Power a School for 200 Children in Rural Nigeria

Thank you so much again for making our first GlobalGiving campaign such a success. Our project to complete the new school building at Ishahayi is now fully funded!

Your generosity has allowed us to purchase a new generator that powers both the school buildings and the pump that brings water for drinking and sanitation. We have been able to install fans and lights in the new classroom building. We have been able to hire local workers to build desks and benches for the additional classrooms, and we were able to purchase toddler-size plastic chairs for the youngest students. Grade-appropriate textbooks supplement the lectures given to our new junior secondary school students. The new classroom building has relieved the overcrowding at the school, and more children now have more room to learn. 

When we visited the school (in session!) last week, we met with Ben O'Solomon. Ben is a village leader, our construction supervisor, and also father to five children who attend the Light School. He left this message for us to share with our supporters: 

I'll say this, from the bottom of our heart, it was a wonderful dream, it was an unexpected dream that became a reality. The entire community of Ishahayi village were astonished, amazed, marveled, excited at this wonderful dream which became reality. Lots of words cannot express our gratitude toward IBSF for your financial and moral support towards the development of our school building, raising the educational standard of the community. You are God-sent people. Thanks once more for the unforgettable memory made.

All of us at IBSF want to express our gratitude to you for supporting us and the children we serve in the forgotten corners of Lagos. 

Sincerely,
Robbin Unietis
Chairman, Ishahayi Beach School Foundation 

Dear Friend of Ishahayi – 

Thank you! You made the 2013 GlobalGiving Open Challenge our most successful fundraising campaign ever. With your support, we have completed the funding for the second classroom building at the Light Nursery and Primary School at Ishahayi, and the building will be fully utilized when school resumes in the Fall. 

I wanted to report to you on some of the statistics of the GlobalGiving campaign itself and our progress at the Light Nursery and Primary School. 

GlobalGiving Statistics

IBSF finished our GlobalGiving campaign with the following highlights:

• Fastest group in GlobalGiving history to reach the threshold of raising $5,000 from 40 unique donors
• First in funds raised with $26,900 out of 348 small charities
• Fourth in number of donors with 152
• $5,000 in GlobalGiving bonus funds earned

In addition, we are thrilled to report that we were successful in increasing our outreach beyond local and family donors, one of the main objectives in partnering with GlobalGiving.

• 17% of our donors gave in honor of a loved one
• 20% of our donors gave on the first day of our campaign
• 15% of donors gave $10-$25, 31% gave $26-$50, 19% gave $51-$100, 20% gave $101-250 and 15% gave more than $250

The Ishahayi Beach School Foundation is very excited about our new partnership with GlobalGiving. We love being able to connect this corner of Nigeria with the world, and we will continue to list projects on the GlobalGiving website. 

The Light Nursery and Primary School

With the funds raised through GlobalGiving, we’ve been able to wire the new school building and install lights and fans. We’re in the process of purchasing a new quiet and efficient generator that will power both buildings when school resumes. Local craftsman are hard at work building chalkboards, desks and benches. We have funding to provide the classrooms with school supplies in September.

The second classroom building will be fully ready for use during the 2013-2014 academic year, but on our last visit to the school students were already taking advantage of the new space. The older students were writing their final exams in the quiet building, away from the noise of classrooms overfilled with students! 

The students and teachers at the Light Nursery and Primary School at Ishahayi never forget to show their appreciation when volunteers come to visit. We’ve been serenaded, had impromptu dance parties and seen tremendous displays of talent. In addition to sharing their talents, the students show their gratitude for the work being done by sharing what they have. What they have is coconuts! We’re given big sacks of them when we visit, and we happily eat the sweet meat and remember that the work we are doing makes a difference.

To those who are able to visit our projects in Nigeria, coconuts have become a symbol of thanks. But Nigeria isn’t a popular stop for tourists. Most of our new GlobalGiving supporters will never get to see the work they funded in person. We hope that our updates and photos provide you with a sense of what is being accomplished at Ishahayi. To everyone who participated in our first online fundraising effort, we send many, many coconuts to you!

Sincerely,
Kristiann Gips
Board Member, Ishahayi Beach School Foundation