Meet Neema 

Six-year-old Neema is one of 40 first-grade students at the Congo Restoration Girls School of Compassion.

Neema’s mother is handicapped and her father abandoned her when she was an infant. Too often, girls like Neema never go to school, as families who don’t have enough money for school fees often decide to send their boys and put their girls to work in the fields.

Neema started life with many cultural disadvantages — her handicapped mom and no father. But now she is getting the greatest gift we can offer her: an education. 

We opened a first- and second-grade classroom in September (40 in each classroom) and will open an additional classroom each year through the 12th grade. So far, 15 of our 80 girls have spotters in the United States (you’ve seen spotters if you’ve ever seen a pyramid of cheerleaders — they’re the ones who give the cheerleaders up top the safety and confidence to fly).

Here’s what a being a spotter looks like at the Congo Restoration Girls School of Compassion:

• You can spot one girl through the 12th grade for $25 a month or $300 a year. That pays her teachers’ salaries, her share of school administration costs, and her breakfast and lunch at school.
• Your group (think United Methodist Women, book club, running group, college roommates) can spot a group of girls for a change-the-world bonding experience. Want to hear more? We can come talk to your group about the possibilities.
• You’ll be matched with one of our primary school girls. You’ll receive an annual update on your student, including an adorable photo like the one above.
• Your student will know you have her back from primary school through her high school graduation. And from there, she will change the trajectory of her life, her family’s life, her community and maybe her country by becoming a leader in whatever field she chooses. 

Want to be a spotter for one of our students? Donate through UMCOR (button below, which offers an automatic monthly donation option as well as a one-time donation option) or PayPal/Venmo if you’d like to make the $300 donation all at once.

In addition to making your donation, please email our chair of the board, Dawn McMullan, to be connected to one of our students: dmcmullan@sbcglobal.net. We know there’s a more techy way to do this, but email Dawn while we figure that out. 🙂

Thank you!