Eduwatch, Myself and Project-Jos Campaign

by Enitan Doherty-Mason

Eduwatch is an education nonprofit organization headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland U.S.A. that is committed to ensuring the meaningful education of Nigerian children in order to promote peaceful co-existence, global understanding and a world citizenry that is both responsible and productive. Eduwatch is non-sectarian.

Myself:It is not often in life that we truly find our calling. We find our careers. We find the love(s) of our lives. But few people are privileged to find their calling. To find anything twice in life is truly amazing and to be found by that which one loves is even greater. I count myself among the lucky ones. I found my calling as an educator earlier in life. I served in various capacities with all my being and found myself usually unable to leave work until the final "t" was crossed and the final "i" was dotted. There was no compensation for the extra time put in but I worked as hard as I did because I loved what I did.

Major aspects of my life have changed in ways I could never have imagined, but all of my experiences now lead me to believe that my calling has found me. My calling has found me by coaxing me along, pushing me along, dragging me along and kicking me along until my passion burned for the educational needs of Nigerian children. The world did not change I changed.

Why Nigeria? All the world's children need education. Yes. Nigeria. Nigeria is my first home as the United States is my second home. I have been prepared for the life I live by each country in different, sometimes conflicting ways. Growing up Nigerian provided me a strong educational foundation and cultural insight into the Nigerian educational sector and America has given me the technical skills with which to analyze, dissect and seek improvement as need be. My background has provided me invaluable insight that allows me to empathize with both a Nigerian and an American audience without being blinded by the seductions of either world. What once appeared to be my greatest challenges have become my call to action.

I have to admit that I wasn't always thrilled about where my name was being called because Nigeria, my home country, is a country full of challenges and paradoxes... and people; people who are frequently exasperating because they need an opportunity to understand other ways of looking at the world in order to improve their lives. Life had and still has a way of placing me where I need to be even though I'm not always in agreement while change is taking place. I am coming to understand that as long as I do my part, things will work themselves out. The universe has a way of creating balance although we may be blind to it. It is only through action that we can change the world and make it a better place to live.

The Project-Jos Campaign

Eduwatch is running a fund raising campaign through the end of the month of December 2008 for the purpose of supporting needy children with disabilities at Open Doors Special Education Center in Jos, Nigeria. The goal is $4,000 by Christmas and we still have a long way to go.

The Special Education Center/Unit in Open Doors Special Education Center provides services to children and young people with special needs. These students are not able to benefit from a regular school because they have a handicapping condition such as mental retardation, autism or other developmental disability.

This Thanksgiving season I am filled with gratitude that more of us are able to give back to my homeland with help from friends. While we understand that these are challenging times globally, we know that our children who are the gatekeepers of the future of our nation cannot be ignored or set aside until we are ready. The time is now for you to do your part. Cooperation makes things happen!

TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO EDUWATCH PROJECT-JOS

Donation options:

~Checks (Make check out to Eduwatch specify Open Doors)

Mail to:

Eduwatch

8817 Swallow Court

Gaithersburg, MD 20879

U.S.A.

~PayPal.com (Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express)

Eduwatch

eduwatch@eduwatch.org.

~Western Union or Money Gram or U.S. Post Office Money Order

Name of Recipient: Enitan Mason for Eduwatch

Address: 8817 Swallow Ct.

Gaithersburg, MD 20879

~U.S. Post Office Money Order

Eduwatch

~Amazon Honor System (Visa, Master Card, Discover)

http://eduwatch.org/donate.html

Nigeria Note: Contributions in Naira to the Eduwatch Project - Jos for Open Doors may either be made directly to the school's bank account in Nigeria at any Zenith Bank branch through December 31st 2008 or to the Eduwatch account at any Stanbic IBTC Bank branch.

Nigeria Note: All contributions/donations after December 31st 2008 must be made to the Eduwatch Account to ensure accurate accounting.

OPEN DOORS for SPECIAL EDUCATION LEARNERS ACCOUNT INFORMATION

~Zenith Bank any branch in Nigeria

(If check, Make check out to Open Doors Special Education Center)

Name of account: Open Doors for Special Learners

Bank: Zenith Bank, Jos

Account number: 6013302132

EDUWATCH (Nigeria) ACCOUNT INFORMATION

~Stanbic IBTC Bank Formally IBTC Chartered Bank PLC any branch in Nigeria

(If check, Make check out to Eduwatch)

Name of Account : Eduwatch

Bank:Stanbic IBTC, Allen Avenue branch, Ikeja

Account number:7200016875

Note: Naira donors, please let us know how much you contribute as we analyze information received from the respective banks so we can tally all donations into the total funds raised for this specific Jos project.

Donations made after December 31st 2008 must be deposited into the Eduwatch account to be acknowledged by Eduwatch. Please contact Eduwatch and specify how funds need to be applied eg. Programs or Specific project.

email: eduwatch@eduwatch.org

You can learn more about Eduwatch and it's programs by visiting http://www.eduwatch.org/

The Open Doors web site can be found at http://www.opendoorsnigeria.org/

WE at Eduwatch THANK YOU and WISH YOU and YOURS A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!