A note from Days for Girls International:
Heads up! We have a rather large request for July 1st. 600 kits for
Uganda for Worldwide Orphanage Relief Corporation. We need to have this
ready to go by June 15th. DFG Chicago has a huge commitment too, 1200
kits. And... if they are getting close... DFGI could use shields, liners
and supplies in a big way in coming weeks as we are about to empty out
almost everything we have to fulfill recent requests AND the Africa
trip. Whoo hoo! It's terrific to have so many opportunities to reach so
many girls!!
Let the Travel Fundraising Begin....
I just created an account on "Go Fund Me" to take donations for my trip with Days for Girls next year! Check it out- HERE
June's Meeting
Preparations have already been made (by me!) for June 9th's meeting at Messiah. I have cut out ONE HUNDRED shields, and I have lots and lots of flannel and hemp fleece for the liners.
Here's our problem, though: WE NEED PUL!!! We are completely out. It is only available online, and there is a link in the "Buy Supplies" tab above if you would like to order it yourself. But... Days for Girls International can get it for us at wholesale prices- which means about half off the retail price. We only have three weeks until the meeting, and I'm assuming that the wholesale order would need to be placed fairly early to get here in time, so I'm going to make a deadline of Sunday, June 27th for monetary donations. That will give the manufacturer two weeks to get it to us. If we cannot raise enough funds for the full roll, we will just need to order it at retail price.
Here's our problem, though: WE NEED PUL!!! We are completely out. It is only available online, and there is a link in the "Buy Supplies" tab above if you would like to order it yourself. But... Days for Girls International can get it for us at wholesale prices- which means about half off the retail price. We only have three weeks until the meeting, and I'm assuming that the wholesale order would need to be placed fairly early to get here in time, so I'm going to make a deadline of Sunday, June 27th for monetary donations. That will give the manufacturer two weeks to get it to us. If we cannot raise enough funds for the full roll, we will just need to order it at retail price.
May's Meeting
This Saturday, May 12th is a regularly scheduled meeting date for Days for Girls Georgia. Due to previous commitment (AKA a little boy's martial arts tournament), I am going to have to cancel the meeting.
If anyone has collected supplies or donations, please bring them by Lutheran Church of the Messiah any Tues- Fri (9am- 1pm).
If anyone would like to cut fabric or sew from home in preparation for next month's meeting, please contact me!
If anyone has collected supplies or donations, please bring them by Lutheran Church of the Messiah any Tues- Fri (9am- 1pm).
If anyone would like to cut fabric or sew from home in preparation for next month's meeting, please contact me!
Today's Lessons Learned
1. Don't wait till the last minute to ship a package. 'Cause you'll end up paying half your salary in postage.
Yeah. That's what I did today. I've been working on an order of 60 Days for Girls kits (I shipped 30 of them), and I just finished the last of the liners and packaged this morning. In my infinite wisdom, I was thinking, "I know the deadline is today, but SURELY the trip isn't until next week." Uh... yeah... well... I was WRONG! The trip is tomorrow. So how much does 26 lbs from Georgia to Virginia cost with FedEx Overnight..... $196. Ouch! But the cashier was really nice and helpful and seemed very interested in DFG. Maybe I recruited a new volunteer.
2. Good things happen.
I got an email from my boss today asking if I had submitted an article about DFG Georgia to a local organization of Atlanta churches. I had not. But, lo and behold, their weekly newsletter said this:
So here's the very first shipment of 30 kits from Days for Girls Georgia:
Yeah. That's what I did today. I've been working on an order of 60 Days for Girls kits (I shipped 30 of them), and I just finished the last of the liners and packaged this morning. In my infinite wisdom, I was thinking, "I know the deadline is today, but SURELY the trip isn't until next week." Uh... yeah... well... I was WRONG! The trip is tomorrow. So how much does 26 lbs from Georgia to Virginia cost with FedEx Overnight..... $196. Ouch! But the cashier was really nice and helpful and seemed very interested in DFG. Maybe I recruited a new volunteer.
2. Good things happen.
I got an email from my boss today asking if I had submitted an article about DFG Georgia to a local organization of Atlanta churches. I had not. But, lo and behold, their weekly newsletter said this:
Every Girl in the world deserves education, safety, and dignity is the motto of Days for Girls. A Days for Girls Chapter has been organized in Georgia, in Decatur. Find out about this organization at http://www.daysforgirls.org/#! And contact the Georgia Chapter at lmessiah@bellsouth.netGood things also happen because within 5 minutes of shipping that invaluable package, I have three kind folks who agreed to help pay for it.
So here's the very first shipment of 30 kits from Days for Girls Georgia:
 |
| 30 girls lives changed for the better! Way to go DFG Georgia! I'm so proud. |
Sunday, April 15, 2012
This was a great day.
Last week, a group requested 60 DFG kits to go to Niger. The catch? They need them by THIS week! On super short notice, I informed our volunteers, but many had previous engagements. I ended up with myself and two other adults cutting and sewing liners and drawstring bags.
Jody did a great job seaming up the sides of the bags I had prepared at home, and then we had a few kids and their mom who dropped in for a bit threading the drawstrings into the bags. Jody had the idea at our last meeting to use a crochet hook to pull the strings through, but alas, we forgot them. But the kids came up with their own system! They taped two coffee stirring straws together and pushed the strings through. I love inventive kids!
