Hello Everyone,
Here’s what we’ve been working on:
Six more girls in the Kinship Care program have been matched with sponsors. That’s six more adolescent girls who are protected from orphanage care, trafficking and child marriage by the engagement of their relatives. That’s six more girls on their way to school and six more families with cooking fuel and food staples. Today the world is a little more just because of these sponsors. Thank you!
During my next trip to Ethiopia, I’ll be delivering 20 Days for Girls sanitary pad kits to the girls in Kinship Care. Girls miss school during menstruation, which causes them to fall behind in their classes. By providing pads, we can help girls stay in school and on the pathway out of poverty. Each pad was handmade by members of the Days for Girls YS Team and each kit contains a bag, soap, a washcloth, a pair of underwear, freezer bags and pads. The kits are not just practical, but beautiful. The girls are going to love them!
Earlier this month we hosted a holiday party at the neighborhood elementary school. All of the kids in Kinship Care attended. This holiday party may seem trivial, but such safe, joyful gatherings help children develop healthy relationships with adults and peers. Further, a playful interlude in a life of adult tasks aids in psychosocial development, helping children develop resiliency. This party provided the children with the opportunity to play, which is a rare treat for kids who spend their free time supporting their families. Play helps children make sense of their lives, deal with emotions and work through challenges. We believe that play should not be reserved for the childhood of the elite.
This past week Enhance Worldwide became the newest member of Girls Not Brides, a global coalition of organizations working to end child marriage. This membership strengthens our ability to fight early marriage and allows us to share our experience with colleagues across the globe.
Be sure to check out our Facebook page for pictures of the party as well as more updates and posts on issues related to our efforts to help girls develop agency, autonomy and aspirations.
Onward! Ashley
