IST Elementary Campus News!

IST Elementary’s Annual Read to Feed Program

What will be the animal of our 2012 Read to Feed program? This hopefully, is the question on many young children’s minds these days at IST.

During the month of February our students have the opportunity to become everyday heroes for the people of Tanzania. Students who participate in the Read to Feed program have a chance to help end world hunger and improve the environment.

What is Read to Feed?
Read to Feed is a reading incentive service-learning program that offers global education opportunities and will foster in your children a love for reading, a passion to help others and a way to help create a better World.

How can my child participate?
Children get sponsors for each book they read during the month of February. At the end of the month, we pool all of our money together and donate it to the Tanzanian Chapter of Heifer International. Shortly your child will be getting their sponsorship forms to take home.

Where does our money go?
The idea is simple and it works. I work closely with Mr. Abdul to choose a community within close proximity that is at risk and needs our assistance. Once we have identified our target group we then have a check drawn up for Heifer International. Heifer International then provides a “living loan” of an animal. The family’s health and standard of living is greatly improved by what that animal can provide. This might be milk from a cow or goat, eggs from poultry, or meat from rabbits. The key to success of the program is that Heifer provides extensive training in animal care, ecologically sound agriculture practices and community development. The result is to transform not just families, but the environment and community. Another key cornerstone of Heifer International is “passing on the gift.” Families who receive an animal repay the loan by passing on one or more of the animals’ offspring to other needy families. That family passes on their gift to another family and so on. So one gift multiplies through the community.

Possible benefits of participating in Read to Feed:
• Encourages reading skills
• Teaches students how they can empower families locally with the gift of livestock
• Heightens awareness that children’s actions are making a difference in the lives of others

Our timeline:
January 30-February 3 – Forms go home, and students collect sponsors.
February 8-29th – Children reading at home.
March 1-9 – Children collect monies from their sponsors for each book that they read
March 12-16 – Monies are collected at school in the mornings.

If you have any questions, please email Ms. Christy Heitmiller at cheitmiller@istafrica.com