French Conversation on the go
Thanks to volunteers and donors partnership the team at Cilongu Foundation (CF) has been able to keep up the cultural program active in Blaine, Minnesota. It can also maintain efforts for helping students of some rural areas or suburbs in Africa.
In 2017, French language speaking friends met at various settings of Blaine, places like the Johnsville Library, Carol Restaurant and the Lake Commons Park to engage in a complete conversation in French. The events provided an opportunity for exchanging cultural experiences, refreshing French language skills, especially for those who learned French several years ago but not having chance to speak French.
Appealing testimonies Clément and Michael who both came from France to work in Minneapolis found out they were born in the same hospital in Nice, France. Since then, they mutilplied visits and strenghtened their relationship with their families and the French conversation team. I saw your flier about the French speaking get-together at Cub Foods, says JH, and came to attend the event. I would love to meet other French speakers in the area. I am a native Minnesotan with relatives who came to the US from France in the 1840s. I have been working on learning the language for the past 8 years or so. I speak French and manage to get along when we travel to France each year. Hopefully, that will be acceptable to the group today. JH attended the meeting with with two other US citizens who worked in Africa years before and expressed their excitement too.
Pictures 1.2 and 3 Kids introducing themselves. Various food like East African samoussa, Ouest African couscous, French quiche, Minnesotan vegetables and fruits. Adults and kids members of the French conversation group.
Aksanti sana from Kenya
Aksanti sana are the Swahili words for Thank you very much from students, teachers and families in Kenya. They are expressing their gratitude to the CF team and all the US contributors and volunteers who made possible the collect of books, computers, shoes or clothes and the shipping to Nairobi, Kenya in Africa. Recently, Mrs. Judy made a trip to schools in Kenya. She provided many pictures and vibrant testimonies from teachers, staff and families she met during her African visit. Let’s share the joy. Indeed, the educational tools reached students in need, in Kenya.
Left to right: Judy Rono and her husband among students in Kenya. A newly electrified classroom with happy students displaying gifts from Minneapolis. Teachers distribute books, backpacks, pens, computers etc...
Appreciation from Judy Rono
Thank you note to CF for the assistance we got last year to impact the school in Eldoret called Berur Orimary School. Most students who attend the school are from low income families. Students and teachers welcomed us with lots of joy. We visited the library and the classrooms from the Nursery to the 8th graders. Happy and respectful children, buildings from a foreign organization. All the students smiled repeating “Aksanti sana” and “Mungu awabariki”. They promised to keep working hard for better grades. They promised to take care of the equipment they received. Westlands PCA is the other school we visited. Same need for equipment, building refreshment and need of educational tools. You can contact Mr. Cornelius Kibet for questions or information about the school, teachers and staff.
Could you help and make a difference in the life of students in need? Families and students served come from the rural areas of Nairobi. These are low income families who cannot afford the fees and prices of educational tools. Parents are unable to provide public transportation to and from school, school supplies, shoes, lunch at school and seasonal adapted clothes. They need your generous act of giving.
GIVE A LITTLE HELP A LOT!