Happy New Year Echoers!!

I hope that 2019 is off to an amazing start for all of you!

Big thank you all to those who contributed to our 2018 Holiday Season fundraising campaign. Between donations through the website, those who donated in person to me over the break, and funds that came through on Facebook we raised just over $3000 which beat out last year's record! Hoorah!

Where does that leave us?

We had to close the gap on Esther's outstanding rent for the end of 2018 to ensure that the Women in Action Development Project could remain in their present location. The balance was $3500US. $3000CDN translates right now to about $2100US so we are still looking at another $1400US to go.

Esther is already receiving pressure from the landlord. We've moved the school once before because of outstanding rent payments. The process disrupted an entire semester at the school - something which we'd like to avoid. So let's ensure that we get the school off to a strong start in 2019.

I also wanted to share a video with you. I posted this to the Facebook fundraiser but I had yet to post it to the blog. The video is a brief interview that Esther filmed with Ms. Karoma who is the cosmetology department teacher at Women in Action. You'll also hear a shoutout from the cosmetology students to the Esther's Echo supporters - YOU! Thank you for all you have done. You have made all of what you see here possible.

Once again, Happy 2019!