We've come a long way, but there's still so much to do
As we launch this mid-year appeal for support for the Kandale community, it is a good time to take stock of how far we have come – and how far we have to go.
Let us say at the outset that we are grateful for the support of all our donors, as the people of Kandale have only been able to accomplish what they have with their help. As we often say, our Kandale friends have the determination and willpower to better the lives of all their children; the community simply lacks the financial resources.
We invite you to join our growing team of supporters and help the Kandale community realize its dreams of a better future.
What have we achieved?
Over the past five years, the people of Kandale, with support of friends near and far, have reforested the landscape, bringing a plentiful supply of fruit and nutritious insects such as caterpillars.
They have built an education center that has taken on a vital role in community life, rebuilt dormitories to make it easier for girls to attend – and stay in – secondary school, and laid the foundation for a solid vocational program with an infusion of 40 sewing machines.
More recently, we have turned our attention to building capacity in Kandale to carry on important work: training residents in the construction trades and in maintaining a tree nursery to keep the reforestation program going and convening a workshop on community building from the ground up.
Where do we go from here?
There still exists a great need to expand the education infrastructure, and we will finish the new primary school this year. We also intend to establish a master plan for the secondary school complex, taking a pause in actual construction for the time being.
And then there is the problem of water. The women of Kandale – along with school-age children — bear the brunt of fetching water from a natural spring located a couple of kilometers away down a steep ravine that can be hazardous during the long rainy season.
The need to haul water from far away is a crushing burden that robs women of productive work time and children of time they could spend in school or on their studies. The rainwater catchment system we have installed is not a long-term solution.
At a recent community meeting, the women identified the lack of easy access to water as the biggest problem facing the community. With that in mind, we will be working over the next year or two on a permanent solution – most likely a solar-powered pump to bring water from the natural spring to Kandale.
To accomplish all of this, we will need your continued support.
Our pledge is to put your money to the best use possible in Kandale, ensuring funds are spent wisely and responsibly. Will you donate today and continue your support for the vibrant and proud community of Kandale?
This has been a true partnership across continents, and together we know we can make a difference.
Sincerely,
Julie Martel
President, Board of Directors
REVE Kandale and REVE Kandale Foundation
