Reminders
WNYFLEC has ceased the mass mailing of its paper newsletters so that it may use a more environmentally friendly electronic delivery system. Does WNYFLEC have your most up-to-date email information? If not, you may not receive future WNYFLEC correspondence. Please make sure WNYFLEC has your current email information by checking with Interim Membership Chair Mark Critelli at membership@wnyflec.org.
Lend a Hand !
WNYFLEC is an organization that is only as strong as the involvement of its members.
Please consider volunteering with the organization in some capacity. We are always
looking for individuals to assist with Regional Conference planning, STAR Awards
planning, publicity, event registration and more! To help with any of these or other
tasks, please click the Volunteer page on the main menu.
Events
KINSHASA STREET CHILDREN PILOT PROJECT: Ongoing - Get Involved!
Dr. Musindu Kanya-Ngambi, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and now a naturalized American citizen serving as adjunct faculty in SUNY Buffalo's Department of Romance Languages & Literatures, began a nonprofit, non-government organization called African Self-Help Community Schools Assistance, Inc., known as ASH-CASI. The organization's overall goal is to promote the creation, support and operation of community-based schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Africa. The DRC's government is still at war after 5 years of civil war that has brought over five million deaths and millions more of displaced persons. The country and its people are overwhelemed by social, financial and institutional emergencies, with education being one of its lowest priorities. In 1994 Dr. Kanya-Ngambi started in Kinshasa, the capital city (population approx. 10 million), a national NGO pursuing the same goal of initiating community schools for which citizens would organize and make contributions (money, materials, time and ideas) to operate them without waiting for government intervention.
In 1998 ASH-CASI submitted to the World Bank a Pilot Project for ten Congolese community schools around the country for a tentative budget of $6 million. The World Bank reviewed the project for funding and had reduced the budget to $3 million for approval when, unfortunately, civil war erupted in the Eastern part of Congo. The World Bank to this day is still waiting for favorable circumstances to approve the project for funding. In the meantime, ASH-CASI has been collecting used computers, clothing and school supplies/equipment to ship to deprived schools of the DRC, with special focus on the street children of Kinshasa.
For more information, to donate computer equipment (new or used), clothing or school supplies, or to make a financial donation to assist ASH-CASI in paying the large shipment fees to send a sea container full of these donated goods to Africa, please contact Dr. Musindu Kanya-Ngambi by phone at 716-598-0129 (mobile), 716-645-2191 x1198 (office), or via email at didingambi@live.com.
To learn a little more about Dr. Musindu Kanya-Ngambi, click here.