Nov., 2006 - June, 2007: Highlights of Montessori Students and the Amman Imman Project

To highlight and celebrate Montessori Students and the Amman Imman Project since its inception in November, 2006, and bring newer participating schools onto the same page as older ones, I bring your attention to these blog posts and categories:

In November, 2006, Ariane Kirtley presented the Amman Imman project at the Montessori Peace Academy Conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida. To read the story of how that relationship began, and what inspired it to flourish, read more here: The Hope of the Azawak



Schools began to get involved in raising funds. Here are a few early stories:

Oneness-Family Peacekeeper Holiday Bazaar (December, 2006)

Odyssey Montessori Students Embrace the Amman Imman Project (December, 2006)
Enthusiasm in the Cayman Islands Generates Funds (December, 2006)
Renaissance School: Our Shared Humanity (February, 2007)

As fundraising and awareness continued to progress, creative ideas and examples of student leadership abounded:

Collecting Awareness (December, 2006)
Oneness-Family School: These are our friends (February, 2007)
Minnieland-Huguenot Montessori: What Three to Fives Can Do (May 2007)
Student Leadership: The Potential to be Part of the Change (June, 2007)

Collaboration between schools and within schools became a key component of the partnership between Amman Imman and schools:

A Month Without Water (posted in Feb. 2007 for April campaign)
Palm Harbor Montessori: Your Change Can Change the World (March, 2007)
Walking in Solidarity and Unity (May, 2007)

Other schools in addition to Montessori schools joined this grassroots partnership.

East Catholic High School: Catching the Spirit (January, 2007)
Lawrence Intermediate School: Building Bridges of Connection (March 2007)
Hickory Day School: Students Take Initiative for Amman Imman (April, 2007)

The personal connection that initially inspired the teachers at the Montessori conference continued:

Letter from Ariane to Montessori Students Worldwide (January, 2007)
A Student's Question: Why don't they move? (March, 2007)
Sharing Gifts: Pictures from Tangarwachane (April, 2007)
Ariane's letter to all students and friends of the Azawak (June, 2007)

As the project manifested within the original schools and news about the project spread, stories continued to be sent in:

Odyssey Montessori School: Wells of Love Toy Sale (March, 2007)
The Barrie School: Turning Feelings Into Action (April, 2007)
Palmetto Montessori: Inspiring the Spirit of Giving (May, 2007)
Montessori of Maryknoll: A Little Does Alot (May, 2007)

The stories are numerous and from the heart. By only listing these few, I do an injustice to the efforts of all the children, teachers and parents who have collectively contributed to drawing attention to the serious concerns of the people of the Azawak and Amman Imman's mission to bring them water - what they themselves have continually pleaded for as their most desperate need. Please read all of their stories in this category: Stories From Schools

You will be inspired by these stories of children caring for children as school communities take on the mission of humanitarian work, teachers present and offer this project of change to their students and students initiate fundraising projects and become activists in support of the nomads of the Azawak.

This stream of inspiration flows outward toward the small team of individuals who have supported Amman Imman's work in Niger over the last several months. You can read about them throughout Ariane's updates. Specifically, I want to acknowledge the diligence of effort and the integrity of intent that pervades Amman Imman's mission to bring life and hope to the people of the Azawak.

We need to remember that while we have the ease of turning on a faucet when we are thirsty, for many people in this world a simple, clean glass of water is a precious luxury. How fortunate that we, with our children, can participate alongside Amman Imman in changing that for the nomads of the Azawak valley.