Raising a Village (UPDATE: Send Info!)

Over at doubleplusundead, they’re talking about a Barack Obama promise that was made in 2006 to the Kenyan school located in the village where his late father was born—a promise that hasn’t been fulfilled. The school has been renamed in the senator's honor.

He told the assembled press, local politicians (who included current Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga), and students: "Hopefully I can provide some assistance in the future to this school and all that it can be." He then turned to the school's principal, Yuanita Obiero, and assured her and her teachers: "I know you are working very hard and struggling to bring up this school, but I have said I will assist the school and I will do so."

Obiero says that although Obama did not explicitly use the word "financial" to qualify the nature of the assistance he was offering, "there was no doubt among us [teachers] that is what he meant. We interpreted his words as meaning he would help fund the school, either personally or by raising sponsors or both, in order to give our school desperately-needed modern facilities and a facelift". She added that 10 of the school's 144 pupils are Obama's relatives. Obiero was not the only one to think that the US Senator from Illinois, who had recently acquired a $1.65 million house in Chicago, would cough up. Obama's own grandmother Sarah confidently told reporters before his visit: "When he comes down here, he will change the face of the school and, believe me, our poverty in Kogelo will be a thing of the past."

There's also an orphanage in the village. And over one hundred of these kids are related to Obama. (It wouldn't be surprising if some of them are related to me also.)

Now the senator and his wife make a lot of money, so I’m sure that this is merely an oversight. I’m sure that they meant to set up a fund on their own and/or have their supporters donate to assist his kinsmen. With the campaign and everything, I’m sure that this promise is just one thing that got lost in the shuffle.

Well. Since I am of the same tribe as Obama, I think that it should fall to me to assist in filling in this gap. I’d like to start a fund to help this village school—and others, if possible.

Off the top of my head, the following information needs to be known:

1. an itemized list of the things which the village schools in Kenya require and that school in particular
2. supporting items and services for the above list
3. the logistics
4. the oversight plan of the money and the tasks
5. maintenance and upkeep required

In addition, there's an over-arching concern about the infrastructure in the country: how much modern technology can the village handle?

I’m a fund-raising virgin, however, so as soon as I get some more information, we’ll get this ball rolling.

BTW, this will be a non-partisan endeavor. I’ve tweaked Obama as much as I'm going to on this topic. I'll keep thumping him about other stuff but not about this. Heck, he can help--even get out in front of this parade as he is wont to do. Call it a tribute to Tom Mboya.

So, experienced fund-raisers. Talk to me.

UPDATE: Welcome, Conservative Grapevine readers! For any helpful information you'd like to submit, write to obamaschool-at-gmail-dot-com.

Comments

[notropis]

My new thing is to spam the conservative blogosphere. So, I put this up at ++undead's place, and I'm repeating it here:

***********
This is so, so, so, so common in Africa -- and it ain't just Obama. When I was in the Peace Corps, I was dragged from town to town and shown where from 1960 to when I was there (87-88 ) one after another bleeding heart started something great, promised the sky and the stars, and then went home and blew it off. You'd expect more from a Messiah, but you'd probably be disappointed, hunh?

I had a 3-ring binder full of names and addresses stateside that I was supposed to try to contact to find out what was up. I mailed 'em all, heard back from two, both with lame "you know how it goes" excuses. Most Africans, by now, know that the whole charade is, well, just that. So Barack's no different? Fancy that.

*********

But if you want to start up a movement to fund Barack's "oversight," count me in. I'll e-mail you tomorrow or the next day with my thoughts. Maybe we can make this one work.

[baldilocks]

Yes, please.

I don't think that this is one of those one time good deal things or that the country/continent can be saved--unless it saves itself.

But you never know who you're saving.

I mean, did Mboya know what he was doing? :-)

[Heather P.]

Hey there!
Came over from Hog On Ice.
I will be posting this on my site too if you don't mind!
Blessings!
Heather

[BubbaJ]

Baldilocks,

Please contact Debi Frock and tell her Sharon Jones sent you. Debi goes to my church and she started a charity called Ghanaian Mothers' Hope. Debi has done amazing things for the children in Ghana. She started a preschool there. Here is the link to her website:

http://www.ghanaianmothershope.org/
Debi received the 2008 Bishops’ Award for Outstanding Lay Ministry in the World from the Episcopal Church.

God bless.

[baldilocks]

Heather and Bubba,

Thanks.

[Retep]

Does Rush know about this?
Talk about instant money.

[baldilocks]

Let me get the site up first. :-)

[Jan]

If you raise the money, they should take his name off and put yours on. Why give Obama credit for something he didn't do?