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Caravan To Class News

February 5, 2018

PRESS RELEASE

Caravan to Class launches "Bourse Jackie" university scholarship program for female high school graduates in Timbuktu

Program will honor Jackie Hoffner, wife of founder of Caravan to Class

As Caravan to Class begins its ninth year of operations focused on literacy in one of Africa’s historically significant places, Timbuktu, the organization has launched The Young Women's University Scholarship Program, a new program to create real "change-makers" by providing 4-year scholarships for five high school graduates from Timbuktu to attend university in Bamako, the capital of Mali in West Africa.

October 16, 2017

Caravan to Class has won the prestigious World Food Program USA Catherine Bertini Trust Fund Award.

World Food Program USA logo

On World Food Day (October 16), Caravan to Class was announced as one of the recipients of the World Food Program USA Fall 2017 Catherine Bertini Trust Fund award. The award, given also this year to the Jeneba Project of Sierra Leone, is awarded to organizations that bolster women’s empowerment across the globe. Supporting grassroots initiatives that boost access to training and educational opportunities for girls, the fund has awarded more than 20 grants over the last decade.

October 17, 2017

Dear friends,

Being very connected with the Sonoma County community for the past fifteen years, it has been hard to think of anything else but the devastating fires of this past week! Many in our community have literally lost everything. My wife and I am aim to do as much as we can to help those in need.

With our hearts very much with those in our community right now, it is tough to switch gears and talk about Caravan to Class. However, with today, October 17, being World Food Day, I do have some great news to report that will be of further help to the thousands of children and hundreds of mothers who benefit from Caravan to Class' programs in literacy in one of the world's most fascinating places; Timbuktu, Mali.

March 1, 2017

Dear Dining for Women Members,

Dining for Women logo

Having just returned from my annual trip to Timbuktu to see the Caravan to Class programs in action, including our DFW-funded Female Adult Literacy programs, I wanted to include you in the distribution of this trip note.

I personally observed the Female Adult Literacy program in action in three villages where Caravan to Class works near Timbuktu; the villages of Kabara Sans Fil, Kakondji, and Bantam. I can tell you personally that I was very impressed with both the attendance and the interaction of the women. Many of them said that it is the most enjoyable thing that they have ever participated in: spending 4 hours per day with other women in the village where they can forget about the challenges of daily life and just learn the basics of reading, writing and understanding their local language, whether Tamashek or Songhai.

March 1, 2017

Dear friends,

I just returned from my annual trip to Timbuktu to see the Caravan to Class programs in action. While Caravan to Class is focused on literacy for Timbuktu, our BIG GOAL is nothing short of a Timbuktu Renaissance for this deserving and fabled place that can demonstrate its important cultural heritage of scholarship. 

After learning more about Timbuktu and Caravan to Class’ programs, I hope you will agree that this special place is worthy of our support! What follows is my trip note to donors.

  1. Caravan to Class Chosen as Featured Grantee for 2017 by Dining for Women
  2. Caravan To Class Loses a Friend
  3. Mali Update, February 2016
  4. Newsletter, April 2015

Featured

Read the interview with CTC founder Barry Hoffner,  catch up with progress on literacy programs and Caravan-to-Class press releases.

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Video of our work

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Drone footage of the Kokonji school newly-built by Caravan to Class in Mali