Ujima

The First Program: Human Rights and Ujima.

The center of the action for Ujima at the First Program is the vibrant and expanding FP Human Rights Club. The club consists of around thirty enthusiastic members from the 2nd and 3rd grades, guided by their advisors Kelvina Butcher, Julie Hiraga and Mary Smeltzer. Meetings occur on Wednesday mornings, between 7.15 and 8.15. The Club is already doing some active fund raising this year through our Bakesale and our participation in the Ujima Greeting Card and Calendar Project. Four beautiful collages were prepared by the club members, and these form the central art images of the very first Ujima Calendar for 2006 (on sale in January for $20, all proceeds to the Subukia Scholarship Fund). Our special thanks to Art Studio coordinator Laura Zanes and the other FP art teachers for their help and support with this project.

We have already had a highly successful Ujima Bakesale this spring. Our Calendar and Bracelet Sales will take place in the New Year, and our annual Readathon will take place in the spring. A “Rock-A-Thon” for late spring is also in the works – if you want to know what this is you will have to ask us! The third annual Ujima Walkathon will take place in Central Park on May 8, 2006. We will notify you of dates, times and further details for all events will as our plans develop.

The goals of our Ujima Project activities are to fundraise for scholarships, to learn about the geography, customs and traditions of people in Kenya, and to have more contact and interaction with our friends there. In the recent past our friends Koigi wa Wamwere and Neil Getnick have spoken with us, and earlier this year Dr. Malcolm Fenton came to show us a slide show of the first Dalton Ujima visit to Kenya. Subsequently a brief presentation/update was given by a representative group of FP Human Rights Club members at two recent House 91 gatherings, describing in their own words the information they received from Dr. Fenton about his visit to the Kenyan scholarship recipients, and the club’s goals. The children gave excellent, informative presentations to their peers. We are looking forward to the events and activities before us, and to making a difference through our actions.

First Program: Ujima Update.

Community-Wide Contributions:
FP Ujima Bake Sale: $700.00
Grade 1 Walk-A-Thon Contribution: $2000.00
House 21: Proceeds from their class Community Library Gift Shop: $22.00
Ujima Walk-A-Thon T Shirt Sale: $1,127.00
Ujima Ice Cream Sale: $625.00

Individual Contributions:
Isabel W., House 33, Third Grade: Contributions to Ujima in lieu of Birthday Presents: $275.00
Kate K., House 14, Kindergarten: Piggy Bank Savings: $110.00
Isabel R., House 14, Kindergarten: Piggy Bank Saving, $14.00
Sam P. and Christopher S., House 23, Second Grade: Door-to-Door Song-Fest featuring the song “You Gotta Have Heart” $12.00

FP Total for 2006-07: $4, 885.00