Walk With Us
and Help to Educate the Forgotten Children of Vanuatu!
Did you know that only 40% of children in Vanuatu are given the opportunity to continue their schooling after the age of 12? And did you know that in primary schools right across this beautiful nation that children are sharing pages out of an exercise book, and breaking pencils into 3 just so they can have something to write with? We believe everyone deserves to be educated but unfortunately the reality of poverty does not allow this to occur.
Since 2001, Jump Start has initiated 2 projects in Vanuatu that has helped to change the lives of hundreds of underpriveledged children.
Project #1 -
To date we have donated over 850kgs of literacy and numeracy resources, stationary and school supplies valued at over $10,000 to small remote primary schools. We have taken these supplies to the schools during our client Round Island Relay trips, and have had our hearts touched by these kiddies who have so little. This support will be continued in 2010.
Project # 2 - In July 2008, Jump Start sponsored 10 girls and 2 chaperones to fly from the small island of Tanna to participate in their country's Independence Day Relay. You have to understand that under normal circumstances these girls NEVER have the opportunity to leave their island, let alone go in a plane to their country’s capital city, stay in a hotel, eat in ‘restaurants’, sleep on a real bed, and participate in their country’s biggest Independence Day event – the Round Island Relay. It is hard for me to really explain to you how out of their ‘normal world’ this is. If I said we would probably go to the moon before they would usually get this opportunity, I would not be exaggerating!! The girls had the most incredible time – not only did they come second, which meant that they won money and a computer for their school, but they also were made to feel so special as it is normally the boys in this country who get all these types of opportunities. Their teacher Therese said, “These girls will talk about this trip for generations.”
We have committed to again sponsoring a team of girls from this remote island school in July 2010.
So I am hoping you will be able to help us raise enough money to give all these children opportunities that they would never normally have. You have all been so generous in years gone by, and we now have lots of different ways you can help. Remember, every single $ goes to the kiddies – I do not take any money for time or effort or admin, so you can be assured that 100% of your help is going to those in need.
1. The Walk For Opportunity - Helping to Educate the Forgotten Children of Vanuatu.
To raise money for these kiddies we have organised a fund-raising walk along the 'Great Coastal Walk' which is from Barenjoey to Cronulla. We have divided the approx. 90km walk into 9 sections which we will walk over an 18mth period. That is one walk every 2-3mths. This will be a thoroughly enjoyable and relatively easy walk along a coastline which represents one of the most beautiful and environmentally diverse attractions in the world. Why not make it an opportunity to get together with friends and/or family and at the same time know that you are helping to raise money for such a great cause. Our goal is to have 100 walkers finish together in Cronulla.
Walk #1 was from Barenjoey to Avalon Beach. Walk #2 was from Avalon Beach to Narabeen Lakes. Walk #3 was from Narabeen Lakes to Freshwater. Walk #4 was from Freshwater to The Spit Walk #5 was from The Spit to The Opera House Walk #6 was from The Opera House to Watsons Bay Hotel Walk #7 was from Watsons Bay Hotel to Coogee Bay Hotel Walk #8 was from Coogee Bay Hotel to Doll's Point Walk #9 is from Doll's Point to Cronulla Beach When: Sunday 29th August, 2010
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2. Make a direct donation
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3. Donate school supplies
We have always helped a little school called Epau Primary School each time we have visited. We take them literacy and numeracy resources, as well as pre-loved books. You could help us give these kiddies some help with their education by donating any of the following items:
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4. Help us get some PR
We would love to get some help in gaining some PR for this worthwhile project, which will hopefully allow us to raise even more money. Despite efforts over the years, I have not been able to secure this, so if you know any journalist and/or editor and/or anyone in the media who could help us out, I would love it if you could have a chat with them about this generous, worthwhile initiative we are doing, and to give them my contact details.
5. Become part of our Sponsor Team
We are looking for individuals or businesses who would like to be a part of this great initiative to help provide opportunities for the forgotten children of Vanuatu. We need sponsors to help support the behind-the-scenes activities.
We need some generous people to help us with the following:
- Web Design
- Copywriting
- Printing of posters and flyers
- Distribution
- Someone who could help us (with $$ or 'pro bono') officially set-up a charity and organise all the monstrous compliance issues that are scaring me big time!!!!!!
In return, for the next 18mths you will get:
- Logo and blurb on our website
- Logo and blurb on all email correspondence
- Mention (where possible) with all the publicity we are sure to get
- A warm & fuzzy feeling of helping these forgotten children
Please contact Heidi directly on 9904 1201.
Heidi's BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)
Within 10 years I would like to be able to offer 500 education sponsorships for children whose families cannot afford to send their kids to school in Vanuatu. These sponsorships would start from when the child is 5yrs of age through to the end of their university years (if this is what they desire). It would cover their tuition, uniforms, text-books, stationary, and board (if necessary) etc - all the essential components for these children to be able to gain their dream of education.
Also I would like to be able to work with the Department of Education here in NSW to offer scholarships and visa's to ni-Vanuatu students who would like to further their education here in Australia. We would also need appropriate families to offer their hearts and homes to these chiildren for the duration of their schooling.
These are big goals, but I have every intention of reaching them. If you believe you can help me with this in any way (and it may just start over a coffee or a wine and a piece of paper to scribble on), then I would love for you to contact me. You see being unable to have children of my own has meant that I have had to reassess many things in my life. I am a big believer in that 'everything happens for a reason', and I believe my inability to have my own family has given me another job - and that is to provide opportunities to the children of Vanuatu, so that they can have their dreams fulfilled.
Thank you to our generous and compassionate sponsors who are helping to make this dream possible.
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