Back in July, Bekins donated $3,500 to help sponsor a child with charity group GMMAfrica, which has being doing great work on the ground providing education to children that would typically have no access.

We’ve had some feedback from Teh Francis at GMMAfrica, thanking Bekins  - again – for their help and letting us know about how it is being used.

“It is now a few days and schools will re-open. With the donation from Bekins Van Lines Company we have been doing great things for the children during these holidays. The motorbike taxis have done their job in helping us raise funds rapidly.  Within a short while we were able to buy two Pentium 4 computers and had a holiday computer training program with the children…..

“….This is because the Government of Cameroon has made computer studies compulsory right down to the primary sector of education. For two months the children have had basic computer training and as they enter school, they will have to cope with the computer studies.

We are also preparing to educate more than 25 students this academic year with income Bekins provided. These children will also have some basic textbooks in the school. During school periods, we will also have an after school computer training program for the secondary school children. We also noted that the bikes’ business has created jobs for the two boys manning them. One of them, Achuo Elma, who is going to high school this academic year will get to school with money earned from the bikes. The other boy is Victor Ntim who had no job before but now has a job with GMM by carrying passengers with a bike.

We will educate the children both ways, in the normal school activities and in ICT. Since many children are falling in for the program, we are forced to seek a way to increase the number of computers we have. Sanaga Technologies in Yaounde is talking of an Ncomputing program where several screens can be run on one CPU. When we get a means to connect them, we can increase our 3 screens to 33.

We are grateful to all of you at Catalyst Exhibits and to Bekin Van Lines Company. We just do not know how to thank you enough. During the school period, we shall send a report of how things are going.”

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The folks at charity group GMMAfrica, which Catalyst Exhibits has been working closely with in educating Cameroon’s children, is doing just that.

Limited funds mean that it’s just not possible to give every child their own computer, even with the motorbike taxis making more money than originally thought.

Teh Francis at the charity explained:

“The major problem we’ve been facing is lack of computer equipment as several students crowd the office and we had to force them to work in shifts or, sometimes, I have to sacrifice my own laptop.

One of our online volunteers has since connected us to Sanaga Technologies who will hopefully introduce us to NComputing ,if we find someone to fund the project. They have already made a proposal and sent it to us so now we just pray that we can find someone to help us out”

NComputing is one of the leading developers of virtualization software and hardware that drastically lowers the cost of computing by letting lots of people use the same PC at the same time. All they need is their own monitor, mouse and keyboard.

It’s the only way that GMMAfrica can see all of their children getting access to the computer education they need. They need help though.

We’re already helping but if you think you can aid this desperately needed education project, then contact our CEO at Catalyst Exhibits, Paul Stahlberg, here. Even a little will go along way.

Find out more about how this charity is helping educate Cameroon’s kids on previous Area 3 stories here, here and here.

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Catalyst Exhibits bought the first motorbike to ferry teachers between schools across the rough terrain and since then another has been added to act purely as a taxi for locals.

We are delighted to hear from Teh Francis at charity group, GMMAFRICA, that the taxi is a roaring success and has helped fund new computers for the schools.

Thanks to the generous donation this summer by our friends at Bekins Van Lines, the taxis are really making a difference for these kids.

Teh Francis wrote…..

“This year we were blessed with a huge donation from Bekins Van Lines Company in the USA. This was worked out by Mr.Paul Stahlberg of Catalyst Exhibits, USA.

This summer holiday has been a blessed and busy time at the GMM center in the Women’s Rest House Belo. Some 38 students have benefited from an ICT Training program there.  With the donation from Bekin Van Lines, we bought motorbikes to generate funds and train about 25 children every year at the elementary school in Jinkfuin.

We soon realized that the bikes are making more money than we thought. With the money raised we bought two computers and started the training program for the children. This is because the Government of Cameroon has suddenly made computer studies in Cameroon compulsory at every educational level except for the nursery.”

The next step, according to Teh, is to try and expand the computer training by investing in a small number of computers using virtualisation software from NComputing. This will cost far less than investing in traditional single PCs and software, but allow lots of people to access the power of each system.

More on this next week.

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Debbie Valette’s special reading program for just such school kids in Boulder, Colorado, is one of our favourite charities here at Catalyst Exhibits and she’s been in touch to let us know how her students have fared in the state reading test, or CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program). We are delighted to report that the news was very good indeed.

Debbie said:

“They were very good. Our test is called the CSAP. Our kids receive two scores: one that tells them if they are Unsatisfactory, Partially Proficient, Proficient, or Advanced and another one that tells them how much they grew.

