Conference Events

Congrats to Judith Baker

I need to thank Judith Baker, retired Boston Public High School teacher, now educational activist.  Judith worked tirelessly on this 6th Pan African Literacy Conference.  I would have never had such an awesome experience without her using her resources and her desire for us to get all that we could get out of this educational trip.  I learned so much from her and now have a network of people throughout many parts of Africa because of the conference and her personal connections.  Even after the conference, she planned a Serengeti safari for us and wait until you hear and see that!!!!   THANKS JUDITH, FOREVER GRATEFUL

Planning The Conference

(left to right Angelo and Philip, teachers we sponsored from Darfur)

One of the things that we wanted to do was sponsor teachers that taught in disadvantaged areas to be able to attend the conference.  There was no better place to start than with the teachers from the Akon Village in Darfur.  We had hoped to get some funding but because of the hard economic times we could not get any.  Nothing this small would dampen our spirits and we decided to raise funds on our own.  With much effort and hope we were able to bring Philip, the former Headmaster of the Kunyuk Schools for Girls, and now Education Officer and also host Angelo, the adult Literacy Program Coordinator/teacher at the conference.  With all of the struggles to do this, there was no greater joy than when we all finally met each other in Dar. 

Other teachers and educators that joined us were 2 other Sudenese from a school started by Lost Boy John Dau: Mabior Makur and Anei Thon who were hosted by another conference attendee.  Also joining us from Zanbia: Nsama Chikanga and Austin Kayela., from Uganda:Ellie Bayanga  and from Rwanda, a good friend of my co-pastor Gloria White Hammond from Bethel AME Church Boston, Sifa Nsengimana.  Sifa started the Shalom School in Rwanda for war orphans and presented her work at the conference.