to find new ways to empower the future leaders of the world.
Ghanaian Mothers' Hope 