Transparency.

Transparency is such a hot topic right now in government, business, personal development, non profit organizations, and window sales (ha!).  Given the surge in awareness of open and honest business activity, I'm writing this post to enhance the transparency my projects.  Most of my supporters tell me, "I know you so I know you will do good with the donation I'm giving."  I love that trust and apply it to my daily actions.  But in this post,  I'm taking that trust a step further to inform supporters who aren't around me all the time,  or who may not know what projects I'm working on and where their efforts and financial donations are going.  If you're a new reader and want to become involved in any of these projects, send me an email and we'll get started!

A little timeline:

Water project partnership with Kenya Keys.
I started this project in fall 2008 as a chance to bring clean drinking water to a community in Africa.  Girls didn't go to school because they spent hours searching for water to drink, cook and bathe in.  Once I met the founders of Kenya Keys, we worked together to find the best fit for achieving clean water and helping girls stay in school.  With your efforts and donations, in 2011, Kenya Keys was able to build a sanitary water system in a secondary school dormitory which houses up to 80 girls!

Trafficking project.
Co-founded TORO  in 2012 with Margot Stewart.   Our goal was to bring awareness to the issue of domestic human trafficking and provide people with resources to get more information.  11% of our profits went to the Polaris Project, specifically Mei-Mei Ellerman's personal campaign.  We've taken a pause from this project but you can access some of the resources if you visit the site.

I printed up small awareness fliers that I continue to leave in hotel rooms, restaurant bathrooms, and airplane magazines all over the world when I'm traveling.  I've also been known to leave them in library books (shhh!).  I think it's a great way to inform people about this issue in a loud whisper and provide the resource line if someone needs to use it.  Let me know if you'd like to be a part of this project and I'll mail you some fliers.

Social justice/human rights/advocacy work.
I continue to be involved with local agencies in the Portland area addressing women's rights.  I work with survivors, write grants for special projects, serve on development committees, and work on creative projects all geared towards advancing women's and girls' socio-economic standing.

Wickersham Roundtables.
I'm hosting a series of Jeffersonian dinner parties (Fall 2014-Spring 2015) in my historic downtown Portland condominium.  The first dinner is planned for late September.  Dinner guests will engage in a roundtable discussion about working towards ending the cycle of poverty for girls.
More about this project later.  This post is getting a little long…..

Happy warm weather everyone.
x,
A

It's a little like exercise....

Happy Holidays!!

Hello,
I'm rushing around as the ambassador of all things festive and good for family, friends and businesses, but wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to click through the Amazon widget at the side bar of this blog site when ordering through Amazon.com.
A percentage of every purchase made goes towards funding education for girls aged 11-13.
So far, we have been able to support a young woman's secondary education in Africa.
We have mighty goals, and a long way to go to reach 11 girls in 11 countries,  but I like to think of it as exercise.....every bit helps, and the more you do, the more it helps.
Fa la la la la.
xo,
A

Let's drink tea and talk about happy things...

Drizzle.  The dreary, bone cold rain coupled with the tough gut topics I write about just makes me want to snuggle up with comfort.  Hot tea and cookies, talking with my besties or reading a great book is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon.

Just in time for cold weather and holiday gifting, teapot cozies (see etsy at side bar).  Thank you talented Mom and Aunt for creating these lovely tea pot warmers.

Here's a great idea!  Why don't you pair your cozy with a box of Smith Tea, made right here in the Pac NW.  If you can't decide which one to try, I suggest no. 67 Meadow.  I call it the haute couture of chamomile blends.  It's extremely delicious, fragrant and pretty.  Please tell them I sent you if you visit their shop or purchase on line.

Proceeds from cozy sales go to raising awareness of domestic human trafficking and promoting girls education worldwide.

Thanks for looking.
Drop me a note if you have questions or want to have tea,
A

Photo credit:  www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JenRoffePrint?ref=si_shop.  Thank you Jen!

Read every day.

"It is a moral failure that 200 million girls woke up today and didn't go to school."*

I've thought a lot about this since I scribbled it in my notebook as I watched Half the Sky last year.

Like many who live in a western culture, we are inclined to build wealth.  Whether it be spiritual, personal or material (more! Now! MORE!) we are inundated with opportunities to become richer.  If you are lucky enough to read, you are wealthier than most of the world.  Wealth lies in literacy.  If you can read, you can learn.  If every girl had the opportunity to achieve literacy,  we would see a drastic reduction in poverty, violence, forced prostitution, crime, and overpopulation.   I see it as a snowball effect..... soft, delicate little snowflakes growing stronger into a fierce white out blizzard.

On my side bar you will find a link to Amazon.  If you read every day, infrequently, or like to give books as gifts, please consider ordering through this link.  Amazon will reward me with a small percentage of the sale and I will forward proceeds to programs that advance human rights for girls worldwide.   Currently, we are focusing on the Kenya Keys scholarship program and Mei-Mei Ellerman's personal campaign to raise money for the Polaris project, a non-profit dedicated to eradicate modern day human slavery.

*Quote from John Reed, the director and founder of Room to Read.
Excerpt from Half the Sky PBS documentary.

Educate Girls

Just back from a business trip to NYC and DC.  In Washington, I had the chance to take an international grant writing course.  I came across this during my funding research today.  It pulled at my heartstrings.

There is good and happiness everywhere if you just look for it.

I'm reading Half the Sky.  It's heartbreaking, agonizing, and makes me angry.  I can't even get through more than about 20 pages or a chapter in one sitting.  It's too much to take in.

So.....when I saw a post from Megan Wilcken, it lightened my mood and reminded me of the good we can find if we just look for it.

"I love this video! Here's what the artist had to say about it:

Whenever I see and hear reports of Africa in the media, more often than not, they seem to regularly convey war, poverty, and economic strife. I believe that generally we get what we look for, so I decided to look for and highlight the beauty of the land, the zestful enthusiasm for life in the brothers and sisters, and the innocent youthful joy of the children.  Guess what? We found it!"

"Investment in girls education....

may be the highest return investment in the developing world."  Lawrence Summers, Chief Executive-World Bank.

The water project still needs support and donations.  If you would like to help bring clean water to the girls dormitory,  send me a message.  Any creative idea will be considered.  I've updated my etsy site with a few new items and have a few more coming.  Check early and often!!

We are still counting on numerous, small donations to reach our goal of $10,000 ($7500 to go!).   Recently,  I've branched out into professional fundraising:  grant writing and corporate sponsorships.  If any readers have tips or suggestions, please send them my way.
Below is a link updating you on the Samburu Girls Dormitory.

http://www.kenyakeys.org/Area/Projects.aspx

Thanks for reading!