Newsletters: Volume 19 - Fall 2007
From the President
Although only recently elected President of the Board of Directors, I have watched the success of this organization grow during its ten-year history. I traveled on the same safari as Roger Whiting in 1996, also saw the plight of girls living in extreme poverty, and understood that education was the pathway for their achieving a better life. We are all fortunate that Roger was inspired by this trip and had the abilities and perseverance needed to form our successful non-profit organization.
We recognize that our success has been achieved only because of the generous support of you, our donors. Your gifts have allowed girls to leave their farms and orphanages and attend safe, quality boarding schools in order to become “empowered women.” Some even continue with post-secondary education. They then can develop their own capacities so they will no longer be vulnerable to the ravages of poverty. Best of all, they serve as inspiration and models for other girls in their families and communities. We are happy to share our girls’ successes because we know they will bring you satisfaction from knowing we are using your funds carefully and wisely. We welcome any recommendations that will improve our work.
This issue of our newsletter focuses on the trip that four of our Board members made to East Africa this year. There, we met with our In-Country Scholarship Coordinators, toured the schools, met with heads of schools, and, most importantly, met with our scholarship recipients. These annual visits enable us to judge that our scholarship decisions are providing our students with the education they need. We feel responsible to represent our donors during our visits, to collect performance information, and to make post-visit recommendations.
We extend special thanks to our In-Country Scholarship Coordinators, Florence Nyamu in Kenya, Sister Salome Nambi in Uganda, and Zainab Tekway Sige in Tanzania. They are the caretakers of our mission. They search for students who meet our scholarship eligibility requirements and serve as ongoing liaisons and mentors between the students, families, headmistresses, our Executive Director and the Board. We will always remember the coordinators’ gracious hospitality and the insight, expertise and support provided to us as we examined GTL’s work in East Africa.
Mary Schwartz, President
GTL’s 10th Anniversary
On August 3, 2007 Growth Through Learning celebrated its 10th anniversary with a reception honoring its Founder, Roger Whiting, at the Tatnuck Country Club in Worcester, MA, attended by past and current Board members, donors, friends, and family.
Mr. Whiting was presented with a plaque from the students of East Africa who have been able to continue their education because of the support received from GTL. The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts recognized him with a special citation for his tireless dedication to the education of the women and children of East Africa and for demonstrating a true philanthropic spirit.
Michael Birch, former chair of the Board of Directors, spoke of the many accomplishments of GTL over the last ten years, and guests were treated to a slideshow of photographs taken by Board members during their recent visit there. The photos featured GTL students and offered glimpses of the spectacular beauty of the land and animals of East Africa.
From the Founder
It is difficult for me to believe that ten years have passed since I founded Growth Through Learning. For sure it has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. Since 1998 we have succeeded in supporting a greater number of girls each year. The first year we provided scholarships to just 12 students. This number has steadily increased, and this past fiscal year we provided 249 scholarships. The total number since our beginning is 1156, and the total number of individuals that have received scholarships is 491.
Our fund-raising efforts have been quite productive, and I am happy to report that by the end of our tenth year GTL received over $1,075,000 of total income. We have also secured a $1M endowment designed to provide us with a substantial portion of our operating expenses. This grant allows a greater percentage of a donor’s contribution to be available for the purpose it was intended – to provide scholarships. The grantor of this endowment believed strongly in our mission and wished to help the organization with salary for an executive director and office expenses, thereby providing stability and longevity to the organization. Sadly, this generous benefactor died earlier this year.
On August 3rd I was really surprised when an invitation for dinner with friends turned out to be a celebration for the 10th anniversary of the beginnings of GTL and my tenure as Founder and President during that time. I am deeply flattered and grateful that the Board chose to celebrate this hallmark event and appreciate the commendation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the plaque sent by our Scholarship Coordinators in East Africa.
It is now time for me to step down as President and Chairman of Growth Through Learning. Naturally, that is a difficult transition as GTL has been my passion since its inception. However, I feel it is vital that I pass on my knowledge, experience, and philosophy of the organization. We have a very strong Board, and already I am receiving substantial support for my decision. This change will allow me to focus more attention on fund-raising. Thank you to all who have donated so generously in the past. GTL and the girls of East Africa will greatly appreciate your continued support.
Roger L. Whiting, Founder, Director of Development
From the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
It has been a very busy six months, indeed. One of my first experiences brought me to a conference called “Global Leadership Models for Worcester, the United States, and the World: A Call to Action.” It was an excellent first step in networking with organizations doing work on a global level.
It is a gratifying experience when non-profit organizations pool their resources towards realization of a common goal. Over the summer I was approached by Dining for Women, which donated to GTL its contributions received during the month of August. This has proven to be a warm and wonderful collaborative relationship, which I am confident will continue.
Much of my effort has been devoted to the process of improving efficiency in the day-to-day operations of the organization. I am amazed at how much is accomplished by this team of volunteer Board members and one part-time employee (me)! One of my most satisfying experiences thus far has been my substantial involvement in the development of GTL’s first ever Strategic Plan, which is in its final draft stage.
Also, we are in the beginning stages of developing some tools that will assist us in following up with our recent secondary school graduates. We hope to be able to pilot this project in Kenya, then, eventually, to expand it to Uganda and Tanzania. While four Board members were in Africa last May, they compiled information profiling each country, the schools where girls receiving GTL scholarships matriculate, as well as some of the students themselves. I am in the midst of organizing their findings into a database which we hope to update annually.
In my first “From the Executive Director” I closed with a favorite quote that reminded me of GTL’s purpose. I would like to continue that practice. I leave you with the words of Dietrich Bonhöeffer who said, “Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.” Until next time. . .
