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Promoting global environmental awareness through Pen Pals:

When I visit African schools, the students sing songs of welcome, proudly showing me the trees they have planted, and the litter they have cleaned from the surrounding areas. They always request one thing:”Please tell kids in America we want to be in touch with them.”

The world internet community has left behind these African children who live in remote villages, with little access to computers, the internet, or TV.  It’s a simple request, but logistically complicated to achieve.

Our Pen Pal Program connects African Children with kids in America to inspire global conservation learning

Children in both countries write notes to explain their environmental concerns and solutions. The letters are exchanged during my semi-annual trips to Africa. Letters from America are presented in re-useable tote bags (from America) emphasizing our concern about plastic bags.

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Many African adults who are now working for global environmental organizations tell me one of the things that changed their life was a mentor or pen pal. Connection. A simple idea that can be life changing.
The most recent exchange took place between 10 schools in California and Arusha, Tanzania during January. More than 700 kids participated.
 The students wrote to each other about animals – goats, chickens and elephants in Africa – and cats, and dogs in California, and their favorite sport, and their family and school.
Culturally there were differences I didn’t anticipate. Students could not figure out their pen pals gender from reading the name. The children in Africa got a huge giggle from one letter giving the names of the California boys’ pet chickens.
In Africa, chickens are not pets. Children in America were surprised by the loving words sprinkled throughout the letters from Africa, “you are most welcome in my country,” “I want to be your friend,” “I hope you will smile when you get this
letter.”
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Thank you again to all the American and African teachers and students and others who collected totes, organized their classes to write notes, and donated money to make this project such a success.
Participating Schools/Teachers:
Crane/Janey Cohen                                                                            St. Joseph Primary/Adela Mlay
Washington/Mrs.  Bluestein, Mr. Riley                                 Azimio Primary /Trifonia Mdendemi
Adelante Charter/Michael Macioce                                                Burka  Primary /Salma Msuya
Peabody/Carol Margerum & Mrs. Zuchowicz                              Naura Priimary /Sariah Munuo
Wilderness Youth Project/Dan Fontiane                                      Mringa Secondary /Kleruu Sumaye
Bridget Lewin/Science Ed Consultant                                            St Joseph Private/Cosmas Haule
what some of the students and teachers said about the project:
“I love this “notes and totes project”. Not only do the students in Tanzania receive a tote bag, they receive a letter from us who live in America. We get to share our ideas about the environment and we also learn about each other. Our lives are so different: they don’t name their pets whereas we do and their school structure is different from ours. Our houses are mansions compared to theirs and they easily get excited when they are given a pencil. Just one pencil! Yet these African kids are so caring that I’d like to write to them on a daily basis. I’m sure they would enjoy that as well. It’s only natural that we all care about the environment and we want to share our ideas on it. I highly enjoyed this project.” Quote from Danae at Los Olivos School
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Giansia from Arusha, Tanzania wrote, ”The project was real amazing.I had never seen a person who cares and dare to waste his or her time only because she wants to bring people together.I am very proud of you because you have give people a good motivation on how to take care of environment,by avoiding uses of plastic bags,cutting down trees and all pollutants.Good job Lori!!!”

“Well done Lori. I am Elviro, a students of st. Joseph Arusha Tanzania i am very happy to see that you have try to let us be closer with the kids of abroad where by we were able to see different activities which were very interesting and marvelous.”

“What an exciting day we had in our service learning class at Crane School yesterday, when Lori came to visit! Lori just returned from her trip to Tanzania where she visited a school and dropped off the reusable totes we collected and also the personal notes our students wrote last month for project “Note and Tote”. 31 of our bags were given to children in Tanzania, with a letter inside each one written by one of our 6th graders.

“Lori brought back a personal letter for each 6th grader, written by a 6th grader in Arusha, Tanzania. It was an uplifting and truly memorable experience for all of us. Each letter was heartfelt and talked about life in Arusha and what these children value. They also talked a lot about their Roots and Shoots projects. Lori has a video to show us (in about a month) of the children in Tanzania receiving and reading our letters to them, and today she recorded our students receiving and reading their letters, which she will eventually show to the children in Tanzania. Everyone is excited about writing back to their new pen pal. Students are busy collecting photos to add to the letters this time.”
Janey Cohen
Crane School

Read a story about our latest work at an orphanage.

Africa Inside  is sponsored by Creative Visions Foundation, a publicly supported 501 (c)(3), which supports Creative Activists who use the power of media and the arts to affect positive change in the world.

All donations are tax deductible.

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Creative Visions Foundation
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