In March I presented Amman Imman; Water is Life at the Garrison Forest School to an audience of around  265 young women.  Invited there by long-time Hero of Compassion Sophie Marney-Dejanikus, the students received me with open arms, readily absorbing stories from the Azawak.  They displayed enthusiasm about being part of the solution with Amman Imman by asking really good questions.  Now, this community is organizing a contingent of students to participate in A Walk for Water on May 14th at Lake Frank.  


To raise awareness about Amman Imman and keep up the excitement for A Walk for Water, Sophie is organizing a Penny War fundraiser.   The Garrison Forest Penny War will start on the Saturday before A Walk for Water and last for a week,  providing an opportunity for competitive fun and contribution.  


Sophie explains that a Penny War raises funds by setting up a competition between grades: 

Each grade has a jug where they put pennies and other coins. For each penny the grade gets a point and for each silver coin the grade loses as many points as that coin is worth. This encourages a junior, let's say, to put a quarter in the freshman jug and vice-versa.  

I did a little research to learn more about Penny War.  It sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to raise awareness about a cause, get everyone involved, and raise money.  


Ehow provides some easy instructions on how to hold a Penny War fundraiser.  Here's the link:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5425129_hold-penny-war-fundraiser.html

 Consider staging a Penny War for Water at your school!

One week of fun, contribution and friendly competition!

Dear Friends,

In a little over two weeks, on May 14, those of us in the Washington DC area will gather together to walk the shady trails around Lake Frank in Derwood, Maryland for "A Walk for Water" - an annual tradition that has inspired students to be leaders for a better future.  We will spend time in nature – families and friends together – and be transported away from our conveniences, off our couches and out from behind our electronic devices – to come together for a greater purpose. 

If you live in the DC metro area, please take a few minutes to register online and create a fundraising page:

1.    Go to https://www.firstgiving.com/ammanimman/Event/awalkforwaterlakefrank

• Click on “Register for this Event”
• The next page will ask,  “Would you like to register for this event?” Click “Yes register online now”. 
• From there, you will have the option to register as an individual or as a family. Follow the instructions to complete your registration.

2.    After you register, you will be given the option to start a team, or to join an existing team.  Teams can fundraise together. (this is optional!)

3.    You will also be given the option to create a fundraising page.  Creating a page only takes a few minutes and makes it easy to ask your friends and family to support your Walk.  Please create a fundraising page!  If you don’t have time to create one right away, you can return to do it later.  Just go to this page and click on "Raise Money".

4.    Upon completion of your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from FirstGiving with a link from where you can download an Event Information and Fundraising Kit.  For your convenience, here’s the link. (For Windows users, when you download the materials you will see two files.  Please click on the one named "AWFW 2011 Lake Frank Event Info and Fundraising Packet".)  

Whether or not you live in DC, please feel free to share this post on your listservs, with your friends and other networks and invite them to join us on May 14^th! Share the link of your fundraising page on Facebook, Twitter and with all your social networks!  Invite everyone to contribute to your page!

We at Amman Imman are counting on YOU! Your participation not only helps make "A Walk for Water" a tradition, but it also supports the ideals of students who believe they can make a better world and, more importantly, provides people in the Azawak with hope that they can make their dreams of a better future a reality.

Yours for a future of hope,

Debbie

Once in a while, Siena and Aria like to set up a table outside their home and sell things.  These girls both attend the Oneness-Family School where all the students are concerned about how people in the Azawak cope without access to water and want to do something about it.

Since 2006, students at the school, with the help of their families and friends,  have raised over $25,000 by participating in A Walk for Water, Amman-a-thon Fitness Festivals, and other fundraising activities.  Last year those funds, pooled with money raised by over 60 schools around the world, was used to construct the Kijigari Montessori Well of Love that now fulfills the water needs of 25,000 people and animals.  Knowing that their money makes such a huge impact is a prime motivator for these students.

