The 100BOOKSproject is fast approaching it’s second birthday and I have to say I am completely humbled by all your contributions and what you have helped me to achieve over the past 2 years.
Together we have started 4 libraries in remote communities in Flores and Raja Ampat, distributing a total of 250 notebooks, 450 activity books and a whopping 800 library books to schools who wouldn’t otherwise have access to such resources.
And last year we built a house for a teacher.
This feels like such an incredible achievement and from the bottom of my hugely swelling heart I thank you.
This time last year, in response to a great need in a local village here, I started a new campaign to build a house for a teacher. Starting that campaign and completing that project last year feels really significant to me. So, to celebrate our second birthday, I would like to open funding for another new campaign: to get Ocean Warriors Plastic in Paradise to children in the Flores/Komodo region.
Ocean Warriors Plastic in Paradise
For all of you who know me you’ll know that I have been working with Friendly Drifter Foundation for the past year to publish a story book for children educating them on marine debris. The retail sale of the book, Ocean Warriors Plastic in Paradise, is raising money to build a sustainable waste management system in Raja Ampat. As well as retail sales we are fundraising to distribute a bilingual (English and Indonesian) edition of the book to children throughout the Raja Ampat Archipleago and Indonesia.
So far, through sponsorship, Friendly Drifter Foundation has distributed 250 books to the kids in Raja Ampat (including our very own Salio Village – Library #1!) And now, I want to bring the book here, to Flores.
Roughly $5 will pay for a book to be printed for a student who is not only in need of books but also very much in need of education and awareness of marine pollution - particularly single use plastics.
To get 100 Books, then, I only need $500 - but I'm upping the ante and setting my sights on 1000 books so I can spread it even further! If I print in large numbers the cost comes down and I can print 1000 books for under $4 each!!!
About the Book
Ocean Warriors Plastic in Paradise tells a story of siblings, Petrus and Novi. Born in a remote fishing village in the Indonesian Archipelago of Raja Ampat, Petrus and Novi grow up fishing from traditional wooden canoes and exploring near by islands and beaches. One such adventure takes the brother and sister duo, and their friend Tateruga the turtle, to a manta point where they freedive with the graceful creatures. When they realise Tateruga is missing they go in search for him only to find him choking on a plastic bag he mistakenly ingested while feeding on seagrass.
The children remove the debris from Taterugas throat, saving his life. Needless to say, the incident leaves Petrus and Novi shaken and more aware than ever of the plastic rubbish that finds it’s way into the ocean.
The children make their way back to the beach each lost in their own thoughts after the ordeal. Looking around them they see that the beach is covered in trash that has washed up on the shore and they set about cleaning it up.
* * * * *
* * * * *
The story, written for Friendly Drifter, is the first in a series intended to educate local youth of the danger of marine pollution as well as providing them with achievable calls to action – in this case, cleaning the beach.
Providing educational materials to children in remote areas that are relevant to the communities in which they live was the major driving force behind writing the book. Getting these books to those kids is now our mission.
Can you help me spread the word by sharing this post???
No comments :
Post a Comment