News & Announcements
Cassandra at Zambia Night
Cassandra Farrin to Receive Degree
November 30, 2009
Cassandra Farrin has completed her Fulbright studies at Lancaster University in NW England and will graduate on December 6, 2009, with an MA in Religion, Culture, and Society. She has worked with EBZEF in various positions including Intern, Protea layout designer, and Administrative Assistant.
Fordson in Zambia
Fordson Kafweku to Receive Degree
November 30, 2009
EBZEF Board Member Fordson Kafweku will graduate on December 10, 2009, with an MA in Organization Leadership from Eastern University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA. His scholarship has been outstanding. Fordson is currently serving as Operations Director for World Vision Zambia in Lusaka.
Grandma Helen with Beth
In Memoriam - Grandma Helen Baumann Bowers
November 15, 2009
Helen B. Bowers, mother of Gerry Bowers and grandmother of Elizabeth Bowers, passed away at the age of 104 on November 10, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As an elementary teacher for many decades, Helen was a major benefactor to EBZEF. Helen funded the Memorial Library project as well as contributing to the scholarship program for Beth’s Girls. EBZEF celebrates her long, productive life. We will miss her. Memorial contributions in her name will be directed to the Solar Challenge Matching Grant project.
Please visit her obituary page.
4th Annual Zambia Night
Fourth Annual Zambia Night
October 4, 2009
The 4th Annual Zambia Night will take place on Friday, October 23, 2009 at the Blue Pepper Cafe in downtown Salem. The program will include the Celebration of our Elizabeth Bowers Memorial Library; Dr. Brian Temple's "Life in an African Village"; Baskets for Beth silent auction; Zambian Market (Arts & Crafts); Children's Corner, Artemis Tribal Belly Dancers; African Drummers: The Kola Nuts; No Host Bar & Food. Check out our flier. See you there!
Mary Lundeba
Mary Lundeba Receives Degree
August 15, 2009
Mary Lundeba, EBZEF’s first Beth’s Girl, graduated from Penn State University today with a PhD in Fisheries Science. She plans to publish her dissertation on fish identification in Lake Malawi and has become an expert in her field. After three years of study in the US, she will return to Zambia in September to be with her sons Terry (8) and Terrah (15).
EBZEF's First College Class
January 16, 2009
The 2009 school year begins in Zambia in January with three Beth's Girls attending tertiary schools. Dianah Masumbah matriculates for a two-year program to become a teacher at Solwezi College of Education in the NW Province. Sandra Kamulosu begins a one-year Secretarial and Office Management course at Solwezi Trades Training Institute. Angela Kasongo will study Food Production for one year at the Hotel & Tourism Training Institute Trust in Lusaka. Classes begin next week. Congratulations to all of you who have helped to make this happen. These responsible young women have been EBZEF scholarship recipients through secondary school and are preparing for careers they could not have dreamed of before your support made them possible. All three girls have stated a clear desire to "give back" to the village. They are extremely excited about their programs and proud to be significant role models for younger Beth's Girls.
Mary meets baby Lake
Mary Meets Baby Lake
January 6, 2009
PhD candidate and Beth's Girl Mary Lundeba met EBZEF's youngest stateside Beth's Girl, Lake Mahal Wanak, new baby daughter of Advisory Board member Angela and husband Jeremy Wanak. Mary visited Oregon for a brief holiday respite after passing her comprehensive exams in December and before completing her research and writing her dissertation at Penn State in spring semester 2009.
EBZEF Supports Zambia Girl Child Education Campaign
January 5, 2009
The Zambian Ministry of Education report for 2008 shows that two provinces, including the NW, have had all girls who sat for Grade 7 examinations selected into secondary school. As EBZEF Board member Fordson Kafweku assures us, "EBZEF is surely contributing to the excellent results girls in the NWP are scoring. The encouragement that the secondary girls are giving to the community is spreading. Beth's Girls are models in Lumwana West, Mwinilunga, and the Northwest Province! So, get encouraged!" EBZEF currently funds all 8th grade girls from the village who wish to pursue their education beyond primary school. You are helping us to affect positively the education statistics in Zambia at large.
