Thursday, April 4, 2013

We are traveling to Burkina Faso to provide optimism and hands-on service to support communities in Burkina Faso through:

*Building a computer lab
*Creating sustainable gardens
*Building a Student Optimist Club
*Delivering soccer balls and interacting with children
*Delivering medical supplies, equipment and knowledge
*Delivering educational supplies and hygiene supplies


From January 3 - January 17, 2014, the UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club and members of the surrounding community will travel to Burkina Faso, Africa.  These individuals are dedicated to providing support to the communities through hands-on service projects such as building a computer lab and teaching technical skills in Dedougou, creating sustainable gardens in Dedougou, creating a student optimist club in Ouagadougou, and delivering medical and educational supplies to individuals Bobo Dioulasso.     

As part of the service learning trip, travelers are raising funds to ship an ambulance to Dedougou.  This ambulance would the first in the city and bring needed medical care to the community.  The closest operating ambulance for this community is two hours away.

In addition to supplies and donations, travelers will be working to provide knowledge and resources to each community visited. Travelers will be able to teach students and teachers in the communities how to use and maintain the computers that are delivered, provide lectures and workshops teaching doctors and nurses how to use the medical supplies and the ambulance, and how to maintain and care for the garden to help provide food year round.

Your generous support allows this group to bring much needed medical supplies and knowledge, sustainable food, and optimism to a country in need.  To make a donation, please send a check made out to the Optimist International Foundation to Kim Adams, 800 W. Main St., UC 250 Whitewater, WI 53190. All donations are tax deductible.  For more information and updates on this project, please visit the UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club Service Learning Trip blog at http://uwwstudentoptimist.blogspot.com/ or call Kim at 608-201-2151.

Download our trip flyer here