June 3rd’s GALA

was amazing as the ETI board and family celebrated the milestones of the past  and cast vision for Opportunity Centers in Karagwe.  ETI is building on its successes and broadening its partneships to bring opportunity to rural communities in Tanzania.

Silent & Live Auctions Brought in Record-Setting Funds

 

 

WELCOME

Jan Hansen (President, ETI) and Benson Bagonza (Bishop, ELCT/KAD)

 

 

 

 

 

 

ETI President, Jan Hansen and  Benson Bagonza, Bishop of Karagwe kicked off the evening with thanks to ETI donors for helping reach the many milestones and set the stage to hear more about the Opportunity Centers.  ETI is building upon previous success with water, construction and curriculum to bring opportunity to rural centers through its community engagement program.

 

STORIES from KARAGWE

The audience was rapt as Rachel Kakulima shared “Growing Up in Karagwe“. She told of her desperate poverty, her walk 3 miles to school each day and another 3 to fetch water – when she was six!  The crowd cheered when she shared how she overcame challenges and that she would graduate June 4 (the day after her talk) with her Masters in Educational Leadership from St. Mary’s University.  She has been accepted into her doctoral program there.  Several guests shared that Rachel’s talk was life-changing for them and that they see the need to bring opportunity to Karagwe in a new and different way.

 

OPPORTUNITY CENTERS: The Future of ETI

Board Member, Barry Huff reiterated ETI’s commitment to the opening of KARUCO.  But while our Tanzanian partners are working on permissions and licenses for KARUCO, ETI will partner with the Rural Economic and Agricultural Society (REAS) in Sweden (Magnus Fredricson, Director) to maximize the resources already in place in Karagwe.  Magnus was a highlight as he delivered his video talk from his home in Sweden.  Guests were impressed with his framework for developing agriculture in rural Karagwe and endeared to Magnus by his genuine nature.  His video crystallized what many minds are thinking and envisioning as they plan for Karagwe.  Click here to see his vid.

Chris Johnstone (UMN) tied it all together by sharing his research in rural areas in Karagwe: That people wanted things to be better for their children (no surprise) and they wanted someone to share with them – how to make things better for themselves.  Chris reinforced the Opportunity Center idea and offered his support to help make them a reality.

ETI thanks Bishop Bagonza and our friends from Karagwe, our event hosts, the speakers, event and table sponsors and the volunteers that help organize and manage the gala.

It was an awesome event!

P.S.  Our deserving award winners (see below) were honored at the gala for their outstanding service to ETI.  We mean it when we say “We could not do it without you”. Thank you.

 

 

 

AWARD WINNERS – 2016

• TOP (l to r): Kiah Brash – Newsletter Editor; Christel Ngani – IT Administrator; Michael Henley – Yoder & Henley Development Resources (strategic planning)
• MIDDLE: St. John’s Lutheran Church & School, Chaska – Donor Support; Randi Yoder – Yoder & Henley Development Resources (strategic planning); Jim & Kris Vipond, Donor Support, Silent Auction Co-Coordinator
• BOTTOM: Chris Johnstone – Needs Assessment, Evaluation & Research (UMN); Victory Lutheran Church, Eden Prairie – 5K Sponsor; Dan Keyport, Dolce Vita, Chaska- Donor Support

Finally..

It’s not too late! You have until June 30th to join the 200 others who celebrated and gave at the ETI Annual Gala and helped us raise 45K+ to  start building Opportunity Centers in Karagwe.  Like we said, “It’s not too late!”