crazymommaofthree: Mandela day, giving back and ISA updates

It has been very quiet on this space... with good reason I promise, I will admit that when we dived into the dream that has become The Independent Scholars Academy it was one of the few times where I put my heart and dream above everything else and just dove in believing with my whole heart of hearts that this dream... OUR dream would get us through... Why?

Our intentions, our dream... our cause; everything has been done with a good heart, everything we have done over the last few months, the hard work the long hours and the time away from our families has been done because we believe in ISA and what it stands for, special needs and attention driven home based education that is accessible to all children no matter the adversities that they are faced, because every child deserves a solid education that allows them to reach out and explore, to excel and reach beyond their wildest dreams... EVERY child.

This past month has been the most difficult, but we have pushed through juggling home life, family and in some cases 2 jobs trying to get everything in place for our big move at the end of this month, but I know that every step we have taken will be and has been worth it.

Tomorrow is Mandela day.

Mandela Day is an Annual International day in honor of Nelson Mandela, which is celebrated on his birthday the 18th of July each year. The UN declared the day officially in 2010 but South Africans started celebrating this day in 2009.

Mandela was a great man, the first President of a post Apartheid South Africa who passed away on December 5th 2013 at the age of 95. I remember this day well, it was my 26th birthday. I remember the sadness that befell our nation at the loss of such a great person, a man who touched so many hearts and lives with his sacrifice and his fight for equality and peace.

Mandela valued and fought for many things but one of the causes he valued most greatly was child safety and education, with that in mind my 67 minutes this year will be spent with our children at ISA, my heart belongs to each and every one of our students and watching them grow from strength to strength has just been the most rewarding and inspirational experience.

If you do not have anything in mind I would like to ask that you consider making a donation towards our school, whether it be time, groceries, toiletries cleaning products or a monetary donation of any kind.

It is our hope at some point to be able to feed ALL of our school children for free on a daily basis, this goal seems like a large one but so many of our children come from struggling families and to fill their tummies with one solid meal a day would mean so much to us, so many goals it seems never ending but I know we will get there. I know that with our current economy it isn't easy for a family to donate anything but I encourage each and every one of you to reach out to a cause and donate towards it whether it be time, donation of skills or whatever else that cause may need, because everything counts and everything helps- volunteer at an animal shelter, do a beach clean up with your kids, donate 67 items or R67 worth of items to a shelter of your choice.

Working together as a community to better each other and our nation is what Mandela fought so hard for in his lifetime