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Shelburne Free Press https://shelburnefreepress.ca/?p=5674 Export date: Wed Jul 3 17:16:04 2024 / +0000 GMT |
From Shelburne to Africa – three young women making a difference across the world It has been said if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. This is not the case for three local young women who went out into the world and brought their small town goodness and dispositions with them all the way to Tanzania, Africa. Former Centre District Dufferin High School students, Anne-Marie Montgomery, sisters, Megan and Jenn Kelk, from Shelburne and the surrounding area of Mulmur, went out into the world seeking travel and adventure and got more than they bargained for. “Initially, in 2006, I wanted to travel. I joined a Christian Church Group, Partners International and travelled to Nigeria on a medical trip. The second time Megan and I returned to Africa together, stayed at the Ujamaa Hostel and we were introduced to organizations needing help. We volunteered for a month where we taught at Meru View Primary School in Arusha, Tanzania, Eastern Africa .We taught four year olds English, a little Math, Art, and Science. We loved it so much we knew we wanted to come back in the future,” explained 23 year old, Montgomery. Upon their return to Canada to finish school, they realized their adventure was far from over and they were heartily invested in their new dedication to the friends they made and the sad situation they were able to positively impact. “In 2013, Jenn joined me and we went back to Tanzania. Jenn worked at the Pippi House Foundation For Girls, a Safe House for young girls, I worked in organizational administrative duties at Meru View Primary School, helped build a play ground and I worked at Newlands Orphanage,” Montgomery continued. “When we came back to Canada this time, we felt we could do more for the kids we met and the little villages we came to know.” Together, the three young women found themselves needing to do more and formed the Bahati Project. Montgomery explained, “In Swahili, Bahati means success and we want to bring success and happiness to the three projects. We went to Centre Dufferin District High School and now Jenn teaches at Primrose Elementary. I believe that growing up in Shelburne helped us. Being from a small town where everyone always helps out, works together, and helps other families, helping others came naturally to us when we were in Africa. Also being from a small community may have helped push us to be curious and travel to other places.” The Bahati Project, a non-profit organization will sponsor all three initiatives, Meru View pre-primary school, for children who cannot afford an education, Pippi House Foundation for Girls, a Safe House for girls taken off the streets, and Newlands Orphanage. There is an ever great need to support these places and the positive effects can be paramount to the people who receive and benefit from fundraisers hosted by the Bahati Project, and these brave, generous, caring young women from Shelburne and Mulmur area. The Bahati Project will be hosting a fund raising event at the Terra Nova Public House on January 31st at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 and in addition to the chance of winning a door prize, live music will be played by Devon Barrie and Andrew Fairlie. Light snacks will be available and arts and crafts from Tanzania will be available for sale. All proceeds will go directly to the sponsored Bahati Projects. Anne-Marie Montgomery, and both Megan and Jenn Kelk have proudly represented their former high school, families, friends and the community of Shelburne and Mulmur when they went across the world and did their part to help others. Now it's our turn to do our part and help support them in their valiant cause in Tanzania, Africa. All three women hope to return to Tanzania in the summer of 2014. Their new website is bahatiproject.weebly.com. For more information contact 519-278-0025. By Alex Sher  Megan Kelk  Jenn Kelk  Anne-Marie Montgomery  Jenn Kelk, in Tanzania, Africa, poses with a group of young women and girls from the Pippi House Foundation For Girls, one of three initiatives the Bahati Project, a newly started non-profit organization Kelk helped to co-found will support. |
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Post date: 2014-01-22 16:42:34 Post date GMT: 2014-01-22 21:42:34 Post modified date: 2014-01-29 15:37:10 Post modified date GMT: 2014-01-29 20:37:10 |
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