Aura's House February 2007 Newsletter

Students pose in Kenya with new desks made possible with Aura's House donations

Dear Aura's House friends and supporters:

Kenya Classroom Project Photos
We'd like to start off this month's newsletter with one of the first photos we've received of the students at Galilee School in Kenya receiving desks, books, and lab equipment. See more photos. Read a letter from Fanuel, the director of the school. Thanks to contributions from our generous donors, our $5000 goal was reached in December with an additional $1235 raised! We've been in contact with Kenya Kids in Need and have determined that the three possible uses for the extra funds would be: 1. An income generating project, such as a supply of pigs or chickens that would help create sources of food and revenue for school lunches at Galilee. For many students, this would be their only hope for a daily meal. Other options include: 2. The money would feed a set number of children at the school for a set time period. 3. The final option is that the money would be used for scholarships for top students. We'll keep you posted when we get more information.

Only $225 Left to Raise for Evin and Family of Honduras
Our goal is to give Evin (11), and his family in Honduras the gift of beds, bedding, clothes, a stove, furniture, food, and a latrine. We aim to raise $750. Evin's sponsor, Christiane already matched the first $250 donated. Just $225 left to raise before this needy family gets some good news. Visit this worthwhile project now.

Aura's House In the News in Manila, the Philippines
Aura's house recently was featured in a Manila Bulletin Online article. In it, our Classroom Project at Santo Nino Elementary School is discussed and there are detailed accounts of how individual children are benefiting. Check it out and get your dose of good news. We also have a new report and photos from the official celebration for the classroom. Parades, tv news reporters, and majorettes were involved! Wish we could have gone...but here's the next best thing. And check out the latest photos of the kids enjoying their classroom.

Our Next Main Project?
We are still currently working with Children International on setting up a new main project. We have narrowed down the possibilities to: 1. A project that would help equip two kindergartens in Mexico with badly needed learning materials, books, and educational games. 2. Two feeding programs, one in Colombia and one in Zambia that would feed thousands of children and educate parents on preparing nutritious food so their children can grow and attend school. 3. A project to create several libraries for children and their families in Ecuador. While these all are worthwhile, we can only choose one. We'll have more information soon and will keep you posted on which project will be our next and when it will launch. Please feel free to voice your opinions in our Community Forums.

And Finally..
Thanks as always to all our donors and supporters for making life a little brighter for needy children around the world. While we currently are pausing in between main projects, there are many families that can be helped though our Small Projects. Have a happy February and stay warm.

Best wishes,
Kristen Palana, along with Anastasia Yecke, Mike Epler, Christina Sidoti, and the Aura's House Team.

Check Out More Photos From our Complete Kenya Project!

Many of the books, desks, and lab supplies have already been purchased for the Galilee School in Nairobi, Kenya. Cabinets and lab facilities (made possible though the fundraising efforts of Kenya Kids in Need UK) are being built and more items will be ordered soon.

See the latest photos and Read a letter from Fanuel, the director of the school.

More updates coming soon!

Sto. Nino Elementary School -Much Ado About Something Great

See all photos of the students enjoying their new classroom.

"The children in their uniforms watch an educational television program. Their eyes are sparkling in joy while others are still in awe. It is a little humid outside but they are comfortably seated in a classroom unmindful of what is happening beyond its four walls. If not for the opened windows where one could get a glimpse of students having a class in the school's open gym, the setting could be very well mistaken to be in a typical private school classroom."

-Santo Nino School Official

Pupils enjoying the celebration

Vickie Weidenmann at Children International Writes:

"Hello, friends!

Our Regional Director for Asia, Vickie Medrano, recently returned from the Philippines where she had the opportunity to participate in the official 'turnover' celebration for the new classroom at Sto. Nino Elementary. The attached report was prepared by our staff in Manila in the form of a press release which will be (or has been) distributed to some of the local media in Manila. I thought you might like to see their report as well as the photos!"

Read the report and see the photos.

February's Featured Donor: Lauren Razzore of Queens, New York

"I heard about Aura's House when I met founder Kristen Palana because she grew up with one of my best friends from college. We both went to Pratt Institute and became fast friends once we met in New York.

Kristen helped me get a job as an Adjunct Professor at William Paterson University where she used to work as the Assistant Professor of Digital Media. After getting to know Kristen and her project helping people in impoverished countries gain housing and tools to better their lives I too became a passionate supporter. I helped as much as I could with our Baja Fresh Fundraiser and try to donate at least once or twice for every large and small project. Now that Aura's House has switched gears and is helping a lot with education projects I find myself even more passionate about their mission.

I always felt like my education was the greatest gift I ever received and that because of generous financial aid and assistance I have been able to greatly improve my life. I would like other people around the world to share in the gift and I feel like now it's my turn to give back.

When Kristen left for Rome, I took over her position at William Paterson University thanks to her help and encouragement. I'd like to think that each time I donate to Aura's House I am paying her generosity forward."

Lauren Razzore with Kristen Palana in Rome, Italy.

• Please note, this donation button, along all the others on the site are for our Main Projects. To donate online to our Small Projects section, please donate from this page.

I prefer to donate offline.

Thanks for checking out our newsletter.
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