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How we came to be...
ï An Idea
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The Salamatu Foundation began in December 1996 as the Oupumako Project: a wonderful idea founded by Leonora VanHook as a memorial to her daughter Kyrstin Leonora Scharninghausen. Kyrstin, a Carolina, Rhode Island woman, died in November 1996 while serving with the Peace Corps in the Southern African Country of Namibia. Oupumako is the
village where she lived and worked as a teacher/trainer to a circuit of four schools. The Oupumako Project involved building a library/resource center and filling it with educational tools for those surrounding communities.
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ï Success
Thanks to your generous contributions and the hard work of Amy Senior (PCV), Kyrstin's host parents Absalom and Olivia Hamukuaya, and the community of Oupumako, the Kyrstin Scharninghausen Library/Resource Center officially opened in August of 1999; an historic moment to everyone involved in the project. Those four communities have enjoyed taking full advantage of the wonderful books and school supplies all of you have helped make possible. We'd like to extend special thanks to the Peace Corps Partnership Program, the Freedom Forum, and the Sabre Foundation for their contributions to the Library. |
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Currently we're focusing on future goals with our Center in Oupumako, as well as expanding our efforts geographically. We're concentrating on funding educational workshops at the Kyrstin Scharninghausen Library, and encourage returned PCV's to get involved and apply for funding from us. We would also like to undertake similar
projects in other communities in Africa. Hence the change in our name from Oupumako Project to Salamatu Foundation.
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ï Salamatu Foundation
Salamatu is the Hausa name given to Kyrstin when she was in Niger in 1993 as an exchange student at the University of Niamey. The English translation of Salamatu is "Sunshine". After Kyrstin's death, her friend Ayou wrote to Kyrstin's mother that he was so glad that she had been given that name because in his country of Niger, the sun shines every day of the year. |
We would like to spread Kyrstin's sunshine throughout Africa by funding small grass-roots projects of an educational nature such as the Kyrstin Scharninghausen Memorial Library. We've already achieved great success in Oupumako. Why not continue to create these same opportunities for other communities in Africa, while at the same time, keeping Kyrstin's presence alive in this world.
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ï How Can You Help?
Make a donation – at any time – of any amount – to the Salamatu Foundation. We are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization and all donations are fully tax deductable. Thank you so much for your support. Your help has made Salamatu Foundation possible!
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