Bracelets of hope

Canadian girl raises US$50,000 for orphans
A 12-year-old Canadian girl has raised US$50,000 to build a medical clinic for children orphaned by AIDS in Zimbabwe.
Moved by a church presentation about children who had lost their parents to AIDS in Zimbabwe, Carrie-Anne Bauer took to action, collecting U$1,000 in the first year through barbecues and bake sales. She then began making colourful beaded bracelets in May 2006.
Her Bracelets of Hope ranged in price from U$4 to U$10 and eventually involved volunteers in creating more of them for sale by merchants in Perth, Smiths Falls and Ottawa.
Last year the Grade 7 Carrie-Anne went on CTV to appeal for assistance for children orphaned by AIDS. She got an overwhelming response and many orders.
Besides the medical clinic, Carrie-Anne also plans to build two playgrounds at an orphanage called Village of Hope in Harare. The eight-hectare site is run by Emergency Relief and Development Overseas, a humanitarian agency of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. It has two children’s homes and a school with 190 students up to Grade 6. The village feeds 75 children.
Carrie-Anne is scheduled to visit Zimbabwe this coming winter to break ground for the new medical clinic and volunteer at the site. Carrie-Anne has also arranged two benefit concerts by children’s entertainers.