Memory has just informed me that the Atsikana Pa Ulendo (Girls On The Move) Secondary School in Malawi graduation celebration will take place on Saturday June 25th.
This will be the greatest celebration so far in the lives of our 80 graduates. For village girls to achieve a full secondary school education is very rare, particularly for girls in the rural areas, many of whom are orphans living in poverty. Memory and I can barely believe that our first 80 girls have come so far and that APU, as a school, has achieved so much in such a short period of time. I will be celebrating this graduation along with Memory, the girls and their families and can’t wait to see them once again. The last time I met with these girls was in March 2008, just before being diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, just over two years later, I am cancer free and able to travel to see their smiling, happy, healthy faces once again as they mark the incredible achievement of finishing four years of secondary schooling.
Preparations for this event, which will be attended by all 320 girls, people from their villages, the 19 chiefs responsible for donating the land, and over 1000 special guests (including the local MP and his wife who are the guardians of one of our APU girls), include the hiring of photographers and videographers, dances and songs by the girls and their parents, a concert by our APU Choir ‘Young Women We’, and a dance attended by all teachers and board members and their spouses as well as our Form 4 girls and their parents; there will also be a candle lighting ceremony and speeches by the girls, teachers, Memory and myself.
Sponsors from Canada are encouraged to attend this celebration and can contact me for help with travel arrangements and preparation.
Christie Johnson
Co-founder and Executive Director
Atsikana Pa Ulendo (Girls on the Move) Malawi Education Foundation
650 Pearson College Dr.
Victoria, BC V9C 4H7
No comments:
Post a Comment