For their most recent sale, Siena and Aria held several bake sales and raised $42.37 for Amman Imman.    The girls also spread awareness about the Azawak by making a poster and handing out post cards to their customers.

We celebrate these acts of compassion! 

 Thank you to our Heroes of Compassion, Siena and Aria!

A Walk for Water at Lake Frank May 14, Derwood, Maryland Click here to Register!

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Greetings from Washington, DC!  As the blossoms of spring inspire us to awaken from a long winter, our Heroes of Compassion are stepping into action.  I'm excited to tell you about our Spring Campaign! 

Walking to save and improve lives

For those who live in the DC metro area, you are invited to participate in the 5th annual A Walk for Water on May 14th at Lake Frank in Derwood, Maryland. Each year, students, teachers and families from several schools and groups come together to walk three miles in solidarity for the children and families in the Azawak of West Africa who daily struggle due to the lack of water. Please register and create an online fundraising page here:  A Walk for Water at Lake Frank, May 14th.  You can also download an event information kit with materials to support students including a paper sponsorship collection form.

Our goal this year

While we rejoice in being together as we walk the beautiful and lush trails around the lake, we have the opportunity to take action towards a greater purpose.  Last year's Walk raised funds to complete the Kijigari Montessori Well of Love.  This year, the money raised will go towards empowering the people who live in Amman Imman's three villages - Tangarwashane, Kijigari and Chinwagari - to use the water that flows from their borehole to generate economic  and community vibrancy that will truly manifest the potential of their Oasis of Life.  Currently we are aiming to raise at least $50,000 to install and support ongoing projects that will result in economic stabilization,  food security, education and women's empowerment. These include especially adapted sustainable agriculture techniques, rain water harvesting, reforestation, livestock rejuvenation, adult literacy programs, a woman's garden, a food and sewing cooperative, and a children's garden.

An opportunity for you to help

Funds raised from activities, such as A Walk for Water events being held in Washington DC, Virginia and Ohio, Amman-a-thon Fitness Festivals in South Carolina and Maryland, and other fundraisers in places like California and Paris, France, will also go towards furthering the impact of these Oases of Life. We welcome you to host an event in your own community!

Whether or not you can join us on May 14th you can help!  Visit Amman Imman's page hosted on Firstgiving.com to make a donation.  Sign up to raise funds yourself,  or support one of our Heroes of Compassion.

Together, we can empower our youth as leaders who are helping to make a better life for the people of the Azawak!

Gratefully yours,

Debra Kahn

debbie@ammanimman.org

Wells of Love Program Director

For several years our Heroes of Compassion at Five Oaks Academy in Simpsonville, South Carolina have tirelessly dedicated time and energy to raising money for Amman Imman's projects in the Azawak of Niger. These young leaders have inspired their entire community, thereby raising awareness about the critical humanitarian concerns threatening the region. Even the youngest students are learning about water scarcity, climate change and how these issues affect people. They are also actively working to improve and save lives.


Bonnie Benthall, Lower Elementary Teacher at Five Oaks, writes about the school's Month of Love that took place in February 2011:

I am constantly blown away by the generosity and support of the families and students here at Five Oaks Academy. During the Month of Love, the students of the Toddler and the Lower Elementary classes made treats and baked goods during school and at home to sell and raise money for Wells of Love. Students, parents, grandparents, and teachers have shared their love by buying these special treats for their friends and loved ones. The students have very thoughtfully chosen treats and carefully written kind messages to attach to them. Each day the treats were hand delivered by a Lower Elementary student. It has been such a beautiful exhibition of love and gratitude. The students truly enjoyed buying special treats for their families and friends. Many students did not even want to buy treats for themselves!

During the Month of Love we raised over $350 and this school year the students have raised a total of over $1,700 for Wells of Love!!! The students are so proud! They are so passionate about helping and are truly dedicated to making a difference!

We look forward to our Amman-a-thon in April!