A group of Leonard Elementary students will be kicking off fund-raising efforts later this month to help feed impoverished people in Africa.
For the third consecutive year, the school’s We Can Make a Difference group, which consists of students in the fourth and fifth grades, is asking fellow students and the community at large to help purchase as many goats as possible to send to the troubled continent.
Helen Andreou, a student services teacher and the group’s adviser, believes the project teaches kids to be proactive and empathetic, ‘to see beyond their own community, their own situation?
‘They can’t just talk about (helping others). They’ve got to put their words into action,? she said. ‘They have to own what’s going on around them.?
For every $75 it raises, the We Can Make a Difference group will be able to send one goat to Africa through World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization tackling poverty and injustice in nearly 100 countries and serving all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
According to www.worldvision.org (the World Vision website), ‘One goat can change everything. Her milk provides great protein to help children grow. The family can also sell any extra to earn money for medicines and other necessities.?
A single dairy goat can produce up to 16 cups of milk each day, the website states. Goat’s milk is rich in calcium, protein and other vital nutrients. It’s also easier to digest than cow’s milk
Goats are considered practical animals in that they can thrive in harsh climates and provide manure with which to fertilize crops and gardens, according to World Vision.
Donations of all types and sizes will be accepted by the We Can Make a Difference group. They can range from returnable bottles and cans (or deposit slips) to spare change to checks, whatever people feel comfortable giving, according to Andreou.
Donations can be dropped off at Leonard Elementary (335 E. Elwood St.) during school hours.
The kids involved in this project never cease to amaze and inspire Andreou.
‘I just have some remarkable students,? she said. ‘They are dedicated. I feel very fortunate to be working with them. They certainly take this seriously.?
In addition to helping others, Andreou said her students are learning skills related to organization, leadership, public speaking, research, problem-solving and teamwork.
‘They take great pride in knowing that they have impacted, even in a very small way, the world and made it a better place,? she said.