Our work in Burkina Faso with Bi-Songo (a non-profit founded in 2000 and situated in Saponé, Burkina Faso), has blossomed into a long-term relationship. Bi-Songo’s mission is to help enhance the children’s physical health, education, culture and to improve women’s financial status. Specifically, they are focused on improving health through education, advancing education by making it possible for less-fortunate children to attend school, promoting culture through knowledge transfer and equal access to education regardless of gender, and improving community finances through sponsorship of economic activities such as the production and marketing of Shea butter.

For 2012 we have committed to building a preschool, which will be the first in Saponé. Building this will have a profound effect on the children there, helping them transition to the school environment and freeing their mothers to increase family income. Preschool is essential since it gives the young children the basic foundation to help them succeed in elementary school and develops the desire to learn in preschool. A preschool is an essential beginning to help them transcend poverty by learning how to read and understand the French language necessary to continue on in school.

O’Farrell Community School is the first middle level charter school in the San Diego City Schools system whose focus and instructional program were determined through the collaborative efforts of teachers, administrators and community. The Board of Trustees for Hands United for Children determined that the organization's mandate would include investment in education within the United States as well as internationally, and was introduced to the O'Farrell Community School literally on the soccer field. After researching the school, we determined that their mission correlated perfectly with our interest in helping develop schools in the U.S.

In particular we were impressed with O’Farrell’s vision, utilizing a student-centered, activity-oriented learning program with state-of-the-art technology and committed community participation.  O’Farrell's goal of adding a K-5 in 2012 and a high school in 2013 fit in with our interest in funding the material construction of schools in poorly served areas. Building a high school requires major funds, and while O’Farrell has already secure 75% of its funding needs, we are committed to helping them raise the other 25%, as well as finding areas where are our ongoing participation, both financial and otherwise, can assist the school.