Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation

sponsoring children in Kilimanjaro

Keeping the Faith

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The Big 3, as Amy, Dawna, and Stephanie affectionately refer to ourselves, have been listening, learning, and talking about faith this month.

Amy, Dawna, and Stephanie

It’s not a new topic of conversation for us. It comes up when we’re hiking those tall mountains, as well as when we’re laughing with girlfriends over bacon and bourbon. But it is a conversation we feel worthy of sharing with all of you. Imagine Dr. King’s metaphor as Amy took the first steps of turning her dream into a reality of quality, private education for our Tanzanian friends’ children through Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation. The staircase has climbed over 60 steps high with each one representing a beautiful child whom you’ve helped so far.

faith is taking the first step

Now the staircase has started to become circular as we’ve entered an economy where everything just costs more than it did even a year ago. The stairs are winding back around, and we’ve asked you to pay more toward the children’s private education ($900/year or $75/month) because the tuition prices have risen. We’ve also decided to put $25 of that money toward health insurance — $25 per child for a YEAR! – as we want our kiddos to have access to simple medications or procedures they may need in order to get well and get back to school asap.

We know that some of you may not have the means or the desire to put more money towards our cause. We certainly understand and respect that. But we do have FAITH that the children’s needs will continue to be met, and we look forward to heading up an even taller staircase with you in 2023.

Our Kidz

Jambo! My name is Grayson. I am 6-1/2 and I go to Winners primary school. I am the middle child of five. I started Grade 1 in January.

Kilimanjaro Kidz: Grayson

We Need Your Help

We have added health insurance for every student for just $25 per year, and school fees have climbed in the last year. Some secondary schools are growing by substantial amounts. And yet, for just $75/month, you are able to cover these expenses, including school supplies, uniforms, books, and transportation to and from school!

If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 18, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.

Please be sure to Like us on Facebook, invite your friends, and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter. Scroll to the bottom of our home page to subscribe!

Your Support, Our Kidz, Amazing Grace

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Our Kidz

Amy was fortunate to be able to travel in December to visit our families again. The school year ends in December in Tanzania, so it was a great time to reconnect, talk to the kidz, and even capture some of their thoughts on short videos! We are in the process of sending those videos to their respective sponsors, and we will be posting several up on the website as well.

Amy was able to visit two of our families at their homes. It’s amazing how much can be done with so little. The greatest joy, of course, is seeing the smiles on the faces of the children!

While there, Amy also saw some acreage that would be an ideal location for building a school. We have some steps to complete before we’re able to get that ball rolling, and, when God hands us additional clarity, we have a responsibility to take that and go forward.

Amy and Kilimanjaro Kidz     Amy and Kilimanjaro Kidz

Amy and Kilimanjaro Family    Kilimanjaro Group

Thank You!

Click the image below to play the video.

Amazing Grace

The pandemic, the war in Ukraine, world financial challenges, and a lengthy drought have put a strain on the country and everything from food to transportation to tuition has been impacted. So, the Board has decided to adjust the sponsorship amount to $900 annually ($75 per month) to offset some skyrocketing costs. If you would be willing to raise your sponsorship amount, contact us!

The Quest Continues

If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 19, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.

Donations to Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation (a 501c3 foundation) are tax deductible. ANYTHING helps.

We are BEYOND Grateful

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As the holiday season approaches, we are filled with gratitude for the continuing generosity of all of you sponsoring!

What an amazing year it has been.

gratitude

Goals that you all have helped us achieve, again! 🏫

Raising funds for private school education in Tanzania. 📖

Amy’s vision has been shared across the world over the past three years. 🌍

Twenty-two new children have been sponsored in 2022. ❤

Insight into the children’s families, schools and homes that Amy gained on her April return to Tanzania.✈

Thankful for friends, family, co-workers and strangers on a plane who have listened to our stories about our Tanzanian families and joined in the Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation dream. 👂

United towards a common cause – kindness. 🤝

Deciding how we can help these children even more…will health insurance be next? 🏥

Enjoying the children’s joy, respect, hope and GRATITUDE for what you have shared with them.😊

We wish you all a wonderful month filled with gratitude for the blessings in your lives!

Meet the Kidz…

Jambo! My name is Ivana. I am 4-1/2 and I go to Hellow Pre and Primary school. I am lucky to start being sponsored at the beginning of my schooling. I will be in Standard 1 starting in January.

Ivana

We Need Your Help

We had an amazing October and were able to reach our goal for sponsors in 2022 before the end of October! But we still need your help. We are adding health insurance for every student for just $25 per year. And school fees have climbed in the last year. Some secondary schools are growing by substantial amounts.

If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 18, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.

Please be sure to Like us on Facebook, invite your friends, and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter. 

Generosity with Attitude!

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2022 has been a year of new challenges, yet we continue to move forward thanks to your generosity, compassion, and kindness.

