Lu Yu Fang says in her letter to us, “I know my schooling is the only way out in the future. I simply have to work diligently…”
Read her full letter (in Chinese) translated
Her father went door to door collecting money to keep her in school after she told him she wanted to quit school due to costs. To this day, her memory of the shadow of his back as he walked through the doors to lock in her future keeps her going.
Stories about the pure perseverance of children and parents in the rural villages in Sichuan and Yun Nan in China bring tears to my eyes when I translate them. The students from Peach Foundation all come from families that make $25 a month. Living in New York City, I spent $25 on dinner without a blink of the eye. Not to mention how astronomical my rent must seem… Each word that middle schoolers like Lu Yu Fang write symbolizes a dose of reality for me. It grounds me and reminds me of the power of the human spirit in conquering obstacles. I feel a sense of appreciation for what I have here and admiration for the Peach students’ ability to transcend above their physical hardships.
Themes that come up in the letters I translate are sacrifice, duty, and desire. Here’s a passage by Yang Wen Hua , a 9th grader in Yun Nan (South China) :
I deeply believe that though there will always be tough times, I will always fight against the difficulties and continue. No matter how dark it gets at night, the morning sun will always rise; no matter how strong the cold wind, warm spring winds will always return. Now, I am standing at the starting line of high school.
Surprisingly, he describes his envy and resentment towards others more fortunate than him and even his own parents in the paragraph right before this one. He is hurting from the inequality he sees but learns to channel it to an insatiable desire to do well at school and prove that he can bring his family and himself to a better future.
You can read his letter here
When I finished translating the letters, I felt duty and desire as well, perhaps borrowed from the students whose lives I just transcribed. My hours of work translating the Peach students’ letters could be seen to some as “sacrifice” (especially at 1am at night!), but they fuel me in building Givology so it can continue to serve the students who depend so much on us to dream and live each day with more ambition.
Read her full letter (in Chinese) translated
Her father went door to door collecting money to keep her in school after she told him she wanted to quit school due to costs. To this day, her memory of the shadow of his back as he walked through the doors to lock in her future keeps her going.
Stories about the pure perseverance of children and parents in the rural villages in Sichuan and Yun Nan in China bring tears to my eyes when I translate them. The students from Peach Foundation all come from families that make $25 a month. Living in New York City, I spent $25 on dinner without a blink of the eye. Not to mention how astronomical my rent must seem… Each word that middle schoolers like Lu Yu Fang write symbolizes a dose of reality for me. It grounds me and reminds me of the power of the human spirit in conquering obstacles. I feel a sense of appreciation for what I have here and admiration for the Peach students’ ability to transcend above their physical hardships.
Themes that come up in the letters I translate are sacrifice, duty, and desire. Here’s a passage by Yang Wen Hua , a 9th grader in Yun Nan (South China) :
I deeply believe that though there will always be tough times, I will always fight against the difficulties and continue. No matter how dark it gets at night, the morning sun will always rise; no matter how strong the cold wind, warm spring winds will always return. Now, I am standing at the starting line of high school.
Surprisingly, he describes his envy and resentment towards others more fortunate than him and even his own parents in the paragraph right before this one. He is hurting from the inequality he sees but learns to channel it to an insatiable desire to do well at school and prove that he can bring his family and himself to a better future.
You can read his letter here
When I finished translating the letters, I felt duty and desire as well, perhaps borrowed from the students whose lives I just transcribed. My hours of work translating the Peach students’ letters could be seen to some as “sacrifice” (especially at 1am at night!), but they fuel me in building Givology so it can continue to serve the students who depend so much on us to dream and live each day with more ambition.
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We are so excited to have been selected by Baking for Good last month as the most popular non-profit! They are giving 15% of their revenues to us! See their feature below.
From Baking for Good:
This month, we're thrilled to spotlight Givology as our featured nonprofit. Givology is one of the first nonprofits we partnered with, and we've loved watching them grow. We asked them to write a blog post for us. Here's what they had to say!
Featured Guest Post from Givology
We are so thankful to be able to share our stories with you, Baking for Good do-gooders. Givology aspires to change the way people can give to education -- a user can make an online donation directly to projects that support school programs and students across the globe. We provide you with stories, pictures, and movies to update you on how your dollars impacted students' lives. We operate in more than 15 countries and work with over 25 grassroots organizations globally.
Givology Stories from Afar
In the first photo above, you can see the kids from Samangan Orphanage in the post-war city of Avbak, Afghanistan. With 190 children and six teachers, and minimal supplies, the school is so resource-constrained that the kids glow when Kabultec (our partner) is able to supply them with books and in-school meals with Givology funds.
