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WKE students raise money to fund a child’s education

Money to go towards education for Biniyam in Ethiopia
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Biniyam will be able to attend grade 2 with the money WKE students raised. (Submitted/Lakes District News)

William Konkin Elementary (WKE) school’s Build Grow Share Kindness Project under Vice Principal Cordell Ware has raised money for a child’s education.

As a part of this project, students are being taught to build wooden crates, after which they will grow fresh produce, and package that produce in the crates to be shared with those who serve the local community and those in need within the community.

WKE has sold some of these wooden crates to raise funds.

“We have raised $360 dollars by selling our wooden crates. This money was donated to Hope for Korah, a non-profit organization, and will be going directly to support a boy named Biniyam, translated as Benjamin. The money will be paying for him to attend school,” said Ware in an email to Lakes District News.

READ MORE: WKE undertakes project to teach intentional kindness

Biniyam, who lived with his mother Emibet and his sister Tigist near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will be going to grade 2 with the help of these funds. Biniyam’s family lived near a trash dump and his mother would strap him on her back as a baby, to scavenge through the garbage for survival. Once Hope for Korah stepped in however, their lives changed with both the kids now participating in a special supportive school and involved in all youth programs and tutoring.

“Our students will be writing letters to Biniyam in the new year and sharing pictures with him of our project and how we raised the money for his education. The money the students raised with their crates paid for one whole year of school for him,” said Ware.

Half the material for the crates was purchased by SD 91’s careers department and half of the wood material was donated by Vanderhoof Coop. Lakes Animal Friendship Society purchased 15 crates, several teachers and staff also purchased crates to support Biniyam.

“Within the most central layer, we hope that students learn to show kindness with depth. That they practice intentional and purposeful kindness, kindness that is displayed through real actions that positively impacts those around them. We truly hope students learn to care for others by building, growing, and sharing kindness,” said Ware.


Priyanka Ketkar
Multimedia journalist
@PriyankaKetkar
priyanka.ketkar@ldnews.net


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Priyanka Ketkar

About the Author: Priyanka Ketkar

Priyanka Ketkar has been a journalist since 2011 with extensive experience in community-driven news writing, feature writing, and editing.
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