Support for Bethania Orphanage Continues to Grow

By Merlin Fabian, grade 12

With the year finally coming to a close, and my own career at AIS coming to an end, I have to look back and smile for what we as an entire school have accomplished for Bethania. For our fundraiser this year, the money raised was able to set up beds and even a second floor at Bethania, and the 11th grade theater showcase raised over $1,300 towards the kids’ educational trust fund. Not only this, but Anusha and her mother, Ms. Sthanunathan, have even donated a library to Bethania. Ms. Sthanunathan will be taking library cataloguing classes in preparation for the three weeks she is going to spend at Bethania as a volunteer. We also have a few more volunteers this year; Cassie Huntley and Justine Mulliez will be in Bethania in July, and Jenna Sanborn will be going to the orphanage with her friend, Louise Ellinor Darner, in October for six weeks.

I’ve said it many times, but none of this could have been possible without the efforts of these individuals and our numerous supporters. We would like to thank the entire faculty for their help, all the parents who participated, as well every student involved in the CAS group. Also a special thanks to the primary school third graders and their teachers, who help with their own fundraiser for Bethania. I joined this group two years ago, and wasn’t really sure what to think of it until some of these fundraisers began. I might have dropped change in the Bethania bin before, but once I saw all the effort and all the support that went into these events, I have to say I have enjoyed writing every one of these articles. Bethania has helped me look at charity as something more than a way to get community service hours, and for that I give my own thanks to everyone involved.

Thank you, and most of all thank you to Ms Shanta; I wish the best for her new organization, SABHA where she, and many AIS alumni will continue to support Bethania. I may be going to college, but hopefully you’ll be able to find these Bethania articles in the Globetrotter for years to come.