Even though this is my first blog of 2011, this trimester has been anything but dull - both in the micro and the macro! I was in Cambodia in late Jan/early Feb and spent some great time with the women from our partner organisations. We discussed the expansion of our safehouse project into a new province, a new batch of students who will receive WAVE scholarships for college, some micro-enterprise programs and a shocking case of gang-rape. My next blog will detail some of the outcomes of our meeting, together with new photos.
In the meantime and as I wrote in an earlier blog, we've also started working with Infinity Culinary Training, a great young organisation in Cape Town, South Africa that is providing training to at-risk women and men so they may break the low education/poverty/violence cycle.
It's exciting to know that Linda, our WAVE-sponsored student is nearing the completion of her course and looking forward to placement in one of the local restaurants that supports ICT's work.
Linda wrote us a letter recently - here are some excerpts ....(by the way, IsiXhosa is her first language)
I am 33 years old. I have a mother and father, but not working. I am single and have three kids, two boys one girl. All these years I was financial(ly) supported by my life partner who passed away last December (2009) at work. He was having (sic) epilepsy, so now I am on my own without anything. But I am a strong woman and I believe in me. I'll go forward and look for future (sic) for my kids. I am going to achieve my class because you give me life. I'll go then and do and dare.
I'll learn all I can to support myself and my family. I want to thank you and the WAVE project from the bottom of my heart. Your organisation has made it possible for me to see a brighter future.
I'll learn all I can to support myself and my family. I want to thank you and the WAVE project from the bottom of my heart. Your organisation has made it possible for me to see a brighter future.
Thank you again for caring about someone you have never met who lives halfway round the world.
With lots of love,
Linda
She sounds so upbeat and courageous, but at one of her private mentoring sessions she was crying. She said she felt so guilty, being able to come to class and eat the food that she and her fellow students learn to cook each day when her kids don't have enough to eat. ICT gave her a small stipend to help her through.
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| Linda - Week 1 |
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| Chef coats are distributed in Week 3 |
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| Week 4 - big smile |
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| Week 6 - Pan wrangling |
WAVE plans to sponsor more women trying to elevate themselves out of the mire of township life. If you'd like to help, you can click on this link http://thewaveproject.com/donate.asp
Thanks for reading and until next time, feel the love!
Michele
Next blog: Cambodia update
"...and whether or not it is clear to you
No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."
Max Ehrman/Desiderata