The growth score is calculated as follows:  a student’s progress on CSAP is compared with the progress of students who scored like that student the previous year. So apples are being compared to apples.  The district is happy if students have a growth score of 50 or more. A growth score of 50 means that a student scored better than 50% of the students that scored like him/her the previous year.  If a student has a growth score of 99, it means that he/she scored better than ALL of the students (thousands and thousands in the state of Colorado) who scored like him/her the previous year.

Anyway, the average growth score for my 7th graders was 73 and for my 8th graders it was 60. On an individual basis I had some incredibly high scorers–99, 84, 95, 89, 86, 87, 91, 99, 86, 98.  Seven out of 35 kids did not score to my liking, but I had no single-digit growth scores.

Anyway, while I’d like to think that I’ve got the “Kavorka” (Seinfeld reference), I really need to credit a lot of my success to Catalyst Exhibit’s (sponsors’) contributions.  Because of you guys, my students were never without books at their level and they had a comfortable environment in which to read. Please pass on the good news.”

Debbie’s program always needs new books and funding so you can help out by contacting us here.

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Those metal tabs from the tops of soda cans don’t exactly scream ‘Fashion Must-Haves’ but in the right hands, pop-tabs are being turned from junk into red-hot fashion accessories.

Moda Esperanza, a charity group dedicated to empowering single women and mothers in Honduras, has being doing just that and now they are ready to branch out Stateside with their unique take on the fashion accessory.

Catalyst Exhibits has signed on via our Area 3 charity blog to help out by creating and sponsoring all their posters and banners for the marketing push.

Under the tag-line ‘The Power Of The Pop-tab’ the women have taken the humble pop-tab and transformed it into stunning purses, belts, bracelets and other fashionable accessories.

Jump now to see some more.

Working with local Chicago charities like Ronald McDonald House Charities – Chicago/Northwest Indiana Chapter (RMHC-CNI) and The Enterprising Kitchen (TEK), Moda Esperanza is raising money for worthwhile causes and all of the cash goes to those that need it most.

The best way to support the cause is buy some of their products – teen daughters will love you – or just donate pop-tabs that would otherwise get trashed.

Send those tabs here.

TEK /attention Fey
4426 N. Ravenswood
Chicago, Illinois 60640
(773)506-3880

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Last month, transport  and storage specialist Bekins, stepped up to the plate to help sponsor the education of impoverished children in Cameroon, on the west coast of Africa.

The donation went to GGMAfrica which is doing amazing work to help get kids off the streets and give them a start in life with proper education.

We just heard back from GMMAfrica about how that money helps and also how the motorbikes that Catalyst Exhibits have bought are helping raise vital funds.

“We were delighted to see what Bekin Van Lines did for GMM highlighted on the Area 3 site. They donated $3,500 dollars for the Child Educational Program. When we prepare profiles for some children it takes a long time before they ever come to get a sponsor and sometimes they never get one at all.

As a result, we thought we should look for a sustainable project where we can generate income daily and help these children during the time they are waiting to get a sponsor. We saw the motorcycle business as a very good opportunity as they could not only carry our teachers but also carry people to the remote villages.

Suppose someone wants to travel from Belo Town to Aboh village, some 6 kilometres away, he calls one of the bike drivers to take him there at a charge, let us say, 1000 FCFA ($2). We pay the boys manning the bikes and they bring home a check every day. Two bikes have been bought with insurance and all documentation for one year. All the bikes have full documentation and are awaiting their number and number plate from the Ministry of Transportation. We are raising money rapidly with the bikes, which allows the children during the holidays to learn computer skills at the GMM Centre free of charge.

Money from the bikes has bought a computer and helped about 9 children awaiting sponsorship. As the schools re-open in September, we plan to cater for the school needs of 25 needy children already identified.”

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The recent feedback from the kids has been amazing and according to Debbie her programme has seen 99% of her students scoring higher on the GRADE test and the DRA2 fluency test.

Students made gains of 1.5 to 2.5 years in reading. Debbie’s been in touch to let us know what’s been happening this summer and said:

“All of you at Catalyst Exhibits can feel great about being part of these kids’ growth. “If I weren’t able to keep my kids supplied with appropriate books, I would not have been able to keep them engaged. Thanks so much!!”

Debbie filled us in on what’s happening with the program this summer, pointing out that the summer gap is a crucial time to keep problem readers engaged with books.

