First Lady Laura Bush
First Lady Laura Bush has been a strong supporter
of AED's efforts to provide Afghan children with basic
education supplies, highlighting the backpacks in
speeches at the United Nations, March 8, and the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development, May 14.
"For primary schools, the Academy for Educational
Development just sent 40,000 backpacks filled with
slates, chalk, school supplies, and toys for refugee
children. Children who receive these backpacks may
have never owned or even seen books and toys. This
great effort deserves our support." — Speech
to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Afghan Women,
March 8, 2002.
Read the full U.N. Speech
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...speeches/fl20020308.html.
"For primary schools, a US-based non-profit organization
called the Academy for Educational Development, or
AED, sent 40,000 backpacks filled with slates, chalk,
school supplies, and toys for refugee children, and
currently the organization is working to send an additional
200,000 backpacks to children in the fall. When you
give children books, you give them a piece of hope
they can hold and the ability to imagine a future
of opportunity, equality and justice." — Speech to
the OECD, Paris,
May 14, 2002.
Read the full OECD Speech
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...speeches/fl20020514.html.
Afghan Embassy
 Haron
Amin, Charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of Afghanistan,
receiving a BluePack from AED President Stephen F.
Moseley. Mr. Amin wrote to AED to express his thanks
for the BluePacks and offered to assist in any way
that he could "to raise funds for the preparation
of 200,000 school backpacks.
"When I saw photos of the children receiving [backpacks],
I could see the delight and curiosity on their faces...
Some of the items (in the backpacks) reminded me very
much of my own schooldays in Kabul. There are many
hundreds of thousands more children in refugee camps
and inside Afghanistan who need similar backpacks
to help them get started in school ... and to support
the rebuilding of the educational system.
"I want you to know you have the complete support
of the Afghan Embassy and Afghan leadership."
Read Mr. Amin's letter HaronAminLetter.pdf.
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
(NEASC)
 Led
by Jake Ludes, The New England Association of Schools
and Colleges is mounting a campaign to raise funds
to support AED's work in providing school and health
supplies to children in Afghanistan.
"We believe this initiative will, in the long term,
improve both the quality of life and hope for peace
in Afghanistan." — letter to AED from NEASC executive
director Jacob Ludes, III.
Read NEASC's letter NEASCletter.pdf.
America's Fund for Afghan Children (AFAC)
America's Fund for Afghan Children (AFAC) gave AED
a $750,000 grant for The BluePack Project to provide
Afghan children with school and hygiene supplies.
AFAC was set up as a result of President Bush's request
that American children donate one dollar in support
of children in Afghanistan. AFAC sees The BluePack
Project as directly supporting their ultimate goal
— to help Afghan children. With school back in session
Afghan children are having opportunities they haven't
had in years, but are still lacking many basic education
supplies.
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International Reading Association
"IRA members and councils throughout the world may wish to contribute to this BluePack project."
"AED is contacting organizations worldwide in an attempt to raise funding
to provide an additional 200,000 BluePacks." — October/November
2002, IRA newsletter, Reading Today
National Association of College Stores (NACS)
 "Need
a cause to support?…AED's goal is to raise $2 million
for the project, and some universities, college bookstores,
and education associations are already among those
particpating in the necessary fundraising." — October
11, 2002, Campus Connection, Campus Marketplace Newsletter
National Association of Elementary School Principals
(NAESP)
 "The
National Association of Elementary School Principals
(NAESP) has joined with AED to support the BluePack
Project, an initiative that will raise funds to provide
Afghan children with backpacks filled with basic education
and health supplies.
"NAESP encourages its members to support The BluePack
Project. You can develop a fundraising effort that
involves the entire school community - students, staff,
parents, and business partners — or you can incorporate
it into the curriculum as a service-learning project."
— Fall
2002 NAESP newsletter, Student News Today.
National Association of Secondary School Principals
(NASSP)
 "The
National Association of Secondary School Principals
is supporting the Academy for Educational Development
(AED) BluePack Project, an initiative that will raise
funds to provide Afghan children, ages five through
nine, with backpacks filled with basic educational
and health supplies. "NASSP encourages its members
to support the AED BluePack project. Interested school
communities may consider integrating the BluePack
project into fundraising efforts, service-learning
activities, or holiday charitable projects." — October
2002, NAESSP newsletter, NewsLeader.
Additional Supporters:
Other Links:
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Remember, each $10 raised will help a child to
imagine a future and support rebuilding Afghanistan's
education system. |
