Gotta Brag

From day one, this group of students has been impressive.  I met them for the first time in September 2011, at our first group gathering.  The topic was fundraising.  Traditionally, the study abroad students to South Africa have done fundraising - not to cover their own trip expenses, but to utilize at their service sites.

Back at that first meeting, Jim and I asked the students to brainstorm ideas at their small tables for possible ways to raise monies.  Jim and I expected about ten or so good ideas.  After they talked a short time, we asked each table to identify their three best ideas.  They offered fifteen good ideas right away.  Then we asked if there were other ideas that were good, but hadn't been mentioned yet.  We got at least 15 more!  The blackboard was filled with ideas, including shaving Jim's head (which didn't happen).

Thinking that anyone can brainstorm, we asked if anyone would be willing to take the lead on a particular idea.  "I will."  "I can do this one."  Bingo -- there were leads.  Then, someone said, "We should organize more.  Let's have a steering committee."  "I'll be on it," said five people.  "We need two people to be treasurers."  "We'll do that," said two more.

Then, Andrew said, "Wait.  I think we need a fundraising goal - and, it should be a really audicious goal."  Now, the most any prior group had raised was $8000.  Andrew said, "Let's raise $15,000!"  Whoa! The others balked at that, "Let's not set ourselves up for failure.  Let's make it $10,000."   They agreed on that, and off they went.  Jim and I did nothing with the fundraising.  They did it all.

As of January (when we left the US), they had raised $12,000!  This was an unheard of amount.  This last week, as they were finalizing their decisions about how to use their fundraised monies, Jim asked for a final accounting.  We knew money had been dribbling in since we came to South Africa, but we hadn't been told how much.

The final tally of funds this group of students raised exceeds $21,000!  Wow!  What a testament to these young people.

They have also spent the funds quite strategically.  They've financed literacy issues: both with new readers at Missionvale School, and the reading area at Pendla.  They have financed better nutrition through basic food items at Missionvale.  They are putting a big down payment toward a place to call home - a new cottage for a family at House.  They've also had enough funds to cover basic needs, such as chairs for the first grade, and a family recognition day at Pendla schools.

See now why I gotta brag?