ABW eNEWS Oct, 2024

Eric's mom in her younger years

ABW eNews October 2024

Dear Eric,

A Mother's Legacy: Inspiration for A Better World

My mother's journey from poverty to success, made possible by the generosity of others who supported her education, has been a constant source of inspiration for me. Her narrative not only shaped my life but also became the motivation to create and continue operating A Better World.

On September 28, the woman who gave me life and instilled in me the passion to help others passed away. Her story serves as a testament to the profound and lasting impact mothers can have on their children's lives and aspirations.

I am deeply grateful to my mother and to all who have made education accessible to those in need. Their efforts have created a ripple effect that continues to transform lives.

Since A Better World's inception in 1990, we have helped construct schools that now serve over 60,000 students. These students, like my mother before them, now have the opportunity to rise above their circumstances and create better futures for themselves and their communities.

This legacy of empowerment through education stands as a living tribute to my mother's influence and the power of collective compassion. It reinforces our commitment to continue building a better world, one student at a time.

Our family will soon select a school project to honour her memory, and the notification will be posted here: Memorial Projects

Eric Rajah

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Project Updates

Busy at Mwenja

Mwenja Comprehensive School has been a busy site over the past 14 months. Discovered by accident in 2023, the rural school near Nyahururu, Kenya was in dire need of improvements. Forty-year-old classrooms were without floors, and a capped water well stood unused on the school grounds.

Since then, in partnership with MP Michael Muchira and supported by ABW donors Ron and Connie Letniak and Larry Lang and Neil Tomalty, the well has been activated and is serving the surrounding community, including another school. Four classrooms have been completely renovated by the MacPhail family and the Malcolm family. The remaining four in the same block are currently being renovated and await named donors. As well, the collapsing ECD toilets are now being rebuilt in partnership with Nyandarua County.

On his Facebook page, Hon. Muchira calls our collective work “a total transformation of Mwenja School.”

Care for the Wee Ones

In Kenya, schools from primary to secondary are federally funded, but preschools are still not considered formal education and are funded by the county government and parents. As a result, Early Childhood Development is often the last area of a school to be developed.

ABW has helped fill that gap with several ECD projects this year. Donors Warren and Sara-Jane Schnoor took on two projects, providing four ECD classrooms for the busy Muchorwe Comprehensive School and partnering with their son Jordan Schnoor and his wife Melissa Vine to build three ECD classrooms at Mau Summit.

At Captain Comprehensive School, two ECD classrooms and four ECD toilets (which are designed for smaller children) were funded by Calgary’s Michaela Johnson, the College Heights Church congregation, the Rosedale Valley Strings/Red Deer Community Youth Orchestra, and several other donors.

In rural areas where education levels are lowest, pre-school is extremely important to prepare children for the rigours of school. Many learn their tribal languages at home and wouldn’t be able to learn the national languages of Swahili and English until primary school, leaving them at a disadvantage in first grade.

Text Lin

Back for Another Swing

Another successful fundraising golf tournament by Marcel Paquin and Sierra Flooring Ltd. of Edmonton has started progress on one of the highest-need new projects in Kenya.

Marcel has been supporting ABW projects since 2012, with his first project at the Ndanai Small Home for disabled children, in partnership with Paul Kane High School. This year’s golf tournament (the 11^th to support ABW so far) celebrated Sierra’s 25^th year of business and raised more than $50,000 for new classrooms at Oljorai Comprehensive School in Kenya. The school was first visited by ABW earlier this year and houses more than 850 students, most in crumbling old classrooms.

Marcel and his wife, Paulette Richter, have travelled twice to Kenya with ABW, and have now provided more than $650,000 through their fundraising and business donations.

Progress as of September 30, 2024

A Better World's big goal is to have 75,000 students enrolled in our schools —with access to clean water, toilets, and healthcare — by 2030. To get there, we have specific annual goals.

Students enrolled to date: 60,015

Your Generosity at Work