The Beginning

(see Website @ www.canadares.ca)
History of CanaDares Society for Street Children in Tanzania

The CanaDares society began as Lynda's vision after she spent 3 months at a facility for youth in Tanzania. She learned how thousands of children lived on the streets of Dar es Salaam and how few of these children went to school.

Lynda returned to Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada and announced that she was going to create a society to help as many children as she could. She asked friends and family to help and CanaDares was formed.

The first meeting of people interested in the 'yet to be formed' society took place in January, 2002, in Sechelt. Plans were made to write a constitution and apply for registration as a Canadian charitable organization. At the next few meetings, the name 'CanaDares' was accepted and Board Members were named.

Funds were first raised by garage sales, raffles, church pot luck suppers, musical and theatrical performances. A database of contributors has been growing and many people donated services and craft items to raise money.

Lynda Kearns donated $5000 of her personal funds to ensure her return to Tanzania where she began the task of forming a 'sister' board in Tanzania, applying for residency status and approval for creating a home for children and youth in need.

At the May, 2002, meeting of CanaDares, it was announced that the registration of the CanaDares Society was successful.
The CanaDares Board decided that any person donating to the charity could be a member. Persons who provided addresses were sent tax receipts and invited to the society's annual general meeting.

Since the incorporation of CanaDares, Lynda has returned from Tanzania several times for fundraising at speaking engagements, television and newspaper interviews. She has worked hard and remains devoted to making her vision a reality. (read her field notes to see how her project has progressed).