Create Sponsorship Letters

Into Africa

Don Schlesserman has turned a personal tragedy into an ongoing blessing for children at Camp Moses and Camp Joshua in Tanzania, Africa.

Ten years ago, Schlesserman began sponsorship of a 9-year-old Tanzanian girl, Pendo, through Compassion International. His son, Zachary, also sponsored a child.

Each Compassion-affiliated child sends photos and monthly letters to his or her sponsor, who provides monthly financial support, small gifts and return correspondence.

When Zachary died accidentally at the age of 15, Schlesserman decided to establish an ongoing tribute to his son. Using money donated in Zachary’s memory, plus what he could generate on his own, Schlesserman was able to create the ZZ Pendana Foundation, to help children living in extreme poverty, primarily in Africa.

“I knew that this was dear to his heart,” Schlesserman said. “That’s why I focused my efforts.”

Pendana means “love one another,” he said. The “Zs” in the foundation’s name represent Zachary and Zachayo, whom Schlesserman met on a trip to Tanzania. Zachayo, which is Swahili for Zachary, was 3 years old then. Although birth records were not available, adults in the village estimated Zachayo – now 10 – was born in October, the same month and year Zachary had died. Schlesserman and Zachayo formed an instant bond.

“He was the boy that picked me out the first time I went,” Schlesserman said.

Schlesserman had gone on his first Tanzanian trip with a Compassion International group to meet Pendo, the child he sponsored.

“I needed to go over there and see if she was real. And she was,” he said. “That was the catalyst for me going over there. I knew right then and there that it was real.”

Schlesserman now sponsors eight children through Compassion, in addition to the orphaned or at-risk children he supports through Camp Moses, an existing school founded by “Mama Wambura,” and at Camp Joshua, a second camp that has been created with Schlesserman’s support.

That area of Tanzania is rife with poverty, health-care needs and rugged surroundings, but Schlesserman sees needs worldwide. The Foundation emphasizes African children, and serves in other areas, too.

He said he’s been asked why the Foundation was working in Africa when American children have serious needs, too.

“My response is, ‘Why not both?’ We can do a lot of things,” Schlesserman said. “It doesn’t have to be a choice of here or there. Why not both?

Education Sponsor News

Education is one of the key areas of human development and growth. All are not privileged to have the same opportunities of getting proper education and grow with dignity. Millions of young children and youth find their life drifting along the winds of fate and luck. Some fall into good hands and many into manipulating hands. The so called terrorists are created by today’s economy of discrimination. If just a fraction of what is spent for making weapons and creating tensions across the brotherly borders those millions of children who reel under utter poverty will see a ray of hope and light. People of good conscience are in the world of business and industries. They make a difference by thinking in inclusive terms. Growth cannot be one sided. It has to be inclusive. If there is too much of disparity there will be continuing social unrest as it is seen today. Education Sponsors make the difference by supporting one of the crucial social causes of sponsoring the educational expenditures of the underprivileged. The news about such programs are found in their sponsored websites and news letters.

A light cannot be lit and hidden under a bushel. It has to be kept on a lamp stand. Good works done cannot be and should not be hidden. It should be made known, though in a moderate tone, for the sake of its inspirational value. Sponsor’s News need not be of the charity work alone, it can include the new avenues of social shouldering, fund raising, social networking, community building along with sponsoring links. The Education Sponsor News can be updated frequently and the site be maintained so that it remains relevant. Who is responsible for the newsletters and website maintenance? Definitely it should be done by the association that binds the sponsors together towards a common goal. The Education Sponsor Association can take up the responsibility of gathering news about the individual initiatives of sponsors and give publicity in the common website and monthly or bimonthly newsletters. Special programs and issues with great highlights could be broadcasted with much more prominence and even the press could be invited to be present. The news, then gets much more publicity and coverage along with the regular newsletters and websites.

Besides the news of the recent past and the sponsor projects that are over, Education Sponsor News could include the brainstorming on new projects and initiatives, opening of new avenues, announcing the standing projects’ application and last dates etc. It could include the individual initiatives taken up by individual sponsors in small or big ways and make a special mention of their generosity so that they get due respect and coverage. It could include the students’ initiatives in fulfilling the requirements of the scholarship programs. Special incentives could be announced for the students who excelled in their studies with the help of the sponsor projects.

Webster's New World letter writing handbook

Letters for lawyers, essential communications for clients, prospects, and others

The Ferguson guide to resumes and job hunting skills, a step-by-step guide to preparing for your job search

Authoring effective sponsorship letters and correspondence, the art of making a written connection

Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video