7.2.12

let's do it for the girls!

The Kaolack region is currently gearing up for our third annual Girls' Leadership Camp this June, and we could use your help! The camp is a week long affair, where girls from all over the region come to participate in empowering and motivational sessions that encourage them the stay in school and become leaders in their communities. Activities like this are so important for girls in Senegal to take part in because cultural restrictions prevent many of them from staying in school past the primary level, and far too many of them are married off at an age when they should still be gossiping with their friends and daydreaming about their futures. The camp is a mix of educational activities, such as career and health panels with successful Senegalese women, and skill building activities, such as sustainable gardening, with a little arts and crafts, dancing, and interactive games thrown in as well. 

There is a great website, The Girls Effect, (http://www.girleffect.org/) that talks about the importance of girls' education and empowerment in developing countries today. The gist is, if we can support these girls through their education, they can help to break the cycle of poverty that their families, communities, and countries are stuck in. By staying in school, girls reduce their risk of HIV/AIDS, are more likely to marry at an appropriate age, and raise healthy children that repeat the process, helping to raise standards of living across the world. The Girl Effect has some great videos on their site that you should all check out.

We would love your help in making this camp a reality, and reaching out to the girls of Kaolack! There is a link to donate posted below, where you can also read more about the camp. 

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