Success doubled by Generosity - Thank you Rabat American School

As a volunteer, I get to meet great people who inspire my work by their commitment and generosity. A new friend is the Rabat American School (RAS), a pre-K to grade 12 school in Rabat, Morocco. Their website is www.ras.mas. I sent am email to RAS about the Zerktouni Computer project, hoping teachers or administration would want to make a donation. I was thrilled to get a quick response. RAS had a number of computers they had retired and were hoping to give them a new home. The stars had aligned and RAS and Zerktouni Primary school were about to become good friends. I, along with the president of the school's parent association, Mohamed Matallah, traveled to Rabat to pick up the computers. We had a great day seeing the school and meeting teachers and administration. In total, RAS donated fifteen computer units to Zerktouni. Somehow, as if by magic, all 15 monitors and computers, plus a printer, fit into the back of the small pickup truck we had traveled in (see photo). On behalf of Zerktouni Primary school we thank and applaud Rabat American School for their kind gift and their commitment to the school's vision: "Learning in a world community".

Here is the exciting part of RAS's donation: when myself and Zerktouni School first drafted the project proposal asking for computers, Zerktouni hoped to get 20 computers. But when we crunched the numbers and consider the 25% community contribution, we realized our budget only allowed for 10 computers. Thanks to RAS's donation of 15 computer units, we exceeded the number of computers we hoped to obtain. Now, Zerktouni has a total of 35 computers for the 500 students. When the students have computer time, each student gets to use their own computer. The gift of education makes a brighter future for all of us - Thank you RAS!

Photos from the Computer Lab

Thank you. THANK YOU!

Congratulations friends, family and colleagues!!!!

Thanks to your support of the Computers for Zerktouni Primary School project we have raised all the money to buy ten new computers! I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and donations.

I logged on to the computer today to check the donation status to be greeted with the message "The Volunteer project you have requested is fully funded." This is amazing news. Together we funded the project in just about two months. This is an impressive time line and thanks to your quick call to action the school will be installing the new computers just as the school year starts.

Tomorrow I will be sharing this amazing news with the Parent Association. They will be delighted to hear about your amazing support.

The next steps for the project are:
• Buy and install the computers :)
• Train teachers and administration on IT maintenance
• Make lesson plans for students

I will continue to post project updates on the blog www.tech4zerktouni.blogspot.com. Now that the funds have been raised, the really fun part of the project starts. Visit the blog to see your support in action!

Thank you. Warmest regards and profound thanks.

Sincerely,
Kirsten Rogers
Peace Corps Morocco
www.tech4zerktouni.blogspot.com

Double your Donation

Will your employer match your gift? Many companies have programs that will donate to causes their employees support. For example...

3 COM CORPORATION
ADOBE SYSTEMS INC
AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION
AMGEN FOUNDATION INC
BANK OF AMERICA FOUNDATION
BURLINGTON NORTHERN & SANTA FE RAILWAY COMPANY
BOEING
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC
CHASE MANHATTAN FOUNDATION
CISCO SYSTEMS FOUNDATION
CITGO PETROLEUM CORP
COMPAQ COMPUTER FOUNDATION
CORBIS
COSTCO WHOLESALE
FANNIE MAE FOUNDATION
FREDDIE MAC FOUNDATION
HOME DEPOT
KAPLAN EDUCATION CENTERS
KIMBERLY-CLARK FOUNDATION INC
LIZ CLAIBORNE FOUNDATION
MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL
MAYTAG CORPORATION FOUNDATION
MICROSOFT CORPORATION
MOBIL FOUNDATION INC
NIKE GLOBAL COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
NORTEL NETWORKS INC
NORTON COMPANY FOUNDATION
NOVELL COMMUNITY SUPPORT CMPGN
NOVUS INTERNATIONAL INC
PEPSICO FOUNDATION INC
PFIZER FOUNDATION
PHILIP MORRIS COMPANIES INC
PITNEY BOWES
PRUDENTIAL COMMUNITY GIVING CAMPAIGN
QWEST FOUNDATION
READERS DIGEST FOUNDATION INC
REAL NETWORKS
SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANIES
SAGE PUBLICATIONS
SARA LEE FOUNDATION
SUBARU OF AMERICA FOUNDATION
SUN MICROSYSTEMS FOUNDATION
SYMANTEC CORPORATION
THE JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS INC
VERIZON FOUNDATION
WASHINGTON MUTUAL FOUNDATION

...... will match any donation you make dollar-for-dollar. Check with your employer to found out about corporate matching gifts. Ask them what paper work is required. Submit the paperwork today to double your gift! We can reach our goal sooner if you can get your employer to match your gift.

Technical Difficulties : (

ERROR on the Peace Corps donation Website!!!!!! If you visited the blog and then clicked the DONATE link on Sunday, August 17, you would have been directed to the Peace Corps website and would have read the message: "The Volunteer project you have requested is fully funded." THIS IS FALSE. There was an error on their site and the project has not been fully funded. If you visited the site on 8/17 to make a donation, please revisit the site and try again. Sorry for the problem.

Mail CHECK Donations to....

Peace Corps Partnership Program
1111 20th Street NW
Washington, DC 20526

VERY IMPORTANT: Note the number of this project (378-102) in the memo section of the check, and for extra measures include a short note reading "this donation is for the project Computers for Zerktouni Primary School, Morocco, lead by PCV Kirsten Rogers".

THANKS!

Donation by Check Possible!

YOU CAN DONATE BY CHECK! Hi - A few people have expressed concerns about donating online with a debt/credit card. Word came back from Peace Corps DC today that donation by check is possible. You will need to contact Peace Corps' Office of Private Sector Initiatives (OPSI). There is a toll free number that can be called and/or an e-mail to receive instructions on how to contribute by check: 1-800.424.8580 ext. 2170 pcpp@peacecorps.gov . Thank you for the support and encouragement.