I came into 2025 jet lagged, missing sunlight and equatorial temperatures, and things felt…heavy…NITEO has accomplished A LOT as a small nonprofit in the past 3 years of relaunch. It felt a tad bit daunting to look ahead to the next 3 years.
I’m so grateful that I don’t do this work alone.
In November, our board of directors went through a day of strategic planning discussion and we came out of the day with a renewed passion for child literacy, steeped in community.
We believe that…
The ability to read changes lives.
Literacy thrives within community
Communities that are literate will thrive.
Thriving, literate communities respond with abounding resilience, imagination, and insurmountable grit to face the ever-changing, complex needs of our world.
It is for this reason:
NITEO cultivates opportunities for children to explore their world, strengthen their identity, and develop their gifts through the power of literacy, steeped in community.
We do this GLOCALLY. In the Okanagan, we support family reading programs and storytelling-community events. In Uganda, we work with dedicated partners to address the staggering literacy inequity children are experiencing in this country.
I’ll share more about some of the local program updates in future posts as we do have some exciting things percolating 🙂
For today, I want to share my ONE goal for 2025. Ok, for those of you who know me, I actually have many goals. BUT, this is THE ONE. THE ONE that is going to be the metric of success for this year. THE ONE, that if we can come together to do this, will result in meaningful impact in the lives of children. THE ONE that gets me out of bed in the morning!
My ONE GOAL for 2025 is to provide 25,000 children in Uganda with access to books through libraries and literacy programs.
This will be done through international cooperation and the incredible efforts of NITEO partners in Uganda.
This will be made possible through YOU.
It costs $5 to provide 1 child in Uganda with access to books. This includes all the things we need to do as a registered charity to stay operational and the practical on the ground work of getting books delivered down bumpy, red dirt roads in Uganda.
I have the photo above printed & pinned on my wall. I want to keep these children and the THOUSANDS of others they represent at the front of my mind in every decision and project this year.
It is for them that I’m coming out of the gates of January with this ask.
Will you join me with a donation today? You can make a gift right now at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/01d932ed-9249-4175-9480-e08f4931a821
I believe that we, this beautiful and powerful community of NITEO supporters and volunteers, are a thriving, literate community that is able to respond with abounding resilience, imagination, grit, AND generosity to face the ever-changing, complex needs of our world.
Will you help 1 child TODAY to receive access to books this year through a gift? Will you help 5? Will you help 100?
Will we, together, help 25,000 children in 2025?
I’m asking for your help TODAY through a 1 time gift.
I’m also asking for more…for some of you it may be possible to give a monthly gift or an annual pledge to further this work.
We have a small group of people who have committed to monthly or annual support and it makes a huge difference in our ability to plan for the future.
Would you be willing to make your gift today a monthly gift?
25,000 children in 2025.
I am wrapping up January full of hope and deepened commitment for this lifechanging work of literacy equity. Let’s gooooo!
Yours in service,
Antonia
PS: If you live in the United States, you can make a charitable donation to NITEO through The Mirembe Project HERE.