5050TOGO

Dear Friends,  the Togo stand was a smaller affair this year for various reasons but still made a healthy addition to our funds.  Many thanks to all those who supported the venture :-)

I wish you a happy Christmas with your loved ones and every good wish for a happy and healthy 2016..Thanks to all of you who sponsor the fund from me and all the children who benefit from it....

Clare X

Next fundraiser will be a sale of cakes, biscuits etc and secondhand books at the entrance of K3 canteen of the ECA on 3rd July on the last day of term of the European School :-) Hoping to raise some much-needed funds for a good kick off for the next school year in Togo, where so many children (over 300 primary and over 300 secondary pupils last year) go to school and receive their textbooks and school materials, thanks to 5050 fund.  Thanks to these fundraisers we keep all the projects going but we do need more sponsors, so please spread the word :-)

Clare :-)

Its nice to be encouraged by unexpected donations - this is a first from a kind young lady called Matilda who asked for money from her friends for her birthday party....all to be given to the children of Togo, I was very touched by this spontaneous gesture...thanks, Matilda! Fortunately I had one Togolese dolly left for a little gesture of thanks ;-)  as I write to you its Tuesday morning, a busy morning always at the dispensary of the Providence convent, a stream of mothers and those taking the role of mothers arriving for the needs of their babies.... it was on a morning such as this that I first realised the huge need in Togo.... your help is invaluable, thanks as always for your generous support.  Clare :-)

matilda

Merci à tous et à toutes qui sont venu(e)s hier. 

C'était une réussite,

Thanks to everyone who came ot the 50 50 Togo Stand yesterday. It was a great success.

This evening a concert generously given by Vittorio Merlo, Italian singer.

Ce soir une soirée musicale offerte par Vittorio Merlo pour le fond 50 50 Togo,

Two dates for the diary - Monday 17th November lunchtime at the European Court of Auditors, sale of handicraft from Togo - handprinted material from the Ahepe centre promoting young women, soft-toy giraffes made by our faithful doll-making ladies, various items of handmade jewellery, some batiks, paintings, and the ever popular dolls....

le 17 novembre entre midi à la Cour des comptes européenne  - vente de girafes (mais oui) poupées, bijoux, tissus, etc tout fait main par nos fidèles artis(E)ts togolais(ES) - merci Marie-Noëlle pour la photo :-)

Tuesday 18th November evening - "Singing for Africa", Vittorio Merlo has graciously offered to sing for us in a little evening where you can buy his latest CD and see some photos taken in Togo at my last visit.....thanks to Gilberto for kindly organising this :-)

le 18 novembre petite soirée "Singing for Africa" chanteur italien Vittorio Merlo chante pour nous - une occasion pour voir les photos de ma dernière visite au Togo, de passer un bon moment, et d'acheter son dernier CD.... merci à Gilberto pour l'organisation de cette soirée :-)

I have just returned form a rather whirlwind visit to Togo.  It was great to catch up with many of the children, babies and young people who benefit from the 50/50 project directly and of course to visit the Providence and Renaissance orphanage supported also by the fund.  The photo galleries will be updated as soon as I can.  It was back-to-school time in Togo and many of the children are able to attend thanks to support from the fund... over 300 this year between primary and secondary school.  Sister Pieralba's "office" was full of piles of exercise books, stationery and school books being distributed to the children or their parents as the school term begins.... last year's school books were returned, some in better state than others! Thanks to everyone who gave me clothes, babycreams, books, toys, etc to fill my cases. I was very relieved to see them arrive in Lome after my long journey via Lisbon and Bamako, thanks to the Air France strike!  More to follow

best to you

Clare

Dear Friends, Hoping to get to Togo by Thursday for a week catching up with the children benefitting from our 50/50 fund.... two well-filled cases thanks to my colleagues in the Court which hopefully will make it through the complicated journey to Lomé, Air France strikes having ruined plan A and plan B! Looking forward to being able to update the site on my return next week with new photos of the children, those in the orphanages and those living in the outskirts of Lome....watch this space, heartfelt thanks as always to those who have helped fill the cases!  Clare :-) 

Summertime and the living is easy... at least for me! Some time to update the blog which has been difficult recently.  We have had a  good few fundraising events to keep up the 50/50 fund and our contributions to the two orphanages..including in May a craft and cake selling exercise in the European Court of Auditors on the occasion of World Aids Orphans day,

and more modest takings from a fun tombola for a ticket to Stevie Wonder's concert on his visit to Luxembourg, this July! Glad to see the ticket won by Fiona who is always keen to support 50/50 ventures, thanks Fiona.  Thanks also for all the odd donations which you kindly make,  the most recent being Horst and Marie-Laure's cashing in of their collection of odd coins..., thank you....Happy Summer, with love and grateful thanks to all supporters

Clare :-)

Great news, the Curia Cantorum choir will be singing for 50/50 this Christmas as their chosen charity.  Huge thanks to our choir director/conductor for this kind decision.  Am delighted and will enjoy our performances more than ever knowing that our 50/50 children will benefit from any kind contributions.  Performances will be 27th November in the Jean Monnet building of the Commission, 28th November, 3rd December and 10th December in the Court of Auditors Canteen K3 and 4th December in the KAD building of the European Parliament,  Happy weekend everybody  WE COLLECTED OVER 1,500 Euros, THANKS TO ALL SINGERS AND KIND DONORS :-)

Clare :-)