Newsletter

SIMON’S PROMISE Newsletter

Welcome to Simon’s Promise! The Women of the Kiretono Gifts

1

The Maasai people of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania embody an ancient culture of pastoralism, tradition and intricate artistry. Originally hailing from the Serengeti Plains, the semi-nomadic Maasai have faced relocation by the Tanzanian government in order to pave way for national parks and

2

conservation areas. The Maasai living in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, particularly, are required to abide by several farming and building restrictions, as well as curfews.

Continued on 4

Simon’s Promise Tribe

Learn about how you can get involved with Simon’s Promise and our donation membership levels. Page 2

SP Traveller’s Note Read this article about the March trip to Tanzania, written by one the students who traveled with us.

Page 3

Ambassador’s Notes

Read about our high school interns from Lake Travis who are working hard behind the scenes of Simon’s Promise. Page 5

S P R I N G 2 0 1 7

;

S P R I N G 2 0 1 7

2

A Note For Potential Donors

We are truly grateful and appreciative of all the donations we have received thus far. Without donations, it would not be possible to assist students and schools in need. We want to show our donors how special they are to us and give them the opportunity to support our tribe, which includes exclusive offers and invites to our socials and events. There are five levels of our tribe that all require a minimum donation. Each level is equally important to our organization.

Donors of $50 are honored as a “Friend of S.P.,” donors of $100 are honored as a “Tribe Member,” donors of $1,000 or $100/month are honored as a “Sustaining Member,” donors of $50,000 are honored as a “Promise Builder,” and donors of $100,000 are honored as members of the “Founders Circle.” All levels of membership are presented appreciation gifts, from the SP Tribe Maasai-beaded leaf (pictured below) to donor names imprinted on the Promise Center’s Promise Path or the Founders Circle Wall. No level of giving goes unrecognized, for it takes an entire village of givers to make a difference in the lives of those who need us most.

Each donation Simon’s Promise receives is divided equally in five ways to fund our mission (pictured above). All donations follow this five by twenty division unless donors specify a particular fund for which they would like their donation earmarked. We encourage our donors to thoughtfully consider the causes they would like to support, for which we will happily provide more information.

Simon’s Tribe

;

S P R I N G 2 0 1 7

3

Tanzania Trip - March 2017

1

As an American who had only traveled to Canada and the Bahamas, I can say that Tanzania was a whole new experience for me and a little intimidating in the beginning. When we first arrived, I kept reminding myself, “I’m in Africa. I am in Tanzania.” The feeling was amazing and the country and people—even more so. The country’s landscape was beautiful. It was lush and green with vegetation and rich red soil. There were expansive fields of hand-sown crops everywhere as well as large herds of livestock. The buildings and houses were of moderate to small sizes and typically made out of stone. The roads were dirt with the exception of the one paved highway in the whole country. Open shops lined the streets

2

where people were moving about, and the roads were filled with motorcycles, trucks and vans full of people, all of which created a lively atmosphere.

Over the course of the week, we visited several schools, ranging in the levels of education taught and type of school, either government or private. While visiting these schools, we had the opportunity to meet many students and learn more about them and Tanzania’s education system. One of the schools we visited was St. Jude's, a private school that covered primary and secondary education, which was spread out over two locations.

;

S P R I N G 2 0 1 7

4

3

We had the opportunity to tour the secondary school location. I must say I was very impressed with this school. We saw a number of classrooms; two computer labs, each with fifty or so computers that had Wi-Fi; an art room filled from floor to ceiling with exquisite, colorful, multi-medium art and sculptures; and an expansive agriculture field, which had only been worked on for a year. This was a very well-off school compared to the other schools we visited.

In addition to visiting schools, we also went on safari in the Ngorongoro crater. The morning of our safari we woke up extremely early and viewed the breathtaking sunrise from the top of the crater. We then worked our way down into the crater where we saw a wide array of animals including giraffes, lions, elephants, zebras, ostriches and more. It was quite a wild experience getting to see all of the animals in their natural state.

Because of this trip, I’ve been able to broaden my cultural awareness as well as experience something different from what I’ve

4

known personally. Oftentimes I have found it is easy to forget what is going on around the world when we are caught up in our own lives; we don’t really think twice about anything outside of it. That was part of the beauty of this whole trip, making connections.

Written by: Michelle Balconi-Lamica

The Women of the Kiretono Gifts (cont.)

Despite these restrictions, the Maasai live according to tradition with the help of organizations, like Aid Tanzania and Kiretono Resource Organization. One sponsored program, called the Women’s Enterprise Program, helps support the Maasai women by incorporating the rich culture of traditional Maasai beadwork into global markets. The history of Maasai beadwork reflects much about their society.

5

As pastoralists, the ornamentation and complexity of the beads signify important cultural aspects, such as identity, social position, and marital status. Clay, seeds, ivory, copper, brass, and charcoal are but a few examples of the types of materials used by the Maasai to traditionally fashion beads. The vivid, expressive colors of Maasai jewelry exemplify both the depth and versatility of their artistic culture. As a result of the Women’s Enterprise Program, Maasai women are able to continue the tradition of Maasai beadwork in an environment that encourages the development of marketable skills. Beautiful, handcrafted products are sold in Tanzania and across the world, helping to support and share the Maasai culture beyond Tanzania.

By empowering the Maasai women with a source of sustainable income, the program hopes to improve both the financial standing and general well being of all who live within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Written by: Erica Colston

;

S P R I N G 2 0 1 7

5

A tightly knit team of driven and creative students, the Lake Travis Service Chapter, has been working diligently to establish the roots of Simon's Promise. Having been inspired by Simon's story,

the students have put their combined efforts toward creating the basis for a successful organization. The students of the Lake Travis Service Chapter were able to meet Simon during his stay here in Austin, and helping Simon transition into his new temporary home allowed them to build a friendship with him and truly experience Simon’s story through his eyes. With each student having their particular interests and talents, the team has divided up into specialized groups to address all the components of an efficient team. Leading the team is Grace Drew, the head intern. Grace has worked tirelessly to communicate all of the important information in these early stages between the executive board and the club in order to ensure that each task is completed. With Grace running each meeting and making sure the team is kept on task and that deadlines are met, the Lake Travis Service Chapter has made significant progress in establishing the roots of Simon’s Promise. Marketing material has been created, future trips have been organized, and ideas for making Simon’s Promise known to the community have been brainstormed. The team plans on advertising the chapter throughout the community in order to gain more members and spread the word about Simon’s Promise.

Written by: Isabella El-Hage

Notes From Our Student Ambassadors

Interested in becoming an SP Ambassador? Would you like to start a chapter of interns at your school? Our lead interns of our chapters here in our home base of Austin, Texas can guide you through the process. Visit www.simonspromise.com to learn more.

A P R I L 2 0 1 7

Simon’s Promise

www.simonspromise.com

Follow us:

Dana Browning—Executive Director Cindi Pike—President of the Board of Directors Harold Cromwell—Secretary of the Board of Directors Rocky Browning—Treasurer of the Board of Directors Kelly Lynch—Public Relations Director Anne Cromwell—New Hope School Project Manager Grace Drew—Lead Intern (Lake Travis HS Chapter) Kami Cooper—Lead Intern (Canyon Lake HS Chapter)

Board Members & Staff

Check out our Etsy Shop to purchase our fair-trade merchandise supporting our projects and partners.

Stuart family Pike family

Perlman family Breeden family

Balconi-Lamica family Cynthia Vega

Simon’s Promise Donors

Upcoming Trips July 2017

March 2018

DONATE NOW