SPRING NEWSLETTER 2014

ANNOUNCING NEW GRANT RECIPIENTS

Thanks to the generosity of our donors and proceeds from our annual event, we are pleased to announce grants to the following foundations:

African Parks
Africa Foundation
Big Life Foundation
Wilderness Wildlife Trust
Singita Community Trust
Good Work Foundation
Lalela Project
Imibala
Utah Community Garden/ Inzalo Community Projects
African Research and Conservation Foundation - ARC Foundation
African Wildlife Foundation

To see a detailed description of these grants, please visit our "Projects We Support" page on our website. Click here to go there now.

EMPOWERS AFRICA'S ANNUAL EVENT RAISES OVER $130,000

Empowers Africa held its annual gala dinner at The Explorers Club in New York City on February 6, 2014. The event raised over $130,000 for human empowerment and wildlife protection in Africa. The master of ceremonies for the evening was Richard W

iese, host and producer of the ABC series "Born to Explore." The auctioneer for the evening was Eliza Osborne, vice president, Sotheby's. Guests included Beth Rudin DeWoody, Nina Griscom, Chris Mack, Jenny Kennedy, Donna and Mike Corbat, Jennifer Creel, Zack Bacon and Flo Fulton.

The auction included cocktails, dinner, dancing and a live auction of several exotic eco-trips to Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. There was also a silent auction featuring stunning black-and-white prints of African wildlife by Nick Brandt.

We would like to thank everyone who joined us for the event including our proxy bidders and other donors who were supporting us from afar. We appreciate your support. To see more party pics, click here.

TRAVEL NOTES: EMPOWERS AFRICA VISITS SCHOOLS IN TANZANIA AND UGANDA

This past February and March, several of Empowers Africa's trustees and Advisory Committee members made a trip to Tanzania and Uganda. The group spent time on safari enjoying an incredible wildlife experience and took time to visit three schools, including the 1) Nkuringo Integrated Model School, 2) the Nkuringo Bright Future Pre- and Primary School and 3) the Manyara Ranch Primary School. Below you'll find some details about and pictures from each of these schools.

1. The Nkuringo Integrated Model School

The Nkuringo Integrated Model School is located right outside of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda. In 2013, a remarkable man named Dennis Bilungi formed the school, and today it serves 154 children including 34 who are Batwa. The school has a beautiful garden that provides food, teaches the students how to garden and is an active income-producing enterprise. The school aims to give the children both a formal education and vocational training. It costs approximately $400 to put a child through an entire year of school - this includes boarding, tuition, meals, uniforms and supplies. One of the needs at this school includes a water catchment system. Empowers Africa is proud to announce that the travelers funded this need after visiting the school. To see more pictures from this school and the Batwa Impenetrable Forest, click here.

2. The Nkuringo Bright Future Pre- and Primary School in Uganda

The Nkuringo Bright Future Pre- and Primary School in Uganda was formed by the Nkuringo Orphans Group and provides accommodations and education for 232

orphans and vulnerable children living in the very remote Nteko parish in the Kisoro district. One hundred and thirty-three of the students board at the school. The children, ages 5-12, are led by an inspirational director named Arthur Kajubwami. The school has seven teaching staff members and five non-teaching staff members. Krista Krieger, president of Empowers Africa, says, "These are all true heroes." Needs at this school include new bathrooms, a water catchment system, new mattresses for boarders and tuition for students who don't have the resources to pay for it. Empowers Africa is proud to announce that the group of travelers have funded these needs after visiting the school. To see more pictures from this school please click here.

3. The Manyara Ranch Primary School

The Manyara Ranch Primary School is located in Tanzania. This school supports the educational needs of local Maasai communities neighboring the Manyara Ranch. Currently, the school has 941 students and 19 teachers. African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) partnered with the Annenberg Foundation, the local school district, and the community to build an entirely new school campus on the perimeter of the ranch. Prior to AWF's involvement, the school (located on the Manyara Ranch) was dilapidated and lacked electricity and a proper water-distribution system. Additionally, the school itself was located in an important wildlife corridor, which meant that students shared their schoolyard with elephants, lions and other wildlife which disrupted classes and endangered students. At the Manyara Ranch Primary School, students are now able to live and study in facilities that include fully equipped classrooms, dormitories, a cafeteria, an IT lab and an infirmary. Empowers Africa recently made a grant to AWF to support the renovation of this school. To see more pictures from this school and the Batwa Impenetrable Forest, click here.

To learn more about African Wildlife Foundation check out their website: www.awf.org.

Join our 3,000+ fans on our Empowers Africa Facebook page where you'll find the latest news on Africa, information on our efforts to save endangered wildlife, pictures and more.

Click here to go there now.

LAST NOTE: PICTURES FROM A RECENT TRIP TO TANZANIA AND UGANDA

To see more pictures from this trip, click here.

If you would like to donate to Empowers Africa to help any of the schools or projects we support, please contact us at info@empowersafrica.org or go to our online donation page by clicking here.

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