African Heritage Celebration 2014 Campaign.

African Heritage Celebration has completed another year of outreach and support in West Africa. Mohamadou Cisse and I returned from Senegal a couple of weeks ago. While we was there, we was able to visit 18 primary schools, 2 kindergarten schools and 1 special education school.

These schools were spread over 6 small remote villages and 4 urban areas in the western, central and southern parts of Senegal.

This year, thanks to the success at the Hyatt Regency gala, as well as the supporters of AHC's mission to provide opportunity for education for children, we were able to deliver textbooks and school supplies to 2120 children.

In addition, we also met with the leadership of Oumar Dia's village, Diorbivol, and made a donation to help further expand the school facilities there, which are used by children from Diorbivol and five other villages in the vicinity, continuing Oumar's legacy.

As in years past, the children, faculty, officials and parents at all of these schools are incredibly gracious - and grateful - for the generosity shown via this project. In addition, the schools are seeing significant and ongoing improvement in the performance of these students. Using Diorbivol as an example, when we first began this project, each year, between seven and twelve of the graduating sixth graders would successfully complete entrance exams to go on to 7th grade. Now, the vast majority of the graduating class - that is, about 90% of the 30+ sixth graders at the school - qualify for 7th grade.

The teachers, administrators and parents of these children attribute this notable improvement to the availability of quality educational textbooks and supplies that the contribution of our supporters and the annual gala enable.It'd be best if you could experience the gratitude of the villagers firsthand, but I can tell you that the authenticity and enthusiasm of their gratitude has not waned; and nor has ours! Thank you so much for all that you've done over the years! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

Kevin Miller Chairman of the Board, AHC