More Photos from Guinea Kids Benefit Concert

Photos by Ilona Berzups. (c) 2008 All rights reserved

GUINEA KIDS BENEFIT CONCERT!!

Photos by Ilona Berzups. (c) 2008 All rights reserved

...Was an amazing experience of friends and community and children coming together to support broadening the life opportunities for children around the world! WE HAVE RAISED NEARLY $6000 TO DATE from this year's event!!! The concert was truly a beautiful thing. The space was transformed into a gorgeous African dream. There were exciting things to browse and buy including Guinea and Seattle Kid's Collaborative Art Cards. There were yummy things to taste including fried plantains and ginger juice.

The children's dancing was a highlight for me. Their bright spirit's shone on stage and their joy was infectious. Some of the children even got the treat of dancing to live drumming when we had a sound glich. Hey, even better...we had the real live thing instead of recorded music. I loved it!

The photos and information about Guinea added a deeper understanding of this amazing place that has captured the interest and love of so many of us. Probably the best feedback I received about the event was a woman who said that it made her want to go to Guinea and that she appreciated that the event expressed not just the poverty of the place, but the joy and beauty of Guinea equally. To convey that aspect was so important to all of us involved. I am so gratified that it came through.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all involved, all contributors, and all who continue to keep this light alive with me.

Marissa

GUINEA KIDS BENEFIT CONCERT!!

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th, 2008
4-6pm
(Showtime 4:30pm)
Immanuel Lutheran Church Parish Hall
1215 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98109

RSVP at: http://gkef-concert-08-emailinvite.eventbrite.com/?invite=Nzk1OTUvbWFyaXNzYWRhbmNpbmdAZ21haWwuY29tLzA%3D%0A


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Great Dancing Video Clips!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8339496127541613112

These video clips of dancing begin with the most adorable kids dancing in their village on Tabaski (holiday) and continues with a Christmas eve performance by a professional dance company. Knock your socks off dancing!

The Classroom Foundations Built

These photos are of the 3 new classroom foundations that have been built at Groupe Scolaire Sabadou with the money that Guinea Kids Education Fund provided. A goal of this year's Guinea Kids Benefit Concert will be to raise the money to complete these classrooms. Please attend this worthwhile and fun fundraiser on October 18th, 2008. See below for details.

Wontanara (We're all together),
Marissa

Photos of Guinea Kids Beneficiaries

These are all photos of the students that Guinea Kids Education Fund is supporting to attend school! And all the clothes and school supplies we are providing also! 19 out of 20 students passed their end of the year compositions and all are receiving summer tutoring as well, thanks to the money raised at last year's benefit concert. Please join us for this year's fundraiser and help us continue their educations!

Wontanara (We're all together),
Marissa

Guinea Kids Benefit Concert

To benefit
Guinea Kids Education Fund
supporting
children’s education in
Guinea, West Africa

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• West African Music and Dance
• Master drummer from Guinea, Karim Koumbassa and friends
• New Discovery School World Dance Classes

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th, 2008
4-6pm
(Showtime 4:30pm)
Immanuel Lutheran Church Parish Hall
1215 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98109

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A Taste of Guinea Soiree

In July and August we held two Taste of Guinea Soirees to celebrate the 2007-2008 Guinea trip with Karim Koumbassa and to raise awareness about Guinea and the fundraising work that Guinea Kids Education Fund is doing.

We had live Guinean music and dance, we ate yummy African fare Guinean-style (all around large platters with our hands!), we shopped at the marketplace, listened to stories about Guinea, and danced!

Here is an excerpt from my story and some photos.

"About four hours out of Conakry, the capital city of Guinea, into the lush forest region on a bus packed with chickens, food, luggage, an entire kitchen, drums, chairs, instruments, and about 20 people singing and making music, We found ourselves in a magical place called Kindia. Land of tree giants, waterfalls, thick vines hanging lushly everywhere and ancient-looking broken stone patios, pathways, and stairs leading through the trees to more waterfalls. This is where we held our dance and drum classes each day of the 3 or 4 days we were there… with the mist of the waterfall at our backs and the wonderful smell of a jasmine-like flowers in the evenings.

