Our journey to get #BoazOnline
The little box in this picture might not look like much, but it's making a big difference!
You have no idea how helpful this is to me. Now I can talk to my friends and I have been able to start learning English on YouTube. Thank you!
Update: THANK YOU for helping us reach our original £10,000 target to fund internet provision in 20 Boaz houses for refugees and people seeking asylum. We have now stretched our target so you can give to cover the costs of internet provision for more Boaz clients in years to come.
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We launched our Crowdfunder appeal two weeks ago, with a mission to make sure that all of our shared Boaz houses had access to the internet. Thanks to your kindness and generosity nine of our houses now have internet access and it's already making a difference.
One of our support workers shared that as she walked up the path to one of our houses, she could hear laughter coming from inside. It was a client who up until this point had rarely been seen to smile, and yet now thanks to the internet she was able to laugh- a lot! For others, like Liya who we quoted above, it has meant reconnection with friends and a chance to learn and study.
It's also proving useful for our housing manager, Mark. If there are any small maintenance problems in a house, clients can now quickly share photos of the issue and he can use a video call to help them (safely!) resolve some of the more simple problems. This saves time and money, and hopefully equips our clients to feel more confident and able to help themselves.
We've been really touched by the support and solidarity from almost 50 people who have supported our appeal so far. One of our supporters, Jennifer, left this message:
I am gaining so much from the internet during this time; it is transforming what could be very dispiriting. I want everyone to have that, especially those who are away from family & friends.
If, like Jennifer, you feel you've benefited from using the internet during this season, please could you consider making a donation and help us to complete our mission to get Boaz online? Click the pink button below to find out more!