On November 26, 2016, WFWP Michigan organized its first fundraiser for the Schools of Africa. About 30 people gathered to support the Schools of Africa project.

After the welcome remarks and presentation of the core values and activities of the Women’s Federation by Donnette Konan, the event was animated by a lot of African songs and dances (as it is a tradition in Africa).

The event was also animated by the personal testimonies of the guest speakers from different African countries. They, in their testimonies, created in the guests a strong connection to the ultimate purpose of the donation--which is to eradicate poverty and suffering in the world.

Mrs. Uretha emphasized the difficulties she, herself, faced as she was growing up in Liberia. She spoke about having to miss school because of lack money, having to walk for hours to get to school without having eaten anything for breakfast, and also emphasized the high rate of primary and high school dropouts.

Florence, a foster child, who lost both her parents in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was taken in an orphanage in Uganda. She told the audience about her story and the importance of donating for the Schools of Africa project. "I was lucky to have been adopted by wonderful parents, but I am just one out of thousands; a lot of children in Africa are in my situation," Florence told the audience. She emphasized the fact that many of the children in Africa, more specifically those who lost their parents in wars, have no access to education.

Having served in the Women’s Federation in the DRC for several years, Ms. Claudine shared her experience of working with orphanages in the Congo. She emphasized the fact that "without educating the children of Africa, poverty, wars and suffering will remain a chain that cannot be broken."

A slideshow of the WFWP projects in Africa was presented by Josue Kisile. He explained the impact of the work being done in Africa, and emphasized that every donation made, no matter how small it may look, is a contribution to building a better world.

In honor of African culture, different African dishes were cooked for the occasion. It was a good cultural exchange. For the guests, it was "an evening well spent," as one of them described it. Many left with a willingness to get involved more for the next fundraiser. One guest who could not attend due to a Thanksgiving celebration wrote in her comment on the Facebook live broadcast, "I want to be part of the program next time."

For the organizers in Grand Rapids, this was a great learning opportunity. We learned a lot from organizing this event, but most importantly it gives us the courage to do more for this great cause!