And you all have been SO generous!

generosity is the most natural outward expression of compassion

Last month we shared with you that we were halfway to our hope of 22 new sponsors in 2022. School fees must be paid by the end of October, and Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation board members are feeling the crunch to achieve this milestone that we have set for helping the families of our porters. You may remember that we are a goal-oriented group – summit Mt. Kilimanjaro ✔, start a non-profit ✔, buy a company ✔, cross the continental divide on foot ✔ – you see where we’re going with this. 😉

Stephanie was having dinner with family recently when her husband shared what she’s been doing with KKEF, who we’re helping, and how. Her mother-in-law asked some wonderful questions, and Stephanie was so happy to tell her the story of KKEF. As a generous, goal-oriented woman herself, she said “Sign me up” within the next few days!

Then Stephanie went to kickboxing class and shared how happy she was that more of her family wanted to get involved in our cause, and one of her friends in the class said, “Sign me up!”

At the same time, Amy was working in Iowa and told a friend there about KKEF. She said, “Sign me up!” And the momentum has continued. We only have 6 more children who need sponsors this year!

We hope you will talk about what you’re doing to help KKEF for only $50/month or $600/year at your next family dinner, exercise class, work event, or wherever you spend time with the kind hearts in your life.

Let’s keep the momentum going!

We Need Your Help

With 11 students remaining to sponsor before the end of October, when school fees are due, we definitely need your help!

If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 5 to 18, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.

Please be sure to Like us on Facebook, invite your friends, and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter. 

We Rise by Lifting Others

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As the summer winds down and kids return to school in the U.S., our kids in Tanzania have passed their midyear mark.

Our quest continues to bring these students a future filled with opportunity.

we rise by lifting others

Our Hiking Adventure

KKEF sponsors and best friends went on our annual hiking adventure the last weekend of August. We headed off to Rocky Mountain National Park at 3:00 am. Our journey, on foot, across the Continental Divide began at 4:30am at Bear Lake.

We watched an amazing Rocky Mountain sunrise as we climbed to Flattop Mountain, elevation 12,361 ft.

We shared lights in the dark, snacks at the stops, and toilet paper behind the trees and rocks.

We shared laughs, frustrations, sore feet, and singing.

We shared wonder and fear at the animal sightings, sounds and scat.

We shared awe at the beauty that has come from destruction as we hiked through a burn scar, which was vibrantly alive with wildflowers.

All along the 12-hour, 22ish mile trek from Bear Lake to Grand Lake, what we mostly shared was love for each other and the loveliness of our surroundings.

We couldn’t have completed this trek without each other, and why would we want to?

We rise by lifting others. And the same holds true in our journey of sponsorship with Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation. We couldn’t have made it this far without all of you. And we continue to need your help in making our goal of 22 sponsored children in 2022.

We’re halfway there, but the children need the chance for laughs, snack sharing, awe of beauty and lifelong friendships in their sponsored private school education. Only $50 a month can help these children to rise.

Meet the Kidz…

Jambo! My name is Brightness. I am very happy to be able to go to school. My brother Brian and my sister Glory also have sponsors, and we practice our English together when we are at home.

We Need Your Help

With 11 students remaining to sponsor before the end of October, when school fees are due, we definitely need your help! Please forward this newsletter to a friend, or better yet, call them and tell them how they can make a huge difference for a small amount!

If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 5 to 18, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.

Please be sure to Like us on Facebook, invite your friends, and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter. 

Meet Our New Board Member!

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This month, we have a very special announcement to share. Our dedicated little Board has grown by one more.

This member gives us “boots on the ground” in Moshi, Tanzania, at the heart of where our over 40 sponsored children live, learn, and play. What a blessing this is for all involved.

I do admire seeing this young generation getting a better education for their future, which my generation missed. ~ Respecius Baitwa

Meet Our New Board Member: Respicius Baitwa!

Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation (KKEF) is very happy and proud to introduce Respicius Baitwa as our newest board member.

As our fearless leader on the mountain, we grew very quickly to trust and respect Respicius’ judgement and wisdom in helping us to safely achieve our goal of summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro. In the years since then, his help as “boots on the ground” in Tanzania has proved invaluable to KKEF. He has worked side-by-side with us from thousands of miles away as we achieve new goals and climb new mountains in sponsoring 50+ children’s private school education to date.

new board member Respicius Baitwa

Respicius has been a mountain guide on Mt. Kilimanjaro for 25 years. He has summited 5 of the 7 Summits, the highest peak on each continent, and dreams of being among the elite to conquer all 7 summits.

Some of Respicius’ biggest blessings have come from meeting nice people on their Kilimanjaro journey with him and sharing stories about his country with them. He includes meeting Amy amongst those blessings along with the work we have done to let the world know of Tanzania’s challenges and the solutions that many of you have provided.

Respicius says of Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation’s work, “I do admire seeing this young generation getting a better education for their future which my generation missed.” (See why we love him so much?)

Our Mission Continues

Friends, our goal this year is to find sponsors for an additional 22 students, and to date we have 6. Five sponsors per month over the next three months will get us to our goal and bring us to a total of 61 children sponsored! Please share our story with all you know who have a passion for helping.

If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! We recently learned that health insurance is just $25 per child for a YEAR. A donation of $100 will give 4 children and their parents incredible peace of mind.

Our students, who range in age from 5 to 18, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.

Please be sure to Like us on Facebook, invite your friends, and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter. Go to KilimanjaroKidz.com and scroll to the bottom of our home page to subscribe yourself!