Help needed for Llanelli Rotary Club Backpack Appeal for African schoolchildren
Members of Llanelli Rotary Club will be in the St Elli Centre, Llanelli, on Saturday, September 12 as part of the club's annual Back Pack Appeal for schoolchildren in Africa.
Members of the public are being asked to donate old back packs or satchels (together with any other school kit) to the appeal.
Llanelly House and the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli will be acting as collection points for the appeal from September 11-19.
Llanelli Rotary President Sue Roberts said:" Very often the children we support don’t have even basic things like pens and notepads to allow them to make the most of their education. You can help solve this problem by filling an old school bag or backpack with some everyday educational items.
"All help for the appeal is gratefully received."
Last year, Llanelli Rotary Club joined the Mary's Meals backpack appeal for the first time.
The club members and friends collected 59 backpacks to send to needy children in Africa.
Project coordinator Alison Evans said she was delighted with the response.
"We had great fun building bridges with local schools to get response for the backpack appeal.
"This year, we hope to do even better with our appeal
"We know the backpacks are going to be put to good use in Africa,
"Having seen some of the feedback videos from the delivery of the backpacks, I can say it is a wonderful donation. The joy on the faces of the children is incredible!"
Llanelli Rotary Club President Susan Roberts said: "We are a very active group of Rotarians who believe firmly in the Rotary motto of 'service above self'.
"We have a number of community projects which are based locally but it is also challenging to get involved in projects outside of our area, projects like the backpack appeal which see us getting involved in helping needy children in Africa.
"Rotary members and their friends always respond enthusiastically to our appeals and I am very grateful to everyone who has helped organise the backpack appeal and worked so hard to ensure that it is a success story for Llanelli Rotary Club."
Photo: Llanelli Rotary Club members with some of the backpacks for Africa.
The Llanelli Rotary Club Backpack Project:
The Backpack Project is being organised by the Mary's Meals charity.
It appeals to schools, clubs, businesses, churches and individuals to fill backpacks with basic educational materials to send to children receiving Mary’s Meals.
Most of the children who benefit from Mary’s Meals and the Backpack Project have suffered war, poverty, famine, or natural disaster.
Very often families cannot afford to buy basic things like pencils and copy books, or even suitable clothes for their children to wear to school. And so their children miss out on school and an education.
A simple backpack with educational materials can be a lifeline to these children as studies show that an education is the best way a chronically poor child can escape poverty in later life.
The Llanelli Rotary Club Backpack Appeal is being organised by Llanelli Rotarians led by Alison Evans.
She said: "We are at that end-of-term time of year when children look to renew their backpacks as they move up a class or to a new school.
"We are just asking children and parents to think about making use of their old backpacks.
"There is a sophisticated transport system in place to ensure the backpacks get to needy children in Africa."
If you can help, email backpackllanellirc@gmail.com
Or call Llanelli Rotary Club on our dedicated hotline number - 07935 305968
Weblink - https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/the-backpack-project/
Wanted items for needy children in Africa are as follows -
Backpack/school bag
Exercise book/notepad
Pencils
Pens
Crayons
Eraser
Ruler
Sharpener
Pencil case
Towel
Shorts/skirt & T-shirt, or dress
Flip-flops/sandals
Small ball, eg tennis ball
Soap
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Spoon
See Llanelli Rotary Club website -
http://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=451459&ClubID=936&Mp=252547
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