Proceeds benefited the Help for Orphans International Vocational School in Kisii, Kenya
(Long Island, NY) I was honored to speak to benefit committee members Jill and Bobby Zarin, Allyson Shapiro, Sara Herbert-Galloway, Dr. and Mrs. Gerry Curatola, Bethenny Frankel, Countess LuAnn deLesseps, Amelia Doggwiler, Gracean, Jerry DeCrosta, Tundra Wolf, Founder Sarah Ehrlich as well as many friends and supporters.
The evening kicked off with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction as “The Real Housewives of New York City” mingled among friends, artists, and socialites enjoying the sprawling grounds and magnificent sculptures at Nova’s Ark Project in Water Mill.
Help for Orphans International is a non-profit organization. The organization’s mission is to elevate the well-being of orphans encouraging them to succeed in whatever endeavor they choose. Help For Orphans provides an exceptional learning environment, in addition to educational tools that enable the natural ability in their students, as well as give a firm grounding in the basics necessary for self-sufficiency. The organization is helping orphaned children with proper essentials to care for themselves. They believe firmly in the asset of a strong education and how it can be a powerful tool for generating jobs, improving incomes, and expanding the opportunities available to these orphans.
I spoke with Chairpersons Sarah Ehrlich and and Realty TV Star Jill Zarin what the organizations goals are for the coming year. Jill explained financially the organization would like to raise $300,000 throughout the year through donations and events. Founder Sarah Ehrlich shared, “I would travel with my husband buying art work. My husband has an art company but something hit me when I was in India. There was a little boy he had to be about seven years old and he was banging this new born child’s head up against the window when I was in the car and he was asking for money and I just felt so horrible. I could give this boy a dollar and I could give the next one a dollar but what can I really do to help salvage these children.” With the help and support of others Sarah created Help For Orphans International
By providing the right curriculum to already established schools as well as creating new schools for orphans in areas that have few educational resources, Help for Orphans International intends to improve the lives of as many orphans as they can reach. In addition to the state-of-the-art phonics, reading, life and study skills courses that are easy to teach and self-paced, the organization will also train teachers to create a specific curriculum to provide their students with skills that are relevant to their community.
The rapidly increasing numbers of orphans from third world countries particularly in Africa and other areas without toilets, running water and serious illnesses were hit hard by recent natural disasters. These countries are in desperate need for assistance.
Last year the organization was successful in raising $30,000 dollars allowing them to refurbish a school in Kisumu, Kenya and supplied the children and teachers with hundreds of books and learning materials. They also upgraded the school bathroom, providing the children and teachers with running water for the first time.
The Help for Orphans International School in Kisii, Kenya was recently ranked #4 out of 270 schools for academic achievement.
To learn more about Help for Orphans International please visit http://helpfororphans.org.
