Harambee 2002 funds 18 development projects in AfricaHarambee 2002 is a solidarity project which was started on October 6 2002, around the canonization of Josemaría Escrivá, Founder of Opus Dei, with donations from those attending the canonization ceremony and many others. Harambee 2002 sponsors educational projects in and about Africa – development projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and sensitization projects in the rest of the world aiming to foster a positive attitude towards African culture.During the first phase of the project, October 2002 through May 2003, over €700,000 was raised with contributions from over 100,000 people. This total has been divided between 18 educational projects selected out of 122 bids received in a public competition. The successful projects will be carried out by African organizations in 13 Sub-Saharan African countries. Donations received from June 2003 on will be used to fund projects to be selected in the future. Rosella Villa, spokesperson for Harambee 2002, said that although it is too soon to draw conclusions, some results from the projects have already begun to come in. “The first educational projects have started work; plenty of support projects have been organized in different countries around the world. What has helped us most of all to provide continuity in Harambee 2002 is the number of people who have freely given their time to work with us. And also, of course, the constant stream of donations, big and small, that have been coming in.” Projects organized in support of and cooperation with Harambee 2002 have taken widely differing forms. A Hong Kong school organized a solidarity campaign, with pupils and families collecting donations over several days. Others made a point of remembering Africa at a special time in their lives, such as a couple in Frankfurt, married for fifty years, who asked their friends to donate to Harambee 2002 whatever they were thinking of spending on presents for their golden wedding anniversary. Although a year has gone by since the Harambee 2002 project was set up it still keeps 2002 as part of its name. Rosella Villa explains: “That seemed the obvious thing to do, as the Harambee project originated in the joy of people from around the world, who wanted to thank God for the gift of a saint, Josemaría Escrivá. Their gratitude itself then became a gift to those most in need. Aiming to educate, and to educate those who will become educators, fits in with Saint Josemaría’s teachings, because he always invited people to work hard ‘so that day by day there may be fewer people living in poverty, fewer people left in ignorance, fewer people who have no faith, fewer people driven to desperation, fewer wars, less insecurity, more charity, and more peace’. The year 2002 reminds us of all of that.” For further information: www.harambee-africa.org http://www.josemariaescriva.info/article/harambee-2002-funds-18-development-projects-in-africa |