She's the First

Week 39: She's the First

She’s the First supports girls who will be the first in their families to graduate high school and trains students in leadership skills. Their goal is to enable and support the next generation of global leaders.

“When a girl is educated, she is unstoppable.”

With an education, girls “earn 20% more per year of schooling she finishes, are less likely to marry early, and have fewer and healthier children.” She’s the first does not only aim to get girls into school, they aim to get her all the way through to graduation. They identify girls who have both scholastic merit and financial need.

“STF Scholars may be good at math or biology, but they’re also able to help translate a land deed for their parents, or to lead a community project to fix a well. They’re local leaders, and they’re building all the skills they’ll need to get jobs, support their families, and change their communities.”

Services provided include scholarships, mentorship, health and wellness services, and when needed, housing. They also have an extensive network through their campus program across colleges who become informed about women’s education issues.

If you want to feel inspired this morning, check out their Scholar Stories, featuring girls in their programs.

Here’s to the next generation of strong educated women.

Have a terrific week.

Love,

Jodi

Population Services International

Week 38: Population Services International

Population Services International (PSI) encourages healthy behavior and works to make health products affordable. They work in the areas of “malaria, family planning, HIV, diarrhea, pneumonia and sanitation”.

They believe that health services and products are most effective when they are paired with communication efforts to inform people of the availability of these services to encourage wide acceptance and proper use. PSI works in partnership with local governments, ministries of health and local organizations. 

PSI is interesting because they take a multidisciplinary approach, using practices from business like marketing and franchising to make a dent in public health issues. They also have high standards for measuring impact. They apply research findings to every aspect of their work and conduct research to fill gaps in current knowledge.

Access to healthcare means not only that there is a clinic nearby, but that there is also awareness that these services exist. 

Here's to access. 

Happy Monday!
Jodi

Together We Rise

Week 37: Together We Rise

Together We Rise improves the lives of foster children, who “often find themselves forgotten and neglected by the public”. They provide kids living in the foster system with resources and teach volunteers and the public about the foster care system and the issues that plague it. 

“The foster care system can be a confusing and sometimes disheartening place, but through our fundraising and network of passionate volunteers, we strive to give foster children a brighter future, a sense of normalcy and belonging.”

Thousands of volunteers, partners, CASA advocates, and social workers to transform the experience of being in the foster care system. They provide a way for people to have a meaningful way to impact a child’s life who is in foster care, even if they cannot foster children themselves.

They provide thousands of foster youth things like “new bicycles, college supplies, and suitcases so that children do not have to travel from home to home with their belongings in a trash bag”.

While the video above is not connected to Together We Rise, I remembered this short film and the story it tells of one child’s experience while writing this week's email. I highly recommend it, but be forewarned - grab the tissue box.

Together We Rise is working to improve the foster care experience and to and to provide a “helping hand that foster youth need so that they may go confidently onto their futures.”

I want to be part of that. This week we can.

Here’s to being a helping hand. 

Together we rise,

Jodi