Counting Down the Days - January 2019

I’m getting excited! Just about to get my visa for my next trip to Gendit. I’ll be taking part in ‘The Breaking of The Stone Ceremony’ which I think is the UK equivalent of the breaking of a bottle against the side of a ship. Except that it will launch the digging of the foundations for the next phase of the school build not a cruise. Photos to follow in March! Of course, I’ll be visiting the school, seeing the progress and talking with the team about next steps. I may even try and give the kids an English lesson….

This week I met with Wild Frontiers the adventure firm I first travelled with to Ethiopia. They are really keen to support us and we’ve been chatting about sponsorship and how they can help us.

Our donation site has now reached over £3,000 thanks to friends and family but I can’t pester folk forever so I’ve also set up to work alongside Tarnside Consulting who specialise in grant applications and securing major funding for projects such as ours. We have other applications which are in the pipeline so I hope to be able to give more good news soon. Zach, our wonderful social media guy is just about to do some press releases to local newspapers so we’re hoping for more publicity on the home front.

Lots going on! My next blog, after my visit, should have quite a few videos and photos of the progress we are making! Watch this space.

Sue Eland, January 2019