One day I took my book and my journal and went looking for some solitude. As I climbed the stairway through the vines and trees, I noticed two boys following me. I sat down and they curiously came closer. They did cartwheels and showed me their monkey-like climbing abilities. They were bright and curious and began to talk to me and ask me questions. There was something in they way they presented themselves to me that as a teacher I recognized and I could just tell that these children were attending school. So I asked them about it and they told me about going to school. They sang me songs they had learned. I wanted to sing with them, as I do with so many children, so I asked them if they sing the ABC’s. They sang me their version in French and I sang them my version in English. I think for both of us it was a moment of connection across our vast globe. I wondered at what new awareness of other places that exchange may have brought to them."

Wontanara (We're all together),
Marissa

Video Footage of Dec. 2007 visit to Groupe Scholaire Sabadou

Finally, I am posting a link to take a look at my visit to the school, Groupe Scholaire Sabadou. The video footage is quite long and is mainly us touring the empty school (the students were on break), but if you click ahead to 32:00, you will find the part where Sarah Lee Koumbassa is telling the school founder about the money we were giving to them. Its mostly in french, but there is a part where Sarah Lee explains what was said. But you can see from the looks on their faces what is going on.

Its also worth it to take a look at a few points along the video to get an idea of what the school and classrooms look like. There is also a section where some of the students in the neighborhood come in and do recitations for us. I'm mostly too emotional or tearing up through the whole thing to say much of anything...


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5855844589534373603

Wontanara (We're all together),
Marissa

Update on the students and construction at Groupe Scolaire Sabadou

According to Alya Koumbassa, our project manager in Conakry, Guinea, all 20 students are attending school everyday fully-equipped, clothed, and shoed. Alya visits the school nearly everyday to check on the scholarship students. He has also created a surplus of supplies such as notebooks, pencils, rulers, etc. for the children in case any student needs replacements. The funds raised continue to be online for the 2 year plan of funding these 20 students' education.

At the school, Groupe Scolaire Sabadou, the foundation has been completed for additional classroom space, however, more funds will be needed to complete the construction as prices for building materials get more costly in Conakry.

Check back soon to see video clips from the school!

Guinea Kids Fundraising Committee

Last weekend we had the first meeting of the Guinea Kids Fundraising Committee! This newly forming committee was a natural progression after the trip to Guinea. So many of the 20 Americans who went to Guinea have been profoundly touched by this place and its people. Since returning, we all have been constantly talking about Guinea and how to continue making a difference and what to do next. And so to get us onto manifesting all our amazing ideas, we have begun meeting.

We discussed the 2nd annual fall fundraising show with music and dance from Karim Koumbassa and friends and the students of New Discovery School. Mark your calendars! This event will be taking place around the first week in October.

This summer we will be having two Taste of Guinea parties to celebrate Guinea, share photos and experiences of the trip, shop the African marketplace, and savor West African food. Keep an eye out for these invitations!

Art Project Time: What can I say, I'm a preschool teacher.

In these photos, the Koumbassa children are creating the beginning of an art project that I hope will raise money to fund a library for the Sabadou School. My idea is for the children at New Discovery School to finish the art work, compile the art and photos into a calendar and sell it as a fundraiser.

I had so much fun doing this project with the kids one afternoon. Me, trying to explain in limited french what I wanted. The kids, jabbering to me in Soussou. Who knows what they thought of this person who couldn't answer them back. They were tentative at first, but once they got going, drawings after drawings were produced and promptly showed to me for acknowledgement. The younger boy, fondly know as Bouboudi (monkey in Soussou), took a real shine to the whole process. He clearly had an artistic style of his own and even came out to me while I was in the middle of dance class to show me his next drawing so I would say, "Ahhh! C'est magnifique!"

Wontanara (We're all together),
Marissa Baratian

Grand Ceremony at Groupe Scolaire Sabadou

Here's another picture of the school, Groupe Scolaire Sabadou, from the front. Last thursday there was a big gathering at the school to formally hand over the funds. Many of the students from Seattle who are there currently doing another drum and dance camp with Karim Koumbassa were in attendance as well as many of the musicians. More and more people are becoming interested and inspired to get involved with this school. Sarah Lee told me, "It's so much bigger than us now." The founder of the school made an empassioned speech in gratitude for how their school is being acknowledged. Sarah Lee was able to visit the classrooms while school was in session and she video recorded everything. She said the children had prepared songs and greetings that were performed for them. At the end of an hour and a half gathering the musicians began playing and everyone was singing in the courtyard and calling out, "Vive America!"

Freshly Returned From Guinea, W. Africa!

Hi Everyone!
I have just returned from Guinea and have much to share. This journey was one of the most rich and rewarding experiences of my life.

