"Everyone's A Star That Deserves The Right To Shine"
Marilyn Monroe

Hello Everyone,
Today was my first experience at WAMATA. I have to keep this short because I only have 10 minutes of Internet time. In Tengeru, all power is down Tues and Fri, and the other days it is very slow.

WAMATA is located in a very very poor area, the poorest I've seen yet. I will be teaching 20 girls between the ages 14-20 all of whom are AIDS orphans. They are soo wonderful, and I hope that I will be able to post their pictures soon, but last time I tried it took over 30 min, and then the computer shut down. I will be working with Gervais (the program leader) to initiate a fundraiser to create handmade coffee bags to sell to tourists. Since the organization has no money, and no supplies, money is badly needed. I hope to help them generate at least some while I am here. Their classroom is one small room, that has no electricity and only one small blackboard. The girls bring in torn booklets and pens which they value beyone belief. They all sit on 2 wooden benches... really I can't do it justice in e-mail, expecially their eagerness to learn.





Everything else is very good. We played a soccer game yesterday against a team of players who all have HIV. We played in the hopes of reducing the negative stigma that the local community puts on these people. We hoped that if they saw us playing with them, they would not treat them like outcasts (a typical response).

Thanks so much for your comments. I can't tell you how much messages from home are appreciated. If there is any way of posting pictures... I will find it...

I'll be in touch very soon,

Annie - or now - Teacher Annie