EBZEF Donations Grow
December 30, 2009
Thank you to everyone who donated to support EBZEF in 2008. In a depressed economy, EBZEF was amazed to see year-end donations increase so generously. Your support and encouragement make all things possible for Beth's Girls and for the village of Lumwana West. Beth's Girls now view themselves differently and have dreams of a new future, the village now views the education of the girl child as important, and the girls have become role models in the region and beyond.
Zambia Night Poster
Third Annual Zambia Night
October 13, 2008
EBZEF cordially invites you to help celebrate our Third Annual Zambia Night on Friday, October 24th, from 5:30-8:30 P. M. at the Blue Pepper Gallery and Cafe at 241 Commercial Street, Salem, Oregon.
We will be celebrating our 93 Beth's Girls scholarship recipients for 2008, the completion of the memorial Library/Learning Center in the remote rural village of Lumwana West in Zambia's NW Province in June 2008, and the arrival of 22,000 lbs. of books for the Library in August 2008.
Mary with PEO Representatives at the Pennsylvania State Convention
Mary Lundeba speaks at PEO State Convention
June 22, 2008
Beth's Girl Mary Lundeba, PhD candidate in Fisheries Science at Penn State University, was one of four featured speakers at the Pennsylvania State PEO Convention held at PSU on June 20th, 2008. Mary is a two-year recipient of the International Peace Scholarship and is in her final year of research, study, and teaching to complete her degree.
Mary spoke about herself, about EBZEF, and about her course of study. The audience of over 400 women cheered when she said "such women opportunities are very rare in Africa and in some developing nations; and so when you get one, you hold it tight with both hands so that a man does not grab it away from you." Mary is a publishing scholar in her field and highly successful in her work at Penn State.
EBZEF Table Informs Community
February 22, 2008
EBZEF Board members and volunteers offered an informational display at the African Market in the Student Center at Willamette University during the third annual Africa Week celebration. The warm response of interested community members, potential volunteers, and generous donors helped to make the festivities productive.
EBZEF Student Volunteer Presentation
February 20, 2008
EBZEF student volunteers presented “Students Empower Students: Educate Girls in Africa” as part of Willamette University’s Africa Week celebration. WU graduate student Angela Wanak (Graduate Schools of Management/Law) spoke of the crisis of education in Africa, of the difficulties establishing gender equality in who receives schooling, and of the international initiatives addressing this issue.
Undergraduates Acacia McGuire and Carlee Kondo spoke of what EBZEF is doing to provide scholarships for women and how they both are helping through their volunteer work to “make a difference.” They encouraged other students to find ways to participate in helping Beth’s Girls achieve a new dream for the future.
EBZEF Featured in the Statesman Journal
October 15, 2007
EBZEF was featuered on the front page of the Statesman Journal on Monday, October 15. Read the article online
Peace Corps to Honor EBZEF
August 30, 2007
Jody Olsen. Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, will speak at a recruitment session for senior volunteers on Tuesday, October 16th, from 7-8:30 in the Salem Public Library, Loucks Auditorium. Featured will be a panel of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served after the age of 50. Director Olsen will honor EBZEF for the work we are doing in Zambia.
Mary Lundeba to Visit
August 28, 2007
Beth’s Girl Mary Lundeba (see web page) will visit the Pacific NW for the first time to join us for the Zambia Night celebration. Mary was Beth’s aquaculture trainer for the Peace Corps. After receiving her MS from the University of Malawi on scholarship from EBZEF, she is currently in her second year of PhD studies at Penn State. Meet and talk with Mary about life in Zambia on October 3rd at the Blue Pepper Café.
