Young Voices of the Nile

The book is a collection of writings and short stories by the sons and daughters of the 'mamas' who work at a small orphanage in Jinja, Uganda. The 'mamas' are the Ugandan staff of this orphanage and this affectionate title reflects their dual roles as mothers to their own children and as the primary caregivers. The orphanage (Amani Baby Cottage) cares for newborns, babies and toddlers whose parents have either died, abandoned them or are unable to care for them at this time in their lives. Note: 100% of the net proceeds from each sale of this book goes to helping Ugandan and other children.

From Jacinthe Morin McCurdy, the creator / editor of 'Young Voices of the Nile': "As a volunteer working alongside the 'mamas', I came to understand the importance they put on a proper education for their children. They see education as a key to a better life and hopefully a life removed from poverty. The 'mamas' tireless hard work, love and devotion mean that they sometimes go without even the basic necessities so that their children may receive a good education. I wanted the children to have an opportunity to write about their country and themselves and to find within themselves the love of writing and reading, fundamental to educational success. This book is theirs...filled with their stories, their drawings and most importantly, their voices." The book features: * 31 Reflections and Short Stories * 25 'Young Voices' * Original hand drawn artwork by the authors * Authors come from Grades 5 - 7 Again, 100% of net proceeds from each sale goes to Total Family Outreach (Amani Baby Cottage) in support of their work with orphans in Jinja, Uganda and elsewhere.

Jacinthe continues to enjoy her nomadic lifestyle that began thirty-five years ago. She has lived and worked in Sri Lanka, Dominica, Viet Nam, Bangladesh, the Sudan, Indonesia and is presently living in Jinja, Uganda, on the shores of Lake Victoria. Life in Jinja is far from quiet and slow. Jacinthe volunteers 5 days a week at Amani Baby Cottage, a local Ugandan orphanage, helping to look after the 'Baby A' group - newborns to 12 months old. In addition to her time at the orphanage, she also works with a local group specializing in life skills training for high risk women looking for a new start (most women are either recovering addicts or former prostitutes). Jacinthe holds a MEd in Counseling and provides individual and relationship counseling through her local private practice. She is married to a civil engineer (the reason for her 35 years of nomadic living), has two sons and is the very proud grand-maman of four beautiful granddaughters. Jacinthe is the editor / coordinator of Young Voices of the Nile. The stories contained in the book were written by the sons and daughters of the 'mamas' (staff at the local Ugandan orphanage where Jacinthe volunteered).