Happy New Year! We’re excited to ring in 2017 by sharing inspiring stories made possible by your support of the Girl Effect Fund! Here are just a few of the projects your generous donation supported in 2016:
Vacha Charitable Trust empowers girls in India to be able to talk about perceptions and experiences regarding women’s health and self-esteem. Girls from Vacha’s leadership centres performed street plays to promote awareness about girls rights in public places. For many of the girls it was the first time they had spoken in public. This initiative was covered by media. Some of these girls have been attending the Vacha class for 8 years and have graduated to special leadership programs.
Mariposa Center For Girls teaches sewing skills to girls and mothers in the Dominican Republic that will provide them with a sustainable source of income and allow them to lift their families out of poverty. One of the graduates said, “For me the sewing project is extremely important because through this project I have learned to sew….and I earn money that allows me to do many things.”
Girls’ Power Initiative built a safe space in a rural community in Nigeria for girls to boost their self-esteem and make informed decisions about reproductive health and career choices. These girls have seized the opportunity to share personal issues on relationships, reproductive health, and career choices. More than forty girls have participated in the weekly safe space lessons.
In Colombia, Fundacion Artistica y Social La Familia Ayara developed the Diploma and Cultural Management Leadership for Women program and had the first “Training for Women Leaders and Entrepreneurs.” More than sixty (60) young women managers and artists participated. The course sought to get away from traditional academic formats and found that a good way to empower and inspire women was for women leaders to serve as role models for tackling leadership and cultural management issues.
The Georges Malaika Foundation inaugurated the Malaika School for girls library in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The e-library is the first of its kind in Kalebuka with books in English and French in both print and e-book format. This state-of-the-art facility provides access to technology and resources that are opening up a whole new world to students.
Pastoralist Girls Initiative in Kenya provided full school uniforms and sanitary pads for 100 girls. The lack of uniform and sanitary pads greatly inhibits education and encourages dropout rates. Many girls who could not afford uniform and sanitary pads benefited from the project this term.
Since 2008, the 10,561 supporters of the Girl Effect Fund have raised more than $2 million for the future of girls around the world! Your support has made inspiring stories like those above possible, and now we’re excited to share that the Girl Effect Fund has reached a new phase in its work building a better future for girls. The Girl Effect has been so successful in its mission that it has spun-off into its own nonprofit organization that will leverage mobile technology, brand partnerships, and innovative research to support and empower girls worldwide. A side effect of this transition is that the Girl Effect Fund will be retiring on GlobalGiving.
We are excited to share that your donations will continue to empower girls through the newly launched GlobalGiving Girl Fund. Donations will support some of the most effective nonprofits on GlobalGiving who are working to ensure a bright future for girls around the world. Our team will continue to share quarterly updates from our partners about how they’re providing education, job skills, and empowerment to girls in need.
Donors like you have made an incredible impact over the years for the various Girl Effect Fund-supported projects. Even though Girl Effect retired the Girl Effect Fund when it became an independent non-profit, the team continues to work hard to serve girls across Africa and Asia creating content that is helping girls make life-changing choices. Girl Effect’s media programs - like the TV drama Yegna in Ethiopia - reach over 20 million and their digital products - like an AI-powered chatbot called Big Sis - reach 10.8 million.
Girl Effect is accelerating its work to ensure millions more girls understand and value their bodies, health, education and ability to earn a living. Girl Effect endeavours to play their part in ensuring this generation of girls has the confidence, information, and support they need to thrive. Because if they do, everyone wins.
Without your support, girls can redefine what they are told is possible. We hope you will continue to unlock the power of girls through the Girl Effect’s new programs, and maybe even become a regular monthly donor!
Your generous support has enabled The Girl Effect Fund to continue empowering girls all around the world. Check out what some of the projects in the fund have been up to below..
The SOLD Project managed to achieve a 95% retention rate of students staying in school in a village where more than half of the children are expected to drop out of grade school and are at high risk of sex trafficking. Moreover 84 of the 129 children in their scholarship program are now pursuing higher education. Faa, one of the students, shared her story about the impact of The SOLD Project's work in Thailand.
Girl Determined in Burma facilitated a group of 70 girls, half of which were buddhist nuns, in a campaign to bring awareness to the taboo issue of domestic violence. This campaign was the foundation for an ongoing conversation that could hopefully change attitudes in homes and communities. Additionally, by late 2014, Girl Determined managed to attract 2000 girls in their weekly leadership circles that strive to address the issues of trafficking, dangerous labor, and other forms of violence that young girls face in Burma.
The Zimkids Orphan Trust continues to challenge traditional gender roles by training 100 orphan Zimbabwean girls in personal and vocational skills typically characterized as male. This includes courses in electrical wiring and tiling. ZimKids is also in negotiations with a local motorcycle manufacturing company to train girls to build component parts.
Days For Girls International provided information about washable menstrual hygiene kits to approximately 30,000 girls and 9,040 girls received the necessary materials to make a shield, a liner and a bag. Furthermore, all target schools have been trained in reproductive health and many of the trained womens groups are now selling kits. Days for Girls recently organized a training session in Nansana. Not only were eight secondary school teachers trained in kit making, but they were also prompted to engage in the very important conversation of reproductive health and gender equity.
