Sponsor an IDP Child

ATEG is ending 2022 on a high note. The Women’s Center building was completed and ownership was transferred to the women. The building has solar panels so they can have power to run fans and have lights. The ladies can come there to sew, hold business meetings or visit with each other. They formed a Cooperative which is limited to Faladje IDP women. They drafted Bylaws to help run it. Some of the women are being trained in marketing and finance so they will have the skills to run an efficient business.

The ladies have asked to learn how to do henna. Henna is a dye prepared from the henna tree (Lawsonia inermis). This is used to decorate the skin - especially hands and feet - during festive occasions such as weddings or the Islamic Eids. It has been in practice for over 5000 years in Pakistan, India, Africa and the Middle East.

Many more people have sponsored children in the Faladje Camp. 100% of the money raised through these sponsorships goes to help with projects that benefit all the children in the camp. One of these projects, which started this Fall, was the Children’s Traditional Dance Workshop. The classes were taught by Solo Sans Souleymane, a professional Malian dance instructor, and an ATEG Board member. Our goal was not only an educational one, where the children would know their own cultural dances, but also to bring joy and happiness to their beautiful faces. We are happy to note that many of the girls are also participating in these classes.

As in the past year, ATEG continues to distribute rice on a monthly basis, pay for physicians and nurses at the clinic as well as pay for medicines that they need.

We thank you all for your generous support and extend our best wishes for the New Year.

Arts to End Genocide held their annual fund-raising event on August 20, 2022. At this event we had a West African Dance Performance and Workshop put on by Wesley Williams and the SUAH African Dance Theater. Around 160 people attended with at least half of them children. Everyone there was engaged and truly had a lot of fun. All money raised from the fundraiser will be spent to support our programs. This will certainly help with the needs of our brothers and sisters in the Faladje IDP Camp. This event was related to a program that we will be running for the children at the camp to connect them to their cultural heritage by teaching them traditional Malian dances. The sewing skills project which was completed recently was a great success. The women produced beautiful products such as purses, bags, backpacks and wallets and tablecloths, which were sold at our event. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of merchandise will be deposited into the Women’s Cooperative’s account. ATEG is installing a facility to store the sewing machines, materials and inventory. This will also serve as a workplace and an area where the ladies that have learned their sewing skills will now be able to teach others how to sew and generate money for their families. ATEG continues to provide rice for the families we are working with and to pay for physicians and nurses at the clinic as well as help with medicines that they need. In the next few weeks ATEG will be expanding our “Sponsor an IDP Child in Mali” program and adding 9 additional children. We’d like to ask our sponsors to tell their friends about this program. Please check our website shortly to see the additional children that would love to be sponsored. Thank you.