Another quarter has arrived and so
update you we must!
ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!
MOPFA HAS JUST RECEIVED OUR 501(C)3 LETTER FROM THE I.R.S!!!!
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT OUR EFFORTS HAVE PAID OFF... OUR STATUS AS A "PUBLIC CHARITY" UNDER THE U.S. TAX CODE IS RETROACTIVE TO THE DATE OF OUR ORGANIZATION'S INCORPORATION, DECEMBER 11TH, 2007.
WE ARE SO VERY PLEASED AND EXCITED AS TO OUR NEWLY APPROVED STATUS, AND WILL MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO OUR WEBSITE AND ORGANIZATION IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS. THANKS TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND CONTRIBUTORS. A VERY SPECIAL "THANK YOU" TO OUR COUNSEL, PETE PRECARIO AND HIS STAFF FOR THEIR GUIDANCE AND EXPERT HELP IN SHUTTLING US THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS WITH THE I.R.S. KUDOS TO YOU!!!
It's springtime in Missouri, and we are very optimistic about the growth opportunities for MOPFA and Meru Peak School during this wonderful time of renewal!
The Missouri Project for Africa, for those of you new to our website, was established in 2007. We were looking for teaching opportunities in Africa, and so we registered my wife, Duane Ann Decker, on the website Idealist.org. You can visit Idealist to see all of the good work they are doing in their effort to create a meeting place for volunteers and volunteer-seeking non-profit organizations. Her listing on Idealist led us to Scott Morgan, who was looking for teaching volunteers for a school located near Arusha, Tanzania. The school is called Meru Peak Medium School, and is located at the foot of Mt Meru. A beautiful location, but a school in much need of logistic and financial help. So our Missouri Project for Africa was formed to aid schools like Meru Peak in their efforts to become self-sustaining. Headmaster Joseph Maganga has taken it upon himself to provide an education for children that have been orphaned due to the AIDS/HIV epidemic that has ravaged parts of Africa. To read more about our goals, visit our mission statement page.
We are excited about the coming year, 2009! We have many "irons in the fire" with regards to our organization. One of our most promising prospects is the chance to work with many other non-profit groups in the area around Arusha. We have recently been in several conference calls with these other groups, and are trying to decide how best to form an "umbrella" organization. This organization would be a vehicle that we could all use to share resources and information suitable and necessary for each other's individual needs. Look for a completely revamped and updated website here very soon along with our "umbrella organization" progress.
I've had many questions regarding donations. If you are interested in helping us in our work, please email me, Bill Crawford, or Scott Morgan. We'll be pleased to explain our mission and our efforts in greater detail. As yet we have no online "click and donate" feature. However, this should be available soon.
From all of us at The Missouri Project for Africa, we wish each and every one of our friends, family, supporters, and the merely curious, a wonderful spring season, and a great and prosperous 2009!
Sincerely yours,
Bill Crawford-President
Duane Ann Decker-Vice President
Judy Searles-Secretary
Scott Morgan-Board Member
Joseph Maganga, Headmaster
David Abuga, teacher
Celia Brumby, volunteer teacher
Jessie Bullock, volunteer, w/
students
Read Jessie's blog of her recent visit by
clicking here.
Visit
the Meru Peak School homepage by clicking
here.
See more photos on our
gallery
page.
Visit "Hunting Dog Safaris.com"
and see how volunteering and tourism can work hand in hand
to make a difference at Meru Peak School!
To email us, click on the mailbox below!
For more information on Tanzania and the health problems it
faces, visit the World Health Organization's dedicated
website: www.who.int/countries/tza/en/
Kudos to Squidfingers for
providing some of our graphics!