The three of us (and various children) worked from about 1pm until 3pm when one of our adults had to leave. Myself and Tegan decided to keep pushing.... and we worked until 6pm! My sister even showed up the last hour with dinner, drinks, and to lend a hand helping the kids finish threading the bags.
At the end of the day, we had ready for distribution 40 bags and 160 liners. Combined with the kits we had pre-assembled at our last meeting, we now have 26 kits that are 100% ready to ship, two that just need the liners serged on the outside, and 12 more awaiting inserts. I plan to cut those out today and start serging to have them ready to ship to Virginia on Wednesday!
Thanks to EVERYONE who made this endeavor a reality for me, and most importantly, for the girls who will receive the kits.
Because EVERY girl in the world deserves education, safety, and dignity.
Last week, a group requested 60 DFG kits to go to Niger. The catch? They need them by THIS week! On super short notice, I informed our volunteers, but many had previous engagements. I ended up with myself and two other adults cutting and sewing liners and drawstring bags.
Jody did a great job seaming up the sides of the bags I had prepared at home, and then we had a few kids and their mom who dropped in for a bit threading the drawstrings into the bags. Jody had the idea at our last meeting to use a crochet hook to pull the strings through, but alas, we forgot them. But the kids came up with their own system! They taped two coffee stirring straws together and pushed the strings through. I love inventive kids!
The three of us (and various children) worked from about 1pm until 3pm when one of our adults had to leave. Myself and Tegan decided to keep pushing.... and we worked until 6pm! My sister even showed up the last hour with dinner, drinks, and to lend a hand helping the kids finish threading the bags.
At the end of the day, we had ready for distribution 40 bags and 160 liners. Combined with the kits we had pre-assembled at our last meeting, we now have 26 kits that are 100% ready to ship, two that just need the liners serged on the outside, and 12 more awaiting inserts. I plan to cut those out today and start serging to have them ready to ship to Virginia on Wednesday!
Thanks to EVERYONE who made this endeavor a reality for me, and most importantly, for the girls who will receive the kits.
Because EVERY girl in the world deserves education, safety, and dignity.
THIS SUNDAY!
We have been asked to fulfill an order for sixty kits by next Wednesday. We will meet THIS SUNDAY (April 15th) at:
Lutheran Church of the Messiah
465 Clairemont Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
12:30pm- 3:30pm (ish)
Bring a smile and a sharp pair of scissors! We will have two sergers and one sewing machine, so if you are able to sew, feel free to bring your machine as well.
Lutheran Church of the Messiah
465 Clairemont Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
12:30pm- 3:30pm (ish)
Bring a smile and a sharp pair of scissors! We will have two sergers and one sewing machine, so if you are able to sew, feel free to bring your machine as well.
Kits Needed!
We need 60 kits, minus soap and panties, ready to ship to Virginia by April 18th. Can you help?
Lutheran Church of the Messiah Welcomes Days for Girls
Last month, the women (and men!) of Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Decatur, Georgia participated in two days of sewing for Days for Girls. They were able to fully complete 12 kits (and 90% complete 55 more!) for girls who would otherwise go without.
Days for Girls is an international non-profit organization that reaches out to girls across the globe in a very personal way- providing hygiene kits. Each kit contains: a washcloth, underwear, soap, safety pins, and reusable cloth menstrual supplies. This kit costs approx. $8 in supplies and a half hour's time for the seamstress, but to the girl receiving it- it is priceless. It gives her 3-5 days of school back EVERY month. Along with the kit, she receives hygiene education from volunteers and/or nurses. She gains confidence in herself and loses some of the shame associated with "the curse" each month.
Each kit is estimated to last a girl for three years. Consider giving a few hours to sewing or collecting supplies for Days for Girls. It could add 81 days of education for a girl.
How Does Menstruation Affect Girls Worldwide?
Here's a topic that we do not hear much about- menstruation. Yet, every month, it happens. It happens to women in every income level and every country. So what happens to women in extreme poverty? In particular- what happens to YOUNG women in extreme poverty?
There are young women across the globe with inadequate access to sanitary supplies. Each month, these girls miss many days of school because they are unable to attend due to lack of supplies. In many places, girls are even exploited- forced to do unspeakable things in exchange for menstrual products.
How has it come to this? That I cannot answer. Periods have been visiting women as long as women have been. I'm interested in knowing what these girls' ancestors used for menstrual hygiene, though I suspect that missing school wasn't always an issue.
Regardless of the hows and whys, these girls are suffering. These girls need an education, they need empowerment and rights. They need EVERY day to follow their dreams, not just three weeks out of the month.
There are young women across the globe with inadequate access to sanitary supplies. Each month, these girls miss many days of school because they are unable to attend due to lack of supplies. In many places, girls are even exploited- forced to do unspeakable things in exchange for menstrual products.
How has it come to this? That I cannot answer. Periods have been visiting women as long as women have been. I'm interested in knowing what these girls' ancestors used for menstrual hygiene, though I suspect that missing school wasn't always an issue.
Regardless of the hows and whys, these girls are suffering. These girls need an education, they need empowerment and rights. They need EVERY day to follow their dreams, not just three weeks out of the month.
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