In another part of the world, books also serve to enrich the underprivileged children of Shanxi, China. Here, our partner Rural China Education Fund not only built the Guan Ai school from the ground up, but they are also infusing the children's standard curriculum with innovative lesson plans and projects. Givology has helped kids break away from isolation, fostering creativity and leadership at an early age.
The Givology and Baking for Good Partnership
How have Givology and Baking for Good developed as partners and friends? Since 2009, founders of the two organizations, Jennifer and Emily, have gotten together on many social occasions to talk about how more entrepreneurship should help non-profits grow and drive social change.
Emily shared a passion for education with Givology and was one of its early supporters, donating Baking for Good gift baskets and gift certificates to the organization. Many of our supporters have ordered from BFG (including Jenn), only to be hooked on its delicious goodness while doing good!
Become a Volunteer or a Givologist
Givology's mission is so crucial in a world where every individual has the power to affect global change. We hope that you fall in love with Givology's mission too and think about us not only while you check-out your tasty treats this month, but also in becoming a volunteer or a Givologist by signing up at Givology.
From Baking for Good:
This month, we're thrilled to spotlight Givology as our featured nonprofit. Givology is one of the first nonprofits we partnered with, and we've loved watching them grow. We asked them to write a blog post for us. Here's what they had to say!
Featured Guest Post from Givology
We are so thankful to be able to share our stories with you, Baking for Good do-gooders. Givology aspires to change the way people can give to education -- a user can make an online donation directly to projects that support school programs and students across the globe. We provide you with stories, pictures, and movies to update you on how your dollars impacted students' lives. We operate in more than 15 countries and work with over 25 grassroots organizations globally.
Givology Stories from Afar
In the first photo above, you can see the kids from Samangan Orphanage in the post-war city of Avbak, Afghanistan. With 190 children and six teachers, and minimal supplies, the school is so resource-constrained that the kids glow when Kabultec (our partner) is able to supply them with books and in-school meals with Givology funds.
In another part of the world, books also serve to enrich the underprivileged children of Shanxi, China. Here, our partner Rural China Education Fund not only built the Guan Ai school from the ground up, but they are also infusing the children's standard curriculum with innovative lesson plans and projects. Givology has helped kids break away from isolation, fostering creativity and leadership at an early age.
The Givology and Baking for Good Partnership
How have Givology and Baking for Good developed as partners and friends? Since 2009, founders of the two organizations, Jennifer and Emily, have gotten together on many social occasions to talk about how more entrepreneurship should help non-profits grow and drive social change.
Emily shared a passion for education with Givology and was one of its early supporters, donating Baking for Good gift baskets and gift certificates to the organization. Many of our supporters have ordered from BFG (including Jenn), only to be hooked on its delicious goodness while doing good!
Become a Volunteer or a Givologist
Givology's mission is so crucial in a world where every individual has the power to affect global change. We hope that you fall in love with Givology's mission too and think about us not only while you check-out your tasty treats this month, but also in becoming a volunteer or a Givologist by signing up at Givology.
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It's that time of year... Get excited for Givology's 2nd Annual Benefit for Education at Marquee in NYC. All proceeds from the event will aid Givology’s efforts to provide quality education to underprivileged students and communities. We hope to see you drink and dance all night as your admission buys equitable educational opportunities across the globe.
Reserve a ticket:
As August traditionally marks the last month of "summer" before students return to school, we have decided to craft a theme around "Back2School" - Chic, Clean, and Classy! This year promises to top our inaugural NYC launch in 2009: 3-hour premium Open Bar from 8-11 PM, fantastic silent auction prizes, and unbelievable music by 2 talented DJs - separately on the top and bottom floors. Also stay tuned for updates and special events throughout July.
Pre-sale tickets are $60. At the door $75. Limited table service available for $700 and $1000 upon request.
Check out flashbacks from 2009 Givology NYC Launch@Marquee
Reserve a ticket:
As August traditionally marks the last month of "summer" before students return to school, we have decided to craft a theme around "Back2School" - Chic, Clean, and Classy! This year promises to top our inaugural NYC launch in 2009: 3-hour premium Open Bar from 8-11 PM, fantastic silent auction prizes, and unbelievable music by 2 talented DJs - separately on the top and bottom floors. Also stay tuned for updates and special events throughout July.
Pre-sale tickets are $60. At the door $75. Limited table service available for $700 and $1000 upon request.
Check out flashbacks from 2009 Givology NYC Launch@Marquee
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© 2008 Givology. Givology does not guarantee any repayment or return on your grant of any kind.