Hope on Wheels!
Had “Hope on Hooves” not appeared in NSFA, little Jackson would not have a wheelchair, and a good number of other Tanzanian women would not have goats and cows!
San Diego Affiliate Margie Carroll’s initial contact was Nancy Richards in Seattle, whose article, “Hope on Hooves,” (NSFA May/June 2021) about her experiences and invitation to assist single moms in Tanzania, caught her eye. Margie’s sister, Cathy Kelly, arranged to donate a cow in Margie’s name through Nancy, her friend, as a Thanksgiving Day gift.
The photo that prodded the gift of a wheelchair
Upon viewing the photos of the recipient family, Cathy noticed that the mom in the photos was holding a son who could not stand and appeared to have a disability. So, Cathy and Margie decided to provide a wheelchair for him. Seeking a reputable organization on charitynavigator.org, Margie discovered the Walkabout Foundation (www.walkaboutfoundation.org in London, which promptly responded to their email. They were touched that founders Luis and Carolina Gonzalez-Bunster had transformed their family’s personal tragedy into improving the quality of life for people around the world with mobility disabilities.
The two sisters donated a bit more than 640,000 Tanzania shillings ($280 USD) to cover the cost of a wheelchair for Jackson Bura, in honor of another sister, Mary McCrann, of Long Island, NY. They then contacted Affiliate Nancy Richards in Seattle, who, through her Tanzania contact, Sam, arranged delivery of the wheelchair to Jackson Bura in Karatu. Soon they received photos of his mother Yustina and Jackson enjoying his new freedom.
At this point, the story curves in on itself: As Margie related to Ellen Gamble, Walkabout Foundation’s program manager, “I suddenly realized last night after viewing the film (https://youtu.be/cqUPG0EDzu4) on the Walkabout Foundation website, that I know Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster, the father of Luis and Carolina Gonzalez-Bunster, who founded the organization! Rolando and I were classmates at Presentation School in Jamaica, NY, and graduated together as 8th graders! In fact, I zoomed with him last year for our class's 60th anniversary!” When NSFA contacted Nancy Richards for her part of this story, she responded, “Oh, I love Margie Carroll! She has been such a great supporter! Getting that wheelchair and her realizing she had gone to school with the founder were amazing. That little boy, Jackson, was so happy—we have a couple more children that need the same thing if we get the money in.”
Nancy Richards has lots going on. Through March 11th, Hope on Hooves has placed 376 goats and 36 cows with families. In the past few months, they have focused on providing food and blankets. (“So many hungry families!”) Her wish now is to apply to become a 501c3 corporation, or to partner with an existing nonprofit so that donors’ gifts will be tax deductible. She commented, “I don't know why one of my kids could not have been an attorney—ha ha!”
Readers: Can you, or someone you know, help Nancy negotiate this hurdle? If so, or if you wish to make a donation, please email her at nancyrichards@live.com.