Posted by logan on 7 Jan 2008
The Book Wish Foundation is excited to announce our first project, a combination of institutional and individual aid to provide reading relief to Darfur refugees and locals in Eastern Chad. Through our on-the-ground partner CORD, we will reach the Bredjing, Treguine, and Gaga refugee camps, with more than 60,000 residents — 20,000 of them students — and 18 nearby Chadian villages, where more than 19,000 people are enrolled in primary school, pre-school, or literacy programs.
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Posted by logan on 17 Apr 2008
We are excited to announce that the Book Wish Foundation has just ordered 269 Headway English books for our Chad/Darfur project, using funds donated by the public. Stay tuned as we chronicle their journey to and use in the refugee camps in Chad, where learning English is viewed as a "road to freedom."
The retail cost of buying these books would be nearly $8,000, but, thanks to tremendous discounts and donations from the publisher, Oxford University Press, we were able to acquire them for only a little more than $800. Oxford's generosity allows us to leverage donations we receive many times over, providing an outstanding opportunity for donors to directly impact the lives of refugees from Darfur.
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Posted by logan on 23 Mar 2008
In this second special report about education in Bredjing Camp, Chad, our on-the-ground partner Anne Goddard of CORD explores the self-study groups by which refugee teachers aim to improve themselves and provide a better education for their students. They are dreaming big, putting their hopes for the future in education. Your donations will help make their dreams come true.
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Posted by logan on 23 Mar 2008
The following special report from our on-the-ground partner Anne Goddard of CORD tells the story of Darfurian refugee Abdel Razik Mohamed, pre-school teacher and English student in Bredjing Camp, Chad. By sharing his experience, we hope to convey the refugees' yearning for education. Please donate to support Abdel Razik, his students, and fellow teachers.
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Posted by logan on 23 Mar 2008
Our application for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status (Form 1023) has been sent to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If approved, U.S. taxpayers' donations to us will be tax-deductible, and we will be able to apply for grants and other forms of support only available to tax-exempt organizations. Please note that, if you have already made a donation to us, or make one before we receive 501(c)(3) status, your donation will likely be considered tax-exempt, retroactively, if our application is approved.
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Posted by logan on 12 Mar 2008
Oxford University Press has just agreed to make substantial donations and discounts available to us to help Darfur refugees in Chad learn English. The 75 teacher's books we requested from Oxford's Headway English language series will be totally free, and we will be able to purchase the student's books and audio at cost, a huge discount of 85% off!
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Posted by logan on 12 Mar 2008
Our on-the-ground partner in eastern Chad, Anne Goddard of CORD, informs us that 300 more young refugees from Darfur have joined English classes that meet early in the morning before primary school. This is yet another demonstration of the refugees' strong desire to learn and to secure education for their children, and it means that the English language course material we provide will find even greater use.
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Posted by logan on 2 Mar 2008
Users of About.com's English as a Second Language site have turned out heavily during the past week to support our Chad/Darfur project. Since February 25, at least 814 have visited our website, donating more than $800! Not surprisingly, they primarily earmarked their donations for Headway English language course material, which refugees from Darfur in the Treguine, Bredjing, and Gaga camps want to use to learn English, the "road to freedom."
Thanks to everyone who donated, and, especially, About.com's ESL Guide Kenneth Beare, who has really helped to spread the word about our project.
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Posted by logan on 11 Feb 2008
Breaking news from our on-the-ground partner CORD's Anne Goddard about the recent fighting in Chad and its impact on education programs in the refugee camps. The programs continue, and we still need your support.
Following the recent troubles in Chad, I am pleased to say that the work carries on. As is usual in times of great instability, some of the expatriate and national staff are evacuated from the country or returned to their homes, leaving a skeleton staff to carry on the work. This reduces the risk to life and property, while maintaining minimal, but essential service.
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