Schools
Msaada has received tremendous support from a number of schools, mainly Shaftesbury School, Corfe Hills School, Dauntsey's School, Gillingham School, Port Regis, Abbey Primary School.
Msaada is greatly heartened by this support by young people who have demonstrated a willingness to reach out across continents to offer their concern and support for people in dire need, whom they may never meet in person.
Shaftesbury School
Shaftesbury School sixth form students Amy Harris and Catherine Smith present a cheque for £1,817.94 to Msaada chairman Chris Brickell (left) and director Billy Kelly. This major contribution brings Shaftesbury School's total contribution to Msaada to a massive £5,085, making the school the second largest supporter of the charity's self-help projects for survivors of the genocide in Rwanda.
Gillingham School
Students from Gillingham School have raised some £400 to support educational projects in Rwanda. Year 13 students Bobbi Nicholson, Bertie Neave and Rachael Coleman organised a carnation day on Valentine's Day which raised £300.
"We selected Msaada because it is a local charity," Bobbi explained. "We felt it was important to support a small charity that we have some connection with. We know where our contribution is going. We did not want to support a very big charity because we would not know where the money was going to."
Meanwhile, Libby Page and Alice Nicholson of tutor group 10 Baxter also selected Msaada for their charity day. They raised £101. The day involved a cake sale, a guess the name of the teddy bear contest, guess the number of sweets in a jar and guess the serial number on a £5 note, which was organised by Baxter tutor Mr Harris. Libby thanked Mr Harris for his efforts to make the day such a success. Libby's tutor group selected Msaada because they will be studying the Rwandan genocide in history. Also, Odette Kayirere of AVEGA, who works closely with Msaada, visited the tutor group and told them of her experiences during the terror.
Shaftesbury and Corfe Hills Secondary Schools
Schools back efforts to combat poverty - Shaftesbury and Corfe Hills secondary schools have given their wholehearted backing to Msaada's work in Rwanda. Both schools presented cheques to Msaada patron, Fergal Keane, during his recent visit to Gillingham Shaftesbury School presented a cheque for a massive £1,600.86, the proceeds of their Rag Day.
This is the third contribution made by the school since joining the campaign to help the genocide widows and orphans in Rwanda. Previous contributions totalled £1,666.34. And Corfe Hills weighed in with £500, raised by the school's Rock Challenge company's sale of DVDs and two musical soiree evenings in the school.
Dayo Benson and Hassan Mehmood present a cheque for £1,600.68 to Msaada patron, Fergal Keane
Dauntsey's School
Dauntsey's School selected Msaada to be the school's charity for the 2007/08 year. They presented Msaada with a cheque for a staggering £17,661.39. Among the fundraising activities that took place were a cookery demonstration, designing and selling Christmas cards, two Christmas carol services, a Scottish reels evening, a 24 hour swimathon and the Devizes to Westminster canoe race (their biggest fund-raiser) as well as a host of other events.
Port Regis School
Port Regis provided funds to send Simbi Angélique (pictured) to school for three years.
Abbey Primary School
Abbey Primary School pupils designed and produced a range of Christmas cards for Msaada which went on sale this year (2008). They will be available again in coming years. The pupils were highly praised for the imaginative, engaging and colourful designs they produced.
The photograph shows some of the pupils with their designs.
