More Schooling

BBC World Service journalist, Nick Baker, follows the story of APEEDs global network to Australia and Fiji, tracing the connections APEED president Barth has made whilst working in an internet cafe in Parakou in seeking support for APEEDs students. Barth’s networking skills, personality and charm has turned encounters with people in an internet cafe into solid support and long term relationships. Nick was taken by Barth and his success. Rising from a position as a school boy being forced out of school due to financial hardship to helping hundreds of students continue their schooling. Nick’s story the Internet Cafe Hobo can be viewed online parts 1 and 2 of the radio piece are being aired on BBC World Service currently. The third and final installment will be online on March 11th.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/12/091217_internet_cafe_hobe_doc2.shtml

 

The highlight of the year for APEED in Benin is the annual book-giving ceremony, held at the start of each school year. The 2009-10 ceremony was held on October 14, 2009 and involved one hundred students each receiving a package of exercise books, stationary & school uniforms. This package enables these students to effectively participate in secondary school, maximising the value of their education and relieving the financial pressure on their families. Without this assistance from APEED, many of these students would not be able to attend school, limiting their education and life opportunities.

The attached pdf is a report of the ceremony, as written by the students of APEED.

Book-giving ceremony (Eng)

Book-giving ceremony (French)

For all those who have donated money in the past twelve months, this ceremony is a direct result of those efforts. The money raised at the Beninoise Solidarity Spectactular in Sydney last September provided the funds to support APEED in providing educational materials to its members. A BIG BIG thank you again to everyone who was involved.

The BBC World Service journalist, Nick Barker interviews APEED founder Barth in Parakou. The interview, part of a global story on the meetings that occur everyday in internet cafes, focused on Barth meeting key supporters for APEED whilst at work in an internet cafe.

Stories from the blog will be aired on BBC World Service Radio and later in the year form part of a 3 part TV documentary. This is hopefully a sound bite of more to come…if you’re feeling inspired leave a comment on the site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldservice/internetcafehobo/

Cheers to all who came down to the Living Art Gallery last wk. $3500 was raised to contribute to this years purchase of school materials and the partial paying of school fees for the 120 students of APEED, Benin.

The money is raised to coincide with the beginning of the school year in Benin where APEED holds an event each year to distribute the essential school materials to each of APEED’s 120 members. We will be posting photos and a report of this event soon.

A special thanks goes out to Masmoudi Artapis, owner of The Living Art Gallery and rug designer, thanks for opening your gallery to us and for your enthusiasm for the event. And to all the auction bidders and auction prize donors, a big thanks to you.
and…. to Papa Mbaye for an awesome Senegalese percussion performance, certainly added to the vibe.

Thanks again and see you next time!

 

(more…)

On Saturday 28th June, we had a fundraiser bbq, raising a whooping £600!!!!

Thanks to the generosity of everyone. We did this through a Tombola/Raffle with gifts kindly donated from the following businesses:

• THE APARTMENT (exmouth market, london)

• THE AMBASSADOR RESTAURANT (exmouth market, london)

• GAZZANO (exmouth market, london)