Help search for schools, agencies, etc to share the cost of shipment
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As you will read in the task "help fundraise $12,400 for shipment of books" we are now looking to share this cost with other schools or organizations in Burundi who might also want some of these books. We are now asking you to help us search for other schools or organizations in Burundi who share our goals and desires. This way, more than one village can benefit from the container of books that will one day arrive in Burundi, and we at Buterere can also lower our costs.
We will need contact information for them so we can submit our proposal to them.
Repeating the following on this thread also, as posted by me on the previous thread of this issue on ths village:
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Hi Anna,
The document attached with your post above indicates the following as the total contents of the consignment:
"Requested don Total: 21850 Books + 4 assets of encyclopedias + 50 Computers"
The inclusion of 4 sets of encylopedias and 50 computers might generate greater interest among schools in the region to share the shipping expenses for the container - provided of course, that these are also to be shared with the other schools.
About locating other schools to share the shipping expenses - neighbours on nabuur may not be able to help with locating schools in the Burundi region, unless all these schools in Burundi happen to be on nabuur themselves, or appear in a google search, which is quite unlikely. A good option would be for someone at the village to do a physical check in the Burundi region, make a list of all existing schools, contact and write to each school, and followup with each school directly up to the point where each school either participates or refuses to participate. Many schools may need to raise funds themselves to participate in the cost-sharing, and so the time-frame needs to be tightly controlled from the start. This part may have to be done on the ground in the Burundi region, and outside of the nabuur platform.
Vijai
end of quote
Mary is a new contact of mine in Virginia and she is saying that what you want to do is create a GREEN management = meaning that you can maintain your organization by these connections ... the local church or the local AACC you want to connect with has to be a Member of the Ecumenical organization with in Burundi ( BURUNDI: Conseil National des Eglises du Burundi ) http://www.aacc-ceta.org/en/default2.asp?active_page_id=368
Once you have established this communication with the General Secretary, Mary says that this will help to sustain your organization .. but you have to become an active member of the church or an active menber of the AACC by filling out the paperwork - in order to receive assistance, or funding ... ( I am hoping that the AACC information is correct or that you can find your proper local chapter )
Mary is also saying that its a good thing for you to become active in the UNHCR ( http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home ) and Amnesty International ( http://www.amnesty.org ). To create these GREEN sustaining management connections .. she is also saying that you can go to Nirobi and they have within the AACC a help desk or computer library system that once you are a member of this group and participating all you have to do is ask and you shall receive and that its good that your organization has or creates press as this is something that needs to be important in recording your progress, and for other Africans to see and read about ..
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Jennie
Not sure if I'm fully understanding this...
So what you are saying is if we became a member of AACC there could be potential for our organization to receive assitance in terms of funding?
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Anna Soper
Mary tells me that someone in charge of or responsible for this organization, in Buterere, needs to communicate with the local church that is in the Buterere area OR the AACC and become a member of either or church and or the AACC and maintain contact with or create a sustainble relationship with them. Mary is an African that has transplanted herself here in the US but is active in the AACC and understands that in Africa they are COMMUNITY .... and as a COMMUNITY they need to be connected to the Church or the AACC in order to receive assistance ...
I am also volunteering with a organization in Uganda called AFSU - Advocacy through Filming and Screening Uganda and its CEO understands this communication and is willing to participate in these COMMUNITY programs in order to receive assistance of any kind ... Church based is good and the AACC is all about community churches working together whether it be in Africa, USA, China, or Canada as I understand it they all pull together ..
RECAP:
Mary is saying that what you want to do is create a GREEN management = meaning that you can maintain your organization by these connections ... the local church or the local AACC you want to connect with has to be a Memeber of the Ecumenical organization with in Burundi. Headquarters for Burundi are located at the Conseil National des Eglises du Burundi ... Once you have established a relationship with the General Secretary, Mary says that this will help to sustain Buterere .. but you have to become an active member of the church or an active menber of AACC -
Belonging is a good thing Mary says .. so someone in Buterere has to be a committed contact (FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK ) and be willing to be connected to these other organizations to receive assistance .. did I make it simpler? - its called COMMUNITY
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Jennie
Oh by the way If I volunteer with one organization I may also be volunteering my time across the board with about 10 organizations .. so I stay busy .. have a nice day .. j
Ok, assuming the right paperwork was filled out and the right connections were made, how would this help us in shipping the books from the USA to Burundi?
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Anna Soper
Dear all,
Thank you for this post!
Really Buterere Community is non-gouvernmental, non-church and non-political based, so I think we can't directly apply for this opportunity. But I know BCDC's sponsoring NGO "ASASS-Burundi" www.healthwelfarework.org works with more than 30 NGOs including church,I can ask if that church can apply there on our behalf "BCDC".
Hello Janni and others?
Thank you for that. I will assign the responsibility to the Coordinator of BCDC to go to the Council to go to discuss with the general secretary.
A lot of neighbours are wondering why you are trying to get a shipment of books.
I don't know quite how it works but I would assume that a lot of the books would not be exactly what you needed anyway. Also,if one paticular book is found that would be perfect for one class and year, it would have to be copied so that everyone can use it. Ken has list of websites where books can be downloaded. Wouldn't the money be better spent on printing or photocopying equipment. I have heard that some copier cartridges can be refilled which would keep costs down. Once the most useful books have been chosen and downloaded, more copies can be made, as finances allow.
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Rick Ellis
Hi Rick,
The books in the container will go to a community library that is being hosted by Buterere Community Development Centre. When the local rep Jean Claude signed up to receive these books he was asked to fill out a request form stating which books and how many of each he would like. There are a number of copies of each book and there should be more than enough for a class set - the container holds around 20,000 books (if I remember correctly).
I do like Ken's thought about downloading books but then it will be necessary to find the computer, printer and photocopying resources.
Thanks for your input.
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Anna Soper
Dear Rick,
Thank you for your contribution,
Adding to the Facilitator's comment, to set up a library with more than 20.000 new books is an important thing in Buterere, but not also in buterere, but In a whole country because the Schools do not have books. There is a great need/desire to cultivate CULTURE OF READING in Burundi.
Yous suggestion sounds good, but downroading book can not be a positive result for youth in Burundi, because of many problem reliated to the INTERNET CONNEXION, furthermore Burundi Schools do not have Computers (even some universities), at the national levels, no secondary school has PC. (BUT SOME NEW PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN URBAN CITY), so we focus on looking how to ship them.