Lisa A Siciliano, Executive Director
GTL’s First East African Coordinators Conference
Coordinators conference
We were thrilled when Sister Salome Nambi, our Ugandan Scholarship Coordinator, offered to host the first GTL Coordinators Conference in Kampala, Uganda. Other coordinators were Florence Nyamu from Kenya and Zainab Tekway Sige from Tanzania, and our four visiting Board members, Donna Lazorik, Jeanne Lynch, Judith Nielsen, and Mary Schwartz, attended.
The conference goals were fourfold: to strengthen the working relationships between the GTL Board of Directors and scholarship coordinators by discussing strategies that will ensure the organization’s long-term growth and success; to share key information on GTL’s historical and current situation; to stimulate discussion on what is and is not working, and to define joint priorities for ongoing work; and to discuss lessons learned and celebrate our successes.
One important recommendation that evolved from our discussions which has been integrated into the final draft of our strategic plan, currently nearing completion, is the establishment of an annual survey of GTL graduates to track their post-graduate education, work, and life activities, and to support the development of online chat rooms and encourage alumnae gatherings.
In our final discussion we reviewed and synthesized lessons learned. Primary among these was the value of face-to-face communication. It was evident the Coordinators could address and resolve many issues quickly in this conference forum because of their in-depth understanding of the social and cultural needs of the students and their experience with the East African education system.
Mary Schwartz, President
Traveling Through Kenya
The moment the four of us entered Nairobi airport after 30 hours of travel, we knew we were in a different country. The place was bustling with people in brilliantly colored costumes. Our ride to the hotel was along brightly lit, well paved streets amid fast, heavy traffic. When we went to a restaurant outside the hotel we were escorted by armed security men.
Ever observant and curious about all aspects of the country, we realized our true mission was to visit each of the schools where GTL sponsors young girls, and that part of our trip began the next morning when Nancy Nyamu, daughter of our Kenyan Scholarship Coordinator, drove us two hours to the town of Othaya and the Girls Secondary School, Gatugi. After a light meal served on tables in the science lab, we talked privately with each of the 11 GTL scholarship girls who all expressed their gratitude to GTL.
Next stop was the Mutira Girls High School in Kerugoya where we again met with all the GTL students and were impressed with the articulate Headmistress, Mrs. Gatimu. The final school on our itinerary that day was Kabare, ranked the 10th best high school in Kenya and where GTL has 11 students who proudly showed us their classrooms and dorms. The headmistress’s office was full of trophies the students had won in debating, writing, theatre, and athletics.
Nancy had us on the road early again on our second full day. Our destination was the Karoti Girls High School, a wonderful place with 800 students, beautifully landscaped grounds, and cement buildings. We were privileged to talk with the deputy principal and to meet with one of the graduates who was serving as a math and science tutor between graduation and post-secondary school. Our spirits were high as we flew to Entebbe the next afternoon.
Jeanne Lynch, Treasurer
Facts About Tanzania
Tanzania Kibosho school students
Universal primary education is cited as one of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, yet the UN recognizes it is “unlikely” Tanzania will attain this goal by the projected year of 2015. Annual per capita income is approximately $250 and most families depend upon subsistence farming to survive. Annual private school tuition costs are beyond their means. Almost half of Tanzania’s districts report primary school enrollment below 50%, and secondary enrollment is far less.
Initially, poverty prevents parents from sending their children to school, and the perceived inappropriateness of education to real life requirements, that is, poor relevance of the curriculum to equip students with appropriate life skills, reinforces this reluctance of families to support education. Moreover, girls are less likely to be educated than boys as, when they marry, often as young as 13 to an older man with multiple wives, they are no longer participants in their birth family. These young women also have a high likelihood of contracting HIV from their husbands and passing the virus along to their children.
GTL wants to break this cycle of impoverished dependence that women in East Africa face by literally saving the lives of young girls through education. Most of our students attend all-girl boarding schools which we were able to inspect during our visit in May. These schools provide them with a protective and nurturing environment, while encouraging them to take the time to mature and begin to imagine a life that reflects GTL’s vision statement of “a world where all women receive the education they need to realize their own potential and fulfill their own aspirations for themselves, their families and their community.”
Judith Nielsen, Clerk
Impressions of Uganda
St. Kitizo Girls beat the boys in drum competition: Uganda
In the lush highlands 40 miles from Kampala sits St. Kizito’s High School. Five hundred girls, including 40 GTL scholarships recipients, live on this campus with spectacular views of the countryside. Sister Salome, GTL coordinator and St. Kizito’s Headmistress, sets the tone with her professional, smiling presence. In a country where more than 40% of the women are illiterate, Sr. Salome, a graduate of Makerere University, is a role model and mentor to her students.
The curriculum is rigorous and the school days are long. Some items the girls must bring from home are a mattress, a bucket for washing clothes, and a machete for work in the fields. Most of the food consumed by the students and faculty is grown on the campus. Despite the hard work expected of the girls, there is easy laughter and exuberance, and it is clear they feel safe and cared for. On our visit we were entertained by the girls’ drumming group – local champions where it is unusual for girls to drum – and by their classmates who broke into a spontaneous dance.
The atmosphere at St. Kizito’s sharply contrasts to their usual home life. Poverty, violence, and the threat of early pregnancy and HIV are a reality for too many. There is no free secondary education in Uganda, and UNICEF estimates that only the richest 4% of families can afford secondary school. Yet a GTL scholarship means more than the opportunity for education; it provides a haven in which the girls are free to focus on their studies and develop the confidence they need to fulfill their aspirations. After talking with GTL girls and hearing their stories, I am filled with admiration for their commitment to making the most of the opportunity GTL provides.
Donna Lazorik, Vice President
Last modified: Jan 22, 2008, 12:08 EST