The Mariposa DR Foundation offered therapeutic art classes to 120 girls. The girls participated in a variety of projects such as creating personal journals, wrap dolls, self-affirming cards, and self-care boxes. The various mediums of art tackled the crucial themes of self-care, body and consent, self-esteem, and self-empowerment among several others. Mariposa has also been busy building a teaching kitchen that will further develop cooking and hospitality skills. According to the Mariposa project leader, tourism and hospitality is the number one industry in the Dominican Republic. Thus cultivating these skills can be a great career option for many of the girls.
Once again, thank you for your invaluable support ! Without generous donors like you, none of this would be possible.
Dear Girl Champs,
Exciting news!
The girl effect received the Swarovski Crystal of Hope Award for 2013 from AIDS LIFE. Three of the organizations receiving funds from the Girl Effect Fund via GlobalGiving were presented the award at Life Ball, the largest charity event for AIDS in Europe, for their work with adolescent girls in communities affected by HIV and AIDS. The award was presented by Hilary Swank and took place on May 25th in Vienna, Austria.
Since 2005, AIDS LIFE has honored an organization for its outstanding projects fighting HIV/AIDS with the “Life Ball Crystal of Hope Award” endowed with EUR 100,000 and sponsored by the Tyrolean Company Swarovski. The three organizations in attendance to receive the award on behalf of the girl effect, which will each benefit from the EUR 100,000 endowment, are:
Mariposa DR Foundation’s project, “Mariposa Center for Girls.”
Senhoa Foundation’s project, “Empower Girls Rescued from Slavery in Cambodia.”
The Shanti Uganda Society’s project, “Teen Girls Health & Empowerment in Uganda.”
Congratulations to these organizations for their incredible work addressing the potential girls have to prevent problems related to HIV/AIDS and end the cycle of poverty.
We’re thrilled to be able to share this honor with our Girl Effect Challenge 2012 winners.
Pictured from left to right: Sadie St. Denis (Shanti Uganda), Patricia Suriel (Mariposa), Thi Nguyen (Senhoa), Lisa Nguyen (Senhoa), Ruth Craven (Senhoa) and Jessica Lawson (Mariposa).
Dear Girl Champs,
We are excited to introduce you to this year’s Girl Effect Fund recipients featured on GlobalGiving! We have a fantastic group of twelve innovative programs working to empower adolescent girls living in poverty in various ways, ranging from health and education, to vocational training, and the fight against sex trafficking. We’ll continue to update you on their progress and work throughout 2013, but first let us introduce you to them!
A Ban Against Neglect (ABAN)’s “Empower Marginalized Young Women in Ghana”
Days for Girls International’s “Empower African Girl with Hygiene and Education”
Girl Determined’s “Help Put Girls at the Forefront of Change in Burma”
Global Interfaith Partnership’s “Equip Rural Kenyan Girls to GET UP Out of Poverty”
Heshima Kenya’s “Education and Empowerment for Refugee Girls”
Project Education South Sudan’s “Unleash the Leaders: 400 Girls in South Sudan”
Senhoa Foundation’s “Empower Girls Rescued from Sex Slavery in Cambodia”
Social Development International’s “Empower Teen Mothers Through Education in Cameroon”
The Mariposa DR Foundation’s “Mariposa Center for Girls”
The Shanti Uganda Society’s “Teen Girls Health & Empowerment in Uganda”
The SOLD Project’s “The Freedom Project: Prevention Through Education”
Zimkids Orphan Trust’s “Building the Futures of 100 Zimbabwean Girls”
Congratulations to these organizations and please join us in welcoming them to the Girl Effect Fund! The clock is ticking for 250 million adolescent girls living in poverty, and these incredible organizations are helping girls realize their potential to unleash a ripple effect of change – not only for her, but for her family, her community, and the world.
Title: The Second Annual Girl Effect Challenge
Dear Girl Effect Supporters,
This year’s GlobalGiving Girl Effect challenge is upon us! Beginning November 1st, a host of girl-centered organizations will enter to win an equal portion of the Girl Effect fund for a year. That money will go toward programs that effect positive change for marginalized adolescent girls.
As we begin the second Girl Effect challenge, let’s look at some of this past year’s Girl Effect Challenge winners and the programs they are running to empower young women around the world.
The Blossom Bus is a project that allows girls in rural India to continue their schooling in areas where the female literacy rate is only 2%. In areas far from secondary schools, where conservative local attitudes toward female mobility prevail, girls are often forced to drop out. With the safe transportation provided by the Blossom Bus, girls like 16-year-old Afsana can become the first in their villages to reach grade 10.
Girls & Football South Africa believes that football can empower girls. In a safe, girls-only space, girls can feel just as powerful, strong, and deserving as boys. Through football, workshops, and discussions they develop a sense of body ownership and self-esteem. This year Girls & Football SA spoke at TEDxCapeTown, attended the Cup of Dreams tournament in Pretoria, launched a video to combat the idea of ‘corrective’ rape, and much more!
Daraja Academy for Exceptional Kenyan Girls is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership, but no means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services to girls, as well as the tools and resources to become critical thinkers, progressive leaders, and architects of their own futures. Daraja teaches its freshmen the following phrase: “My future is brighter than my past, and I have the ability to have others see the same.”
These are just three out of twelve exceptional projects that have benefitted from The Girl Effect Fund this past year. Contribute to the projects that you care about most during this year’s challenge to help them win a one-year spot on our fundraising page and an equal share of The Girl Effect Fund!
Interested in entering the Girl Effect Challenge in the future? See GlobalGiving’s terms and conditions.
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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