I know that it's been a LONG time since I've been here! There's no excuse!! Bad Blogger!! But there's no point in looking back...only forward and I plan to be much more consistent with my new blogs!
Here is a SPECIAL painting which is very important to me. There are so many people around the world that have been through so much turmoil and life altering events but can still see the world in a positive and happy way. The strength, faith and resiliency of these people have always amazed and inspired me. So I wanted to be able to help someone, in my own little way. When I heard about Ubuntu through Linda Doyon, I hoped that I could help raise some funds for their organization using my artistic talents. So, the story goes like this...
Ubuntu (meaning Humanity) is a charitable organization created to help improve the conditions of the women and children who were victims of the Rwandan genocide. The main objective is to bring them to self-sufficiency.
For the moment, Ubuntu concentrates its efforts in Kimironko, a community of 750 residents in the outskirts of Kigali. The strength of Ubuntu is its capacity to provide direct services to the residents of Kimironko.
The School Sponsorship program is run by Normand Doyon, a St-Albert resident who is dedicated to the Ubuntu cause. The sponsorship program, much like the Food Bank, is a program instituted to assist the widows of the village to regain self sufficiency. By sending their children to the daycare or school, the mothers have the opportunity to return to the workforce. By sponsoring a child, people are also helping his / her mother. Norm and his wife Linda and two children, Nicole and Steven have recently returned from volunteering their time in Kimironko. They were among the first to sponsor a child and finally had the opportunity to meet him and see what their efforts have been able to provide for him. Manu is now a young entrepreneur in his own right due to the efforts of the Doyon family and the sponsorship program.
Norm and his family have certainly made a world of difference to the families of Kimironko along with the other volunteers of Ubuntu. These children have a future and their mothers can be proud in their ability to provide for their families.
This painting is being donated to Ubuntu Edmonton in an effort to raise funds for their cause and to continue to bring hope to the women and children of Rwanda.
For more information please visit www.ubuntuedmonton.org
