Greetings!

I had the pleasure two weeks ago of attending Earn It campaign assemblies at Burton Valley Elementary in Lafayette, and Beach Elementary in Piedmont. As most of you know fundraising drives at schools were, several years ago, changed from Change for Change to The Buck Stops Here campaigns. Students are asked to earn what they donate and not ask for money from their parents. These have proven to be very popular with students and parents. Perhaps not surprisingly students contribute more money by earning it. They take pride in what their earnings buy.

I reported to the Burton Valley students that all thirteen computers, every desk, book and bookcase in the photo below were purchased with dollars they'd earned.They have, since the library was opened, earned enough each year to pay its operating costs.

The library is open six days a week and utilized by an average of 80 children per day, over fifty percent of whom are girls. It provides an English class every day, as do our other eight libraries. Why? English is the money language. Those who can speak and understand English will have more job opportunities and earn more money.

When I told them it's "their library", Burton Valley students didn't stopping clapping and yelling until teachers held up the quiet sign. It truly is "their library".
Burton Valley Students Earn So They Can Learn
Students at Burton and Beach were also shown the photos you've seen of the fruit trees we purchased for Afghan farmers in 2006, 12,891 in all. All of the students were born after the trees were planted. When told their predecessors had help pay for these trees, another round of raucous clapping and screaming followed.
Maiwand plants one of the 12,891 fruit trees planted in 2006. Perhaps it's among those on the right.
At the end of my presentation students were given an opportunity to tell me and their classmates how they had earned money. Hundreds of arms rose waving and straining to be called upon. There had of course been lemonade stands, bake sales, and lawns mowed. Gus Leahy, a student from Beach (pictured below) bought and sold first aid kits. It was his idea. He was able secure an added discount from the vendor by explaining that the net proceeds would be donated to TIE.
Gus making a sale on the left and proudly bringing $155 to Beach Elementary on the right.
Annette Robison sent me the photo below of her son, Blake, and his "buddies, who held a bake sale. They raised $171, which their parents decided to match. Perhaps i could persuade Blake and his buddies to teach me how to bake oatmeal raisin cookies. It's my favorite cookie. I would of course be willing to pay for my lesson.
They know how to bake? They certainly know how to sell.

Pandemonium broke loose when a very reluctant young boy at Burton Valley spoke softly into the microphone and confessed, "I picked up poop". What he and they will learn next year is that he is not alone. They will see the photos, I took, of two Afghan boys collecting poop in an animal stockyard, sold for fertilizer to help support their family.
Raymond Nemati negotiated the purchase of 300 sheep in two days while I sweltered trying to stay out of sight in a van. Sixty farmers each received 5 sheep as a microcredit loan. Unfortunately none repaid their loans which is why microcredit loans are mostly made to women. Women repay loans and men respond with excuses. This is a problem in the microcredit world, not just in Afghanistan.
This photo should shock Burton Valley students next year.


So, what is poop good for? It helps put food on the table, literally and figuratively, and will enable hundreds of Burton Valley students to empathize with Afghan children who must scoop poop daily.

TIE has helped thousands of American children to see, think and feel outside their bubble, teaching them the benefits and rewards of sharing.

I love this work.

Budd
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