Second Annual Zambia Night Slated
August 24, 2007
Mark your calendar for October 3rd from 5:30-8:00 at the Blue Pepper Café. EBZEF will join Salem’s First Wednesday celebration by recreating the experience of Beth’s Zambian village with music, displays, presentations, videos, authentic food, photos and letters from Beth’s Girls, and much more. Support our fall fund-raising event and help send more girls to school.
First EBZEF You Tube Video Online
August 15, 2007
Evan Stuart, photo editor from Portland, Oregon, has created EBZEF’s first You-Tube Video.
Let us know how you like it!
EBZEF Welcomes New Board Member, Officers
July 26, 2007
Jennifer L. Roney, past Associate Dean of the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University and current visiting professor for the professional MBA program, has joined the EBZEF Board as Treasurer. She is the principal of reframe Management Consulting. Karen Chittick is the new Board Secretary.
Beth’s Girls’ Booth at World Beat Festival
June 22, 2009
Join us on June 30-July 1 in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the World Beat Festival at the Salem Riverfront Park. Our EBZEF booth will be in the African Village. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Stop by the booth to say hello.
Enjoy international food and entertainment, the Children's Parade, the Parade of Nations, fireworks, Dragon Boat races, and much more. For further information, visit the World Beat Festival website. See you there!
Help! EBZEF Success Needs Support
April 14, 2007
Current figures indicate that EBZEF is supporting a total of 83 girls with scholarships for 2007. In 2006, the number was 66. In 2005 it was 44. There are currently 41 girls in 8th grade (as opposed to 26 in 2006). In addition, 6 girls have passed their exams into 10th grade (as opposed to 5 in 2006). We also have two high school graduates for the first time this year. Prudence Masanyinga was the first to graduate three years ago.
The surge in numbers may be due to our visit in August, to having Prudence with us as a role model, and to the tutoring program instituted by EBZEF last year. We are pleased by the success of the Beth's Girls program. However, now we need to fund raise on a larger scale to be sure we do not have to turn girls away. If you have ideas for raising such funds, please let us know?
EBZEF Welcomes New Board Member
April 3, 2007
Karen Chittick, Associate Director for Academic Services at Tokyo International University of America, joins EBZEF as a new board member in spring 2007. As an all-volunteer, working board, we welcome Karen’s willingness to help us support Beth’s Girls.
EBZEF Featured on Willamette Stories Blog
March 29, 2007
Nadene Steinhoff’s moving article has been published on the Willamette University Stories blog. It is also featured on the Willamette University homepage in circulation with five other stories.Read the article
The story has also been picked up on the internal Peace Corps website.
Successful First Year for EBZEF
March 29, 2007
The EBZEF spring Board meeting on Thursday, March 29th, 2007, was a celebration of the successful completion of the start-up year for EBZEF. We look forward to continuing our support of Beth’s Girls and to completing construction of the library. The year ahead looks promising as we maintain solid partnerships with World Vision Zambia and the Peace Corps Partnership Program.
EBZEF Receives 501(c)(3) Status
March 16, 2007
Celebrate with the Elizabeth Bowers Zambia Education Fund on receiving 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Our application, pending since June 30, 2006, went through smoothly with no questions asked thanks to the expertise of attorney Kevin Mayne.
All donations are now tax deductible, retroactive to our date of incorporation on March 8, 2006. Donations go directly to Beth’s Girls, as administrative costs are funded by family contributions.
Salem Rotary Supports EBZEF
March 14, 2007
EBZEF has received a $2,000 grant from the Salem Rotary Club’s Literacy Committee to buy books for the memorial library in the village of Lumwana West. Salem Rotary hopes to add matching funds through Rotary International. EBZEF is privileged to join Rotary’s work to establish literacy around the world.
Local Young Women Support Beth’s Girls
March 3, 2007
Eleanor Ellis and Rosemary Dorman from South Salem High School’s Rotary Interact Club are spearheading a fund-raising effort for EBZEF with other local high schools. It is inspiring to see young women who have so much working to assist the girls of Lumwana West who have so little to achieve an education.