“This summer I am coordinating a summer reading program.  Fourteen of my students volunteered to join me. On four separate occasions I took small groups to the bookstore to buy their books for summer reading.  MOST OF THEM HAD NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN A BOOKSTORE. We had a lot of fun picking out books.  Throughout the summer I will be checking in with them by phone and we will meet twice at local restaurants to talk about our books and celebrate our progress.  IMPORTANT FACT: Growth for English Language Learners (ELLs) and Non-ELLs is about the same throughout the school year. It is in the summer when the achievement gap grows.  Non-ELLs are attending camps, travelling, reading, etc.  ELLs are not engaging in many “enrichment” activities.  So, that’s why summer reading programs for ELLs are so important.

Anyway, I wanted to give my kids some extrinsic motivation, hence the lunches.  One of the lunches will be at the best sushi restaurant in town and the proprietor will talk to the kids about Japanese table manners/customs.  The other lunch will be at Q’s–one of the nicest fine dining restaurants in town.  The manager will talk to them about the following: farm to table cooking, fast vs. fine dining, and table settings.  I WANT THE KIDS TO MAKE A CONNECTION BETWEEN READING AND QUALITY OF LIFE.  It should be fun!!

I consider 50% of my job to be getting these students to enjoy reading and to form productive reading habits.  I want reading to be a natural part of their culture!!  They will then pass it on to their kids!!  Of course, the other 50% involves building their reading skills so that they can survive in any reading situation.”

Debbie’s programme is always in need of new and appropriate books. We know there’s a recession on but she and the kids could do with any support.

Contact our CEO Paul here if you’d like to help out.

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Last week we ran some photos from Chatchada Kruakaew’s brilliant travelling art program in Thailand, something Catalyst Exhibits has been actively supporting.

We just got some more shots from her kids at the Ban Rommanee school.

Below are some additional shot of Chatchada working with the kids.

If you’d like to help Chatchada keep the art program going and expand it to more schools and kids in need, then contact Paul, our CEO here at Catalyst Exhibits, here.

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One of the first people we helped out with when we at Catalyst Exhibits started our Area 3 charity activities was Chatchada Kruakaew’s travelling art program in Thailand.

Run across various districts the art and art therapy classes are designed to not only help children learn how to paint but to allow them to overcome previous hardships in their lives through art.

She sent us some shots of her students and their artwork from a few different locations that she teaches. More after the jump.

Here are some from the kids at the Bankhonok School – another shot below.

Chatchada is bringing much needed joy to tough lives and she’s always in need of funding. If you wish to help too then contact our CEO, Paul here.

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Education is a key focus for our Area 3 charity work here at Catalyst Exhibits and we’re delighted that Bekins, one of the country’s largest moving and storage companies, has decided to help out.

The company has generously agreed to sponsor a child with GMMAfrica with a very generous donation of $3,500. That money allows the organisation working in Cameroon to take another at-risk child from the streets and give them the education, housing and support they desperately need to have a chance at a better future.

Our thanks go out to Bekins CEO, Greg Hoover, who we interviewed about his involvement. Jump now to see what he said.

How did you hear about the education programme that Catalyst is involved with?

We learned about this opportunity through Catalyst.

Why did you decide to help out?

Bekins is always looking for ways to give back and support others, and to be able to partner with one of our best customers in a cause that they believed in made this a natural fit.

How important do you feel educating children is, particularly in deprived or developing nations?

Children of the world—whether they’re a block down the street or halfway around the world in Cameroon—represent our future.  We all have an obligation, not just for them but for us, to do whatever we can to feed, clothe, and educate them, and to provide them the best opportunity to learn and grow that we can.

Do you know how a child is going to benefit from your donation?

Our donation was used to assist in providing transportation for teachers in the local schools.

Is charity work something that Bekins is already involved with and, if so, what kind of charities are you helping out?

We are. We do a great deal with our headquarters to support local food banks with food contributions, and local homeless shelters with clothing; and we also have a tradition of working with local charities in whatever city we have our convention as a way of giving back to our host cities.  Over the years this has included local shelters, schools, and community programs.

Will you be checking in to see how your donation in helping?

Yes, we already appreciate the updates from the school and the photos they’ve sent.  It’s great seeing our contribution at work!

Is there anything you’d like to add to conclude this interview?

Just that we very much appreciate our partnership with Catalyst, from both a business and personal perspective.  From the business side, they are a long time customer that has always worked very well with us, which makes it easier to serve their needs and deliver outstanding service to them.  Personally, there is nothing better than doing business with people and companies that not only want to be successful but want to use their resources to help others as a part of their way of doing business.  We’re grateful for being able to share in that regard in this opportunity.

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