Why try?
Does the world need another small non-profit dedicated to girls’ education? According to Let Girls Learn there are 62 million girls out of school around the globe. What impact could we possibly make?
You’ve probably heard that saying about not being able to change the world, but for that one individual that you help, her world has been changed. That is the philosophy that my fellow volunteers and I are adopting too. For those few girls in rural Northern Uganda to whom we are able to provide scholarships, advancing to secondary school makes an incredible difference in the quality of their life today and in the future. There will be a domino effect as educated women make sure their own children go to school.
There are some other reasons why we started this organization at this time too:
Just Coping: We are living in trying times. Day after day, there is depressing and disheartening news within the US and around the world. It can really take your spirit and optimism away and make you want to go off to some isolated island. To counter this, it feels good to do something, just some small thing to lend a hand to someone you don’t even know.
Leading by example: My own two teenage boys jokingly use the phrase “first world problem” with some regularity, referring to minor annoyances in life. Not having traveled to a developing country, they really have no idea what this means. One reason I worked for BeadforLife for five years was to be an example for them, so they could see that it is possible to apply traditional work experience and skills to a social enterprise.
Telling stories: As I write this, many of us are mourning the loss of an incredible journalist and role model, Gwen Ifill, who died on 11/14/16. In a commencement address to the American University School of Public Affairs in 2014, she asked the graduates, “Whose voices are not being heard? Whose stories can you tell?” In her TED talk, the author Chimamanda Ngozi Achidie explains that stories can be used to empower and humanize. We are not journalists, but we can definitely share the stories of these really bright, but very poor Ugandan girls who just want the chance to go to school. Watch as we add to this blog space, and we’ll post updates on Facebook too!
This idea to start African Girls Can has been percolating and simmering for a while. It seemed overwhelming at times to get it organized, but we kept pressing on. As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done!” We are excited to see where this project leads and meet new people along the way. Thank you for visiting our website!
-Alecia
