Four to Travel to Africa This Spring
Three Cranbrook faculty members and past Cranbrook parent Mike Lavoie will visit the village of Namtenga in Burkina Faso for 11 days this coming March. Margaret and Peter Charney will represent Brookside Lower School and Lynn Bennett-Carpenter will represent the Upper School. Marcy De Craene, also involved from Brookside, will facilitate the trip from the school.
Mike Lavoie introduced Brookside faculty and children to the village he once lived and worked in as a Peace Corp volunteer. Both
Peter and Margaret Charney have been actively involved in Brookside's six-year connection with Namtenga, working on many projects over the years to enhance the lives and education of the villagers. Through Brookside's efforts, the village has seen a significant increase in enrollment in the village school, particularly among girls. Two years ago the village was able to install its first well and pump as a safe source of water. Additionally, the school has its own cow, and this past year Brookside sponsored the building of a playground for the school. In the Upper School, weaving instructor Lynn Bennett-Carpenter created a student organization to raise money to build a weaving studio in the village. COnstruction was completed this summer, and 15 looms are operational.
Two years ago, Noelie and Simeon Baguian from the village came to Michigan and Brookside. Many connections were made at that time as they tirelessly visited our schools and spoke to the students. The mission of this Cranbrook visit to Africa is very much the same. We hope to further the friendship that has developed and to live among the villagers, experience their culture and share ours. Our representatives will visit the students in the village school and bring this experience back to the students at Cranbrook Schools in a more meaningful way. We hope to learn ways to continue our support of the village. Finally, this visit will be a celebration as the well, loom building and playground will be dedicated in a village-wide ceremony.
To read further updates of the various Namtenga projects, please join the Namtenga Community Group on CranNet. Login using your username and password (click here to request if you have forgotten), click Groups, then Join Community Groups and scroll down to "Namtenga Project" in the right-hand column. Click "Join" and you will receive news, announcements and calendar items directly on your portal.
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Mike Lavoie introduced Brookside faculty and children to the village he once lived and worked in as a Peace Corp volunteer. Both
Peter and Margaret Charney have been actively involved in Brookside's six-year connection with Namtenga, working on many projects over the years to enhance the lives and education of the villagers. Through Brookside's efforts, the village has seen a significant increase in enrollment in the village school, particularly among girls. Two years ago the village was able to install its first well and pump as a safe source of water. Additionally, the school has its own cow, and this past year Brookside sponsored the building of a playground for the school. In the Upper School, weaving instructor Lynn Bennett-Carpenter created a student organization to raise money to build a weaving studio in the village. COnstruction was completed this summer, and 15 looms are operational.
Two years ago, Noelie and Simeon Baguian from the village came to Michigan and Brookside. Many connections were made at that time as they tirelessly visited our schools and spoke to the students. The mission of this Cranbrook visit to Africa is very much the same. We hope to further the friendship that has developed and to live among the villagers, experience their culture and share ours. Our representatives will visit the students in the village school and bring this experience back to the students at Cranbrook Schools in a more meaningful way. We hope to learn ways to continue our support of the village. Finally, this visit will be a celebration as the well, loom building and playground will be dedicated in a village-wide ceremony.
To read further updates of the various Namtenga projects, please join the Namtenga Community Group on CranNet. Login using your username and password (click here to request if you have forgotten), click Groups, then Join Community Groups and scroll down to "Namtenga Project" in the right-hand column. Click "Join" and you will receive news, announcements and calendar items directly on your portal.
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(248) 645-3000
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303
(248) 645-3000
