Monthly Archives: June 2010

Word of Mouth is Powerful — Here's Proof!

Remember how your parents once told you not to talk to strangers? Forget that — do the contrary! I strike up conversations everywhere — dentist waiting rooms, on the B train to work, in the cereal aisle at supermarkets, on airplanes. And twice already, these random encounters have led to great connections for my internship at She’s the First. Try my tactic out yourself. Chances are you’ll be able to successfully spread She’s the First by simple worth of mouth!

Michael Trainer at work. His mission? Create compelling media to support the work of innovative social change agents.

STF RANDOM CONNECTION #1: Michael Trainer.

How We Met: Last summer when my beloved Blackberry suffered a minor injury (never answer the phone in the shower…), I took it to my local Verizon store praying for a miracle. The man standing behind me had found his Blackberry in disrepair as well and before I knew it we were chatting about the ongoing Berries vs. iPhone battle and everything in between.

What We Talked About: I discovered that he’d damaged his phone on a trip to Kogelo, Kenya, President Obama’s ancestral village home. Michael surveyed villagers’ perspectives on the democracy and change that an African in the White House would bring and got a chance to examine the village’s shift from Africa’s largest slum to a place where Obama’s familial roots lie, while celebrating Obama’s electoral win there with them.

How This Was Special: An honest stranger was recounting to me, another honest stranger, one of the most life-changing events in his life. He was telling me the blueprints of what he wanted to change in the world, how he wanted to do it, and I was listening. All in a Verizon Wireless Store.

The End Result: We casually exchanged information and didn’t talk until long after that. When we happened to find each other on Facebook and LinkedIn, I wasn’t the least bit surprised to find that Michael is currently the strategic media consultant to the Columbia University Center for International Conflict Resolution and now also director of his own new non-profit, See Change Global, whose mission is “to use innovative media for education and social change; to be a bridge-builder connecting individuals and communities committed to innovative solutions to some of our greatest global challenges.” (Sound familiar? Just like She’s The First!) I email introduced him to our founder Tammy, and we’ll be connecting when he returns from a trip to Africa in mid-July.

STF RANDOM CONNECTION #2: Vera Sullivan.

How We Met: While walking home from work June 10, Vera stumbled upon our red carpet outside of Santos Party House for GIRLS WHO ROCK, and as I was the one holding an official She’s the First clipboard, she waved me down to inquire about our organization.

What We Talked About: As PR intern for our GIRLS WHO ROCK benefit concert, I assisted in backstage production, helped out in the Green Room, and even managed to snag a hug and pictures with lovely performers Kat DeLuna, Shontelle, and Vita Chambers. While these few behind-the-scenes moments made me feel glamorous, it was Vera who made me feel like a rock star! As I told her more and more about our nonprofit, her praise and fascination in an organization she had literally found on the side of the street were heartwarming to say the least.

The End Result: Vera and I scheduled a phone call, and I learned about more about her lifelong commitment to the diversity community. She was the first to do outplacement counseling and diversity placement for the legal profession as President of DiversityForce LLC, a company dedicated to the career advancement of diversity professionals.Vera and I are having lunch together next week!

Who’s the last person you told about She’s the First’s call to action to sponsor girls’ educations? Tell us below!

Hey Non-Profit Friends — Win $1,000!

Breakfast with the Shatterbox founders, Megan and Amanda, this month

Remember one month ago when She’s the First won the very first “Make Your Mark” $1,000 award from Shatterbox.com? When I met the founders Amanda Holt and Megan Bowers for breakfast at Cafe Cluny to receive the check, it was like our first mini Publishers Clearing House moment!

We just want to remind our innovative friends in the non-profit world that you too can win $1,000 to help offset the expenses of your world-changing work — each month, a $1,000 Make Your Mark prize is awarded. Apply here today, and sign up for your own free account on Shatterbox. Shatterbox is the perfect place to go when you need courage to chase your dreams… Amanda and Megan capture the journey of entrepreneurs and innovators in high-def vignettes. (Look for an upcoming one featuring She’s the First!!)

Our $1,000 will go a long way in helping us pay for start-up costs of our marketing materials, like these postcards we recently ordered and have been distributing like crazy everywhere we speak about She’s the First — at conferences, on the street, on campus, dinner with friends, you name it!

Once again, we’d like to thank Shatterbox for being the first to award our campaign with this needed boost for our operational budget (since every dollar you donate to a girl goes to her education). Thank you!!! We’ll make you proud.

With $1,000 in the bank, we're able to pay for materials like these postcards, as well as other marketing and web design needs for 2010 that will translate into more sponsorships!

