Thank you “Project for Awesome”!
Today we have some fantastic news to share! You may remember the video competition we entered back in December called “Project For Awesome“. So many of our friends, donors, and supporters helped us out by voting – as well as tweeting and posting our link to encourage their friends to vote too! It was our first year to participate in this competition and there were more than 900 videos entered. We’re thrilled to report that we came in 20th place! This was the very last place that received funding – so every single vote absolutely counted!
We were announced as one of the winners back in January in this vlog [by John Green, author of “The Fault in our Stars”! How cool is that?! Skip to 3:30 to hear our name announced!] – but it took longer than expected for the Foundation to complete all of their Indigogo perks and distribute the funding. We have waited and waited to receive our check and to find out the total amount we won, and we have to say that it was absolutely worth the wait! Look what we finally got in the mail!
$15,088.79! WOW!
With this funding, we will be able to further the education of 97 children in 4 countries. Isn’t that incredible?! Here’s how it all breaks down…
Burma
At our home “The Refuge” we’ll be able to pay the Fall re-enrollment fees and buy uniforms for all of the refugee children we help care for. We will also be able to hire language tutors for each of their school breaks, and install internet for the year at their Children’s Home. This will be the very first time these children will have access to the internet, which will give them so many new tools to improve their education.
Thailand
At our Girls Home in Northern Thailand, we will be able to buy uniforms and school supplies for all 8 of the children in our care. These girls are doing exceptionally well in school! Many of them are at the top of their class!
India
We will be able to provide funding to help children at all 3 of our homes in India. At our Boy’s Home in Delhi, we will be able to buy winter uniforms for 5 new boys who have come into the home. At our Girl’s Home in Kolkata, we will be able to buy winter uniforms for all 10 of our girls. And at our co-ed Children’s Home in Andhra Pradesh, we’ll be able to pay for all 15 of the school age children’s school fees, uniforms, and text books!
Swaziland
The largest amount of funding was spent in Africa – at our carepoint in Nsoko, Swaziland. This is one of the most impoverished areas of Swaziland, and it is very difficult for children here to get the money they need to attend school. With this funding, we were able to put 51 children in school for the year! This is the 4th year in a row that we have been able to provide school fees for every child at our carepoint that needed assistance, and it’s making such a difference in the community!
97 little lives have been changed… all because YOU were willing to vote and share our video with your friends. So thank you “Project for Awesome”, thank you Nerdfighters; thank you donors and friends! Thank you ALL for being a part of this incredible competition! Your vote helped make a difference in the lives of so many children in need. We hope you’ll celebrate with us today – and we hope we can count on your vote again in December!
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