Zach's Fundraiser

Zach Part II

2010-11-12T03:03:00.000-08:00

In the end, it was more complicated than I had thought. I had to send the $771 via Western Union in fact, and pay $40 for the transfer expense, in addition to my original contribution.

Zach continues to write me most every day. I was hoping he would have found others on the internet to help him for "Part II".

Today, Zach wrote:

"Today i check my blog..I thank all my Friends who was contribute my

fundraiser...God bless all my friend.I will go to Gallaudet because

lack of high school.I will go back to technical then will back to

gallaudet again.I would like let you.You sent me $771 and paid to

school in Kenya balance $1300 so you help me to pay all my

school....please you will campaign for my fundraiser for technical

again?

yesterday i went to court with all my family.they told judge that am

not member family.THEY WON........THEY WILL REJECT ME AS SOON.WHERE I

WILL GOING TO?WHO WILL EASY TO CAREFUL OF ME BUT I DONT HAVE ANY

MEMBER FAMILY .THEY TAKEN ME FROM BOY STREET BOT WHEN I WAS YOUNG..AM

BECOMING ORPHAN."

It seems that he has been rejected by his family. Is it because he has become more independent thanks to the money we sent him, but which only covers part of his high school expenses? (He needs the HS (equivalency) diploma to reapply to Gallaudet).

It has always been hard to understand Zach, but the central message is clear. He really does need sustained help. He doesn't seem autonomous.

I was hoping that this experience might have given him enough experience to make new contacts himself.

Does anyone want to continue this charity site? I really have to concentrate on my own work now.

All Funds Sent to Zachariah

2010-10-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

Today, October 22, 2010, I removed the ChipIn widget, and upon my recommendation, Zachariah created his own PayPal account, enabling me to send all the funds received - $771,17 USD - to his own account.

Although this project was a "failure" in terms of the original objective, Zach will now have a small nest egg to improve his life as he sees fit.

Important Message: Zachariah No Longer a Candidate for Gallaudet

2010-10-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

I just receivedn a copy of this message from the English Language Institute of Gallaudet, addressed to Zach:
"Thank you for your email. The address that we used to send you a FedEx package did not work. It came back to us.

After we reviewed your ELI application in more depth, we have unfortunate news for you. Since you did not attend any more than three classes at the Bible school and did not attend high school at all, we have to close your ELI application. You are not qualified to attend the English Language Institute. We would like to encourage you to find a school nearby where you can get a high school diploma or its equivalent. We wish you luck in your future endeavors".

From OperationsCenter for International Programs and Services ELI, Gallaudet University:

Therefore, I will send the amount collected to Zachariah as soon as he sets up his own PayPal to receive the funds which he has so far received. If you made a donation, and/or if you are an Active Participant, please keep in mind that we should not think of this effort as a failure. He will soon have a small nest egg for pursuing his education, or for improving his situation in general.

‘absolutely intercultural!’ on Zachariah and Real English

2010-09-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

I am honored to have been chosen to be on the absolutely-intercultural podcast thanks to Anne Fox. I have known Anne exclusively on the web for about 18 years, thanks to some of our common interests in EFL and the simple fact that we enjoy talking to each other. You can listen here.

Many thanks to absolutely-intercultural for including a link to this blog.
Please have a listen or watch the video. And please contribute!

Sarah of the Daily English Show Devotes Show # 1269 to Zachariah

2010-09-12T23:59:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning, September 8:

Sarah Lilburn, one of our Active Partners, just published a show featuring Zach.

Sarah has added complete closed captions, or subtitles for the Deaf, using the new tools in YouTube. Click on Play, and then click on the red arrow at the bottom, and then choose "CC"!

Her blog includes the text of the "conversations with Sarah" section of this show, and a lot of other interesting information about Zach's area called Karagita, in or near Naivasha, Kenya.

Please watch this video. Post it on your own page!
The first 3 days of this campaign were good. Now a week later, and no more contributions are coming in. Please join us in this effort!

Here is the normal version of the 4 Zach Videos. First, my talking head provides context for this effort during the first 3 minutes, before you meet Zachariah, and Alice who interviews and interprets for us.

Become an Active Partner!

2010-09-08T01:12:00.000-07:00

There are now 7 Active Partners in this effort, spreading the word from their sites, blogs, and YouTube channels. It's important that we find a new Active Partner EVERY DAY to keep this fundraiser alive and kicking!

If you have a blog, site, etc., please write about Zacharaiah, including your impressions after watching the first video on this blog. Add the ChipIn widget to your online space to show your committment. Just click on "Copy" and paste the code to your blog. Spread the word. You then become an Active Partner with a prominent link on the sidebar. Show your support!

The 4 Zach Videos

2010-09-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Here is the normal version of the 4 Zach Videos. It is 10 minutes long and provides context for this effort during the first 3 minutes, before you meet Zachariah. I also post short versions immediately below for potential contributors with little time, as well as the complete 22 minutes of footage from Kenya, all with subtitles for the Deaf of course.

1 - If you have 10 minutes to spare:

2 - If you only have 4 minutes to spare, this is a short version of the Story of Zach without my introduction:

3 - A very short excerpt from my introduction:

4 - And finally, all 22 minutes of the footage from Kenya, filmed by Peter Mwaniki, FotoPlace Studios, Kenya:

Alice Nyambura interviewed Zachariah and interpreted for him.

Daily Life with Zach

2010-08-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Two or three times a week, Zach and I "chat" by sending each other several emails within a 20-minute period. Sometimes his meaning is very clear, sometimes cloudy due to his level in English which I would call "pre-intermediate". I have the same problem with hearing people as I do with Zach. His English is not great. That's one reason he wants to attend an English Language Institute for the Deaf, which of course, is the purpose of this fundraising blog.

Yesterday morning for example, he told me that his parents and sisters make fun of him, since he spends the little money he earns on internet access exclusively. He is disregarded as a lost dreamer.
Update, a couple of days later: Ever since Zachariah saw the reality of his fundraiser actually receiving contributions since launch day 3 days ago (Sept. 3rd), his spirits seem high.
I should copy and paste his emails here, which I will do in the future.

Getting back to his problem of internet access: Maybe the first expense will not be tuition. Perhaps internet access first, and a modest laptop. We really must all be able to keep in touch with him on his Facebook page in order to give him words of encouragement, and to get to know him. Hopefully, this will help enormously in bringing in contributions. What do you think?

Please Watch a Video and Please Contribute!

Meet Zachariah

2010-08-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

Zachariah is an intelligent and resourceful deaf student from Kenya, who deserves a helping hand in attending the English Language Institute of Gallaudet University. He has been accepted but he must pay for his tuition of $27,000, and he has to find the money for expenses, such as air fare from Nairobi to Washington D.C.

Have a look at the videos to learn about this project, and to meet Zach himself. In the firstvideo, I provide background for this project, and then we meet Zach, thanks to the interview and interpreting by Alice Nyambura. 10 minutes is perhaps too long for busy but potential donators, which is why I also made short versions of the videos.

Concerning Communication with Zach

It's frankly difficult to communicate with Zachariah because he can only use the internet when he has money, at "Cyber Computer", an internet café of sorts, I would imagine. We exchanged email again this morning. He does indeed need a computer and a provider to be able to keep in touch with us. I am going to study the possibilities and I think this should be our first expense.