Batonga Foundation

Josh Groban’s Annual Birthday Auction will Benefit Batonga!

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:53:46 +0000

The Grobanites for Africa are currently sponsoring an auction in honor of Josh Groban’s birthday. The proceeds will go to The Josh Groban Foundation to be designated for Batonga!

Angelique toured with Josh on his “Awake” tour in 2007. Josh and his fans have supported The Batonga Foundation for the past few years, and last year, Josh was named to Batonga’s advisory board.

The goal of this fundraiser is to request sponsorships to help with the educational needs for 83 girls in need from two schools in Sierra Leone in Western Africa (58 girls from Waterloo and 25 girls from Freetown).

The fundraiser will run from February 13-27, with all auction items ending 9-11 pm Eastern Time (6-8 pm Pacific Time) on Saturday, February 27 (Josh’s 29th Birthday). NOTE – The sponsorships for the girls (and buy now items) will run through midnight on Sunday, February 28.

Let’s see if we can get all 83 girls sponsored in honor of Josh’s birthday!

Click Here to Visit the Auction!

Batonga Event with Angelique February 27th in Rancho Santa Fe, California!

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:50:40 +0000

Please join us for a very special evening with Batonga Founder, Grammy-winning singer and Unicef International Ambassador, Angelique Kidjo. Angelique will be speaking about Batonga’s mission to support education for girls in Africa, and the immense difference education makes not only in their lives, but in their communities, and for all of Africa. We hope you can be there to share in changing the world for the better, one Batonga girl at a time.

The event will take place Saturday, February 27th from 5-7 pm and will include cocktails and hors d’ouevres, and a very special preview of Angelique’s upcoming CD, “OYO.”

Click here for more Information and to RSVP Please Note: the RSVP deadline has been extended to February 20th!

Peter Buffett and Angelique Kidjo Release “A Song for Everyone” and Team up to Educate Girls in Africa!

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:47:14 +0000

Emmy-award winning musician and philanthropist Peter Buffett has teamed up with Batonga’s Founder, Angelique, to release “A Song For Everyone.” 100% of proceeds from the sale of the song will benefit Batonga!

Writing in their respective native tongues, the uplifting, vibrant song has lyrics in both English and Yoruba. Peter and Angelique encourage fans to share the music with friends and support the Batonga Foundation simultaneously, by using the “gift” function on iTunes or Peter’s online store.

Every cent helps: 2 downloads buys a girl a math set; 3 downloads buys a girl lunch during the school day; 5 downloads buys a girl a textbook; 10 downloads buys a girl a school bag or uniform; and 1,000 downloads pays school fees for an entire classroom of 45 girls to go to school for a year!

“Collaborating with Angelique was a wonderful surprise – her passion, energy and commitment – both to her music and in support of girl’s education was incredibly inspiring,” says Peter.

Click Here to Download the Song or Visit the itunes store.

Order Your Beautiful Set of 10 One-of-a-Kind Cards with Artwork Drawn by Students in Ethiopia!

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:45:04 +0000

When you buy this beautiful set of cards to send out or give to someone as a gift,

100% of the proceeds will go to educate girls in Africa!

Students at the Batonga-supported Youth Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia have hand drawn 10 beautiful, one-of-a-kind pictures which appear on the faces of the cards along with the artist’s name and age.

This colorful, unique set of note cards can be sent all year long! The inside of the cards is left blank for a personal message or greeting. Each box of 10 cards is $25 and shipping is included free of charge! Follow the link below to order your set today!

For special order instructions, email: info@batongafoundation.org, call 202-478-6550
or send a check and instructions to: The Batonga Foundation, 1730 M St NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036

New Batonga Website

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:18:14 +0000

We are very excited to announce the launch of our new website! The new site has many new features including:

An Interactive Forum – Friends and supporters of Batonga can use the forum to arrange meetings, exchange ideas, and discuss topics related to our mission.

Live News Posts – Stories on the homepage will highlight the most recent events, facts, and news stories relevant to the Batonga Foundation and our mission to educate girls in Africa.

A Live Donation Counter – This feature allows visitors to follow the progress we make toward reaching our goals. Supporters will see their donations reflected in the donation bar within 48 hours!

Customized Giving Options - We have added the option to give Memorial and Gift Donations in honor of friends and loved ones. Supporters may also set up convenient monthly donations through direct billing.

Please submit any suggestions or comments about the new Batonga website to info@batongafoundation.org.

Elizabeth, Cameroon

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:41:05 +0000

“I want to go to school so that I can become a medical doctor to cure people who are sick.”

Elizabeth’s father died of AIDS when she was very young, and her mother does not have the means to take care for her. She lives with her grandmother, who looks after her but cannot afford secondary school fees. Thanks to a Batonga scholarship, Elisabeth is now in secondary school.

Fatma, Mali

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:33:37 +0000

Fatma is a 12 year-old 7th Grader at Midi Ag ONANE School in Kidal, Mali. Without the support she receives from Batonga, Fatma would not be able to attend school. Fatma’s mother is the main bread-winner for her family and sells spices and vegetables at the market. Each day before school, Fatma helps her mother set up her stall at the market, which she enjoys because it allows her to spend quality time with her mother.

Of all the subjects in school, Fatma has the hardest time with math. She says that the remedial classes provided through the scholarship have helped her understand math much better. This has freed up some of her time to study English and music, her two favorite subjects. Because of her love of animals, Fatma aspires to become the Minister of Husbandry.

Helen, Ethiopia

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:28:54 +0000

Helen is a 10 year-old Batonga scholarship recipient. Her life has not been easy: she lives in a group home and has no family. What she does have, though, is tremendous determination and an intense desire to learn. She is living proof of the promise of Batonga’s scholarship program in Ethiopia.

When Helen started her program in 2006, she spoke almost no English but was filled with hope and determination. Helen became a regular student at the summer English program at the youth center and rapidly progressed up the levels of instruction. One year later, Helen was able to read and speak English fluently.

Chikirato, Benin

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:14:13 +0000

“It was a great joy to learn that I would receive support for schooling once again. I felt secure and able to continue my studies.”

Chikirato was 12-years-old when her mother died. Now 16-years-old and in 7th grade, a Batonga secondary school scholarship has allowed her to continue her studies.

In addition to being a role model and provider for her family, Chikirato loves being a student. She likes working in groups and relishes the company of other girls. She also enjoys sports, particularly basketball and volleyball.

Benin and Angelique Highlighted in PBS Documentary

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:18:36 +0000

PBS’s documentary, Time for School, focuses on the challenge of achieving universal education across the globe. The series follows seven children growing up in different countries, including one girl from Benin. The obstacles they encounter illustrate the reality of the challenges that many children all over the world face in order to receive a basic education.

Click here to view the documentary.

One of the seven stories focuses on a young Beninese girl, Nanavi, and her struggle to stay in school after the death of her father. The video highlights the cultural traditions and infrastructure limitations of Benin that create barriers for girls who want to gain an education. Nanavi’s story stresses the need for the kind of holistic support Batonga provides for girls in secondary school in Africa. In Angelique’s interview she reflects on her childhood, and her belief in the value of education that her parents instilled in her. She knows that as a role model it is her responsibility to instill that same idea into the minds of young girls all across Africa.