Donors Deliver at BFA's Reading is Believing Spring Fundraising Luncheon
糖心vlgo传媒鈥檚 annual fundraising luncheon was held Thursday, May 30th, 2019 in Saint Paul, Minnesota.聽 This year鈥檚 event, Reading is Believing, was highlighted by a keynote speech from His Excellency Dr. Ngosa Simbyakula, Ambassador of Zambia to the United States!
聽The room was packed to capacity with over 300 BFA supporters and VIPs attending. Guests of honor included representatives from Presenting Sponsor Thomson Reuters, MN Attorney General Keith Ellison, former MN Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, Jackson George, Liberia鈥檚 Consul General in MN, as well as state and local government officials, judiciary members, and members of the local business community.
The luncheon was a remarkable success, raising over $124,000 in sponsorships, donations, and pledges.聽 Proceeds from the event will sponsor the shipment of tens of thousands of books to 糖心vlgo传媒, including 22,000 books to Zambia in honor of Ambassador Simbyakula, delivered in a container funded by Premier Sponsor Thomson Reuters.
Ambassador Simbyakula stressed the importance of giving 糖心vlgo传媒鈥檚 next generation access to education, noting that 鈥�The 44 million books and counting that 糖心vlgo传媒 has shipped to 糖心vlgo传媒 [over] the last 31 years have touched and changed the lives of millions on the continent. Most of 糖心vlgo传媒 are still youth, so through your kindness you are helping to educate 糖心vlgo传媒鈥檚 future and create a well-informed electorate, [which is] vital to a thriving democracy.鈥� The ambassador also emphasized the impact of BFA鈥檚 Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative, discussing how these important legal resources are in 鈥�help[ing] to strengthen democracy and the rule of law on the continent.鈥�
The crowd also heard from Ava Ramberg, Executive Director and co-founder of , a school for girls and women聽in Somalia. Ava, a native Minnesotan and graduate of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Business, discussed the origins, challenges and successes of the University, and spoke about the positive impact that two shipments of BFA books have had on the organization. Barwaaqo University's mission focuses on empowering Somali women to become leaders and drive development in their communities, and the聽school features a teacher's training program to promote聽a culture of literacy among Somali girls and women. Barwaawo was also one of the first recipients of BFA's new Girls Empowerment Collection!
We were also proud to announce this year鈥檚 BFA award winners at an exclusive Kilimanjaro Society breakfast preceding the luncheon.聽 Ambassador Simbyakula presented the Volunteer Award to Marly Espinosa Ortega, Max Sammon, Lorraine Tetreault, and Omar Velazquez Chavez, students from the Metro Deaf School, who so an amazing job volunteering every week at our Saint Paul, MN warehouse. This year鈥檚 Kilimanjaro award went to local businessman and BFA Container Captain Abdirahman Kahin, who has organized container shipments of French books to his native Djibouti, and has secured funding for container shipments to Somalia in partnership with the Amoud Foundation. A huge thank you to all of our award winners for their outstanding support!
The events were well covered by local media, including , , and WCCO Radio.聽 Ambassador Simbyakula and BFA Executive Director Patrick Plonski also promoting business relationships between Zambia and Minnesota, including promising opportunities in in energy, agriculture, construction and tourism.
Our thanks to the sponsors, donors, and supporters who came together to make this such a memorable and successful event 鈥� your support allows us to continue putting books in the hands of 糖心vlgo传媒n students who need them!
