Recently a good friend of mine, Nicola, visited Africa. The stories and photos she came home with are both amazing and sad. I personally have never been to a third world country but my heart aches for these people. Ever since I was little I’ve always wanted to impact the world…do something BIG… you always have big dreams when you are little and my dream was to save the world. As you get older life gets in the way and you find yourself just living. Well, Nicola isn’t trying to save the world… but she is looking to make a difference and so am I. Here are some of Nicola’s words about her time in Africa…
“One of the things that impacted me the most from my time in Africa was an event we went to in Kenya that was geared towards helping young girls and women with providing reusable sanitary kits along with health and HIV education. Owning more than one pair of underwear is considered a luxury, and sanitary supplies are often too expensive for them to buy. So, they go without and you can imagine what that might look like when a girl or woman menstruates and she doesn’t have access to feminine products. Some girls shared with us that they sometimes may even use rocks, leaves or old rags. And we complain because “disposable pads are uncomfortable!?” But the saddest part of this is that a girl may drop out of school after she gets her first period because of the embarrassment, harassment and ridicule she may experience. Because of this natural thing that every woman’s body goes through, she looses her education and her future because she does not have access to sanitary supplies. These young girls will sometimes resort to “selling” themselves so they can buy the sanitary supplies they need in order to stay in school and as a result may become pregnant or contract HIV. And so a vicious cycle begins again. But if we could supply her with sanitary supplies and keep her in school she may never have to find her self in the vicious cycle at all!”
“In Africa they say “If you want to change a nation, give a girl an education.” My friend, James Waruiru, from Fountain of Hope and the one who put on the event we attended in Kenya, has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I know. Each month he helps over 300 girls by providing sanitary supplies and health/HIV teaching so they can stay in school and get the education they need. James currently has a fundraising challenge going on over at globalgiving.org. He is trying to raise $5000 to help ensure continued supply of sanitary products to girls and widows in his community.”
This is where all of YOU come in…This mothers day, will you consider making a donation in honor of your mom or mother figure in your life? Will you celebrate her AND a young girl in Kenya by donating to James’ global giving challenge? If a girl can stay in school and get the education she wants she will ultimately be able to decide for herself when she gets married and starts a family instead of being forced into motherhood and poverty at too young of an age. Lets all come together on this and help young girls stay in school!
If you live in the Lancaster or even PA area visit Nicola’s blog, HERE, as you can be entered into a contest just for donating to this cause. The prizes are AWESOME, so check them out!
If you don’t live in the area, I still hope that you can and will donate to this cause so that we can all join together to celebrate women and girls all over the world this Mothers Day!
To donate click HERE
To Visit Nicola’s blog and read about the contest click HERE
Below are some photos Nicola captured during her trip
