{make a difference: pencils of promise}

. . . officially the season for giving, and so many ways to make a difference, including supporting wonderful charities such as new york-based pencils of promise, that partners with local communities and organizations to build schools in developing nations for some of the world’s most impoverished and undereducated children. sadly, there are more than 75 million children in this situation worldwide

last december, the pencils of promise team visited a small village in laos, and by july 2009, had built a new school for the village children who were able to attend classes by the first of september. this month, pencils of promise will be opening their third school and they hope to open the doors to education for more children in the new year

pencils of promise is currently in champet, a village that is home to the only high school in the area for surrounding villages. in order to attend this school, students must leave their families and homes to live in unsafe dormitories that are little more than bamboo huts. currently, some parents are unwilling to send their children to school because of the dangerous conditions of these huts

this holiday season, the goal is to build a library and safe housing for 200 school girls to give them access to further education

and so, in the spirit of the season, we are asking for your help -- whether it's $1.00 or $100.00, 100% of your donation will be used to complete this wonderful project

{thank you!}

{p.s.} more about pencils of promise:
* video
* facebook

{images: 1 - martha stewart; 2 - lilla villa vita via emma; 3-5 - photography by nick onken; special thanks to paloma of la dolce vita for organizing this blogger collaboration}