Posted in Founder's Updates | Tagged award, shatterbox | Leave a comment

She's the First Summer Reading Bookshelf

In my last post I told you about one of my new favorite books, How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World. The reading fun continues as I am proud to present to you…the She’s the First bookshelf!

She's the First Book Shelf You can join our book club on Shelfari to keep up with what we’ve read, what we want to read, and what books you think we should check out! Here’s a sneak preview of a few of the books on our shelf…

Half the Sky, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn: Half the Sky is the ultimate call to action for girls in the developing world. Kristof and WuDunn deliver compelling case studies about girls from all over the globe, with more facts than you’ll know what to do with. It’s a great introduction to why every girl needs an education, and I promise, once you’ve read it you’ll want to make sure every single student gets a chance to be the first.

Give a Little, by Wendy Smith: As we’ve mentioned many times on Facebook, we love Wendy Smith’s Give a Little. I am finally getting the chance to read it and it’s becoming a fast favorite. Wendy proves that giving just a little is not throwing a drop in the bucket – it’s the smallest donations that can make the biggest impact!

The Sandwich Swap, by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah, Kelly DiPucchio: Here’s a nice break from heavy research — a children’s book! Queen Rania is a huge inspiration to everyone at She’s the First, and she did not disappoint us with this adorable story. The Sandwich Swap teaches tolerance and acceptance through the story of two best friends from different worlds – the worlds of peanut butter & jelly versus hummus! As an added bonus, all proceeds from this book will go to Madrasati Jordan, Queen Rania’s education initiative to improve the learning environment in 500 public schools.

Zilch, by Nancy Lublin: CEO of DoSomething.org Nancy Lublin shares her secrets on how businesses can take a hint from non-profit organizations and do much more with a whole lot less. Lublin’s energy and enthusiasm bring this book to life, and the lessons she teaches can be applied to your life, not just your company.

Our shelf also includes some education-themed favorites: Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson and The Price of Stones by Twesigye Jackson Kaguri; and team-building book Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsiesh.

What books would you add to the She’s the First shelf? Head on over and put your favorites on the shelf or let us know in the comments. Happy reading!

Posted in Arts & Books | Tagged books, dosomething.org, greg morteson, nicholas kristof | 2 Comments

“At just the right moment, I light the match.”

Mia Hamm

“I am building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match.” -Mia Hamm

Ever since the day I picked up my first soccer ball, it’s been a great passion in my life. I spent nights, weekends, and many holidays traveling with the roughly the same team of girls for about 10 years, one of which is still one of my best friends to this day. For the last few weeks I have been lost in the 2010 South Africa World Cup. It’s absolutely fascinating to me. As I’ve been watching these amazing athletes compete, I’ve been reminiscing a lot about my times as a player. I learned so much in my time playing soccer, about sportsmanship, perseverance, friendship, and myself. My coaches taught me how to keep going when I thought I had no strength left in my body. My teammates taught me the meaning of friendship, sharing and team work. And then there was Mia.

Mia Hamm (now Mia Garciaparra), my childhood hero, taught me that any adversity could be overcome to achieve whatever your dream you may dream, whether it be winning a world cup in soccer or pursuing higher education (mine ended up being the latter). I will always remember the Mia Hamm poster that I hung in my room as a little girl. I vaguely remember it said something about how she loved orange soda, which I do too. I even chose the number 9 for a while because that was Mia’s number. Every little girl has their heroes, and Mia was mine.

Mia was born with a club foot and had to wear corrective shoes as a child, yet she has scored more international goals than any other US soccer player in history, male or female. She has two Olympic medals and was part of two FIFA women’s world cup championship winning teams. Not only was she a stellar athlete, but Mia, now a mother of twins, is also an author. She wrote a children’s book called “Winners Never Quit,” about the value of sportsmanship and perseverance. She achieved many firsts in her lengthy soccer career and inspired so many young girls to follow their dreams as well. Soccer ended up not being my calling in life, but through the playing of the game I learned so many valuable life lessons that have gotten me to where I am today. So, as I’m intently watching the Chile v. Brasil match on TV, I must say thank you, Mia.

Today, one of my modern day heroes, Queen Rania, has backed the 1Goal campaign promoting the completion of primary schooling by all boys and girls by 2015 AND to ensure that girls have the opportunity for education on all levels by 2015. On October 6th 2009, the 1GOAL campaign kicked off in a satellite-linked ceremony led by the 2010 FIFA World Cup host, South Africa President Jacob Zuma, Her Majesty Rania Al-Abdullah, Queen of Jordan, President of Ghana John Atta Mills, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of Spain, Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General and Sepp Blatter, the FIