Written by Hanne Howard

New York City is about as exciting as it gets when it comes to the world of fundraising. So it was quite the moment when our US charity, Friends of Hanne Howard Fund US, decided to spearhead its second US “It Takes a Village” event in the heart of the Big Apple!

My daughter, Alexandra and I boarded the plane a day before the event with abundant luggage and some trepidation in our hearts. It’s safe to assume that we weren’t sure what to expect given that New Yorkers lead very busy lives and have much choice when it comes to charity support.

However, the minute we met our gracious hosts, Louisa and Ilan Bohm, and stepped into the warmth of their beautiful mid-town Manhattan apartment, our worries dissipated as by magic! Louisa not only gave her home an African feel with her lovely touches, food displays and beautiful flower arrangements but she also helped transform our silent auction table into a truly cultural display.

Throughout the evening, we enjoyed the intimate company of a wonderfully diverse group of New York friends who seemingly enjoyed our anecdote and stories about the work we do. Our presentation was met with amazing generosity yielded close to $15,000. This, for us, is phenomenal!

A special thank-you goes to Louisa and Ilan, Susan and Theo for making it possible for a 2013 Wanafunzi Dream Team member, Magdalena Nzisa, to attend nursing school in 2015 for 3 years. A big KARIBU! (welcome) goes to our new foster families – The Bohm’s and Willem and Richard. And we send much appreciation to all the generous shoppers who helped wipe out the silent auction table!

I also wish to personally thank Marianne Florijn, our nearest and dearest supporter, who was instrumental in making the event possible as well as our amazing FOHHFUS team – Alexandra, Isabelle and Eleanne – who are working hard to raise our profile south of the border!

WE LOVE AND THANK-YOU NEW YORK and NEW YORKERS! We’ll see you next year in the Big Apple!