These photos are of some of the children who are receiving the scholarship money to attend school. And photos of the school they will attend and that will also benefit from the funds raised.

Below I have included 3 excerpts from the emails I sent while travelling. I have attempted to edit and correct the punctuation and capitalization on them (since they were written on a French keyboard and in a hurry as the internet cafe time was ticking and the connection was so slow) but please forgive any poor grammer or missed corrections.

12/13/07
"Karim said that he and his brother, Alya, found a school and some children in his neighborhood that will receive the fundraiser money. I hope to visit there but our time here is so packed and doing anything takes forever!!!!"

12/26/07
"Today I had a meeting with Sarah Lee and Karim, our hosts, and Karim's brother Alya, the man who will be managing the school funds that we raised. I felt so happy after the meeting. I have complete confidence in Alya and being able to meet him and spend these weeks seeing the kind of person he is has put my mind at rest about trusting that our plans will be carried out. He is more than capable and is such a sturdy person. Basically, I adore him. Sarah Lee and I cried our way through the meeting as we went over the list of items the school needs. One text book in each subject is used for the entire school of 300+ students, 9 classes, of children ages 3 to 16. So the whole school has one math book, or rather, thats what they are asking for. They have no idea the amount of money we have to give them. And there are about 20 children in Karim's neighborhood who will receive the funds to go to this school. The plan is to hopefully meet with the founder of the school tomorrow after we go to the market to buy and price school supplies and uniforms. School is not in session right now so i won't see the students but we will try to arrange a meeting with one of the children who will receive the funds before I leave."

12/31/07
"The last day in Guinea felt as surreal as the first. I couldn´t believe I had to leave this place and these people who became imbedded in my heart within the first few days and were my constant companions and caretakers for three weeks. I felt like i was leaving a piece of myself behind. Guinea remains with me in spirit sometimes like a warm breeze and other times it feels haunting.

In the last few days many intense things happened. We went to visit the school. I can hardly begin to describe what this experience was like. It was so heart warming and fulfilling in a way that i have never felt before in my life. Tears come just as I even think about it. I believe I have never before done something so great or meaningful. maybe, in different ways I have, but the feeling of the impact that we were making all because of this little thought that I had so many months ago and having no idea really what would become of it.

The school, Groupe Scolaire Sabadou, was founded by a beautiful, strong and fiercely committed woman, Madame Aminata Kourouma, nearly 10 years ago. She somehow funds the school to keep it going. If a child´s family can´t pay for a month, she lets it slide. She told us you won´t see any of these kids on the street. She has vision and believes firmly in the power of the women.

We met the founder, the director,Mr. Mamadou Saidou Diallo, and all the teachers and they gave us a tour. The school is on holiday break right now so the kids weren´t in class. But after the tour, many of the children from the neighborhood who go there came in and spent time with us. They stood before us and upon their teacher's request performed recitations for us. Even before we told them how much money we were giving them, they presented me with a gift of three huge peices of beautiful fabric. One I gave to Sarah Lee, Karim and his brother Alya, who is managing the project in Guinea. One I used to have gifts made for all the children in my class, and one I am keeping for my home. I couldn´t believe that they were giving us gifts! Sarah Lee said, "Its not important." And the founder said, "It is to us. Its our way."

Sarah Lee was amazing in how she conducted the meeting and I am eternally grateful to her for her eloquence and generous spirit. We decided to use the money first to send 20 students to school for 2 full years, completely supplied for each year with uniforms, shoes, and a backpack full of supplies.

Then we told the school that they would be receiving $1500 and converted the sum to Guinea Francs. When they heard that number, the looks on their faces were priceless. They all split into huge smiles and got up and started shaking our hands and saying "merci beaucoup, merci beaucoup." And then, immediately, they all knew what they wanted to do with the money. They will add a second story and more classrooms so that their school can offer a complete education. They said they want the children who are there now to be able to continue their educations and complete them. I don´t fully understand the education system there but this would add college level classes to the program and room for 100 more students.

Finally, the money will also be used to employ Alya , Karim's brother, to manage the project, handle the funds, and oversee the children´s attendance at school. Not a small job. I am overjoyed that we can pay him for this. He so deserves it."

Thank you all so much for helping to make this all possible. These people were so thrilled by this unexpected gift to them and their community. You are all a part of having created this. Please know that your contributions are being well received and fruitfull and let's do it again next year!

Please keep checking this blog page as I hope to have more info and photos posted.

Thank you again,
Wonawali,
Marissa Baratian