This week saw the launch of a project started nearly two years ago with a contact from Southwest Airlines who wanted to see if Cura could help re-purpose the leather from the airplane seats that were getting a make-over. In partnership with
Creative Visions Foundation,
GoodMakers and the
Gina Din Foundation -- and largely due to the amazing work of Tilo Ponder -- the project is much bigger and much more successful than we could have initially imagined!
Watch the
Southwest package on this project -- and check out the
Wall Street Journal online piece about it, too!
We are so grateful to everyone involved, and we're looking forward to getting kids in Cura outfitted with backpacks, shoes and footballs made from the "upcycled" leather!
There is also big news at Cura Secondary School, in that the process of having the school officially designated by the Kenyan Ministry of Education is nearly complete. This designation will mean that the government will take over responsibility for paying teachers' salaries (a major financial burden lifted from the current administration!) and the school will be eligible for other forms of government funding.
This will allow those of us on the US fund-raising side to concentrate on the next step for Cura's young people... college, job training and mentorship. Stay tuned for more information about the programs and scholarships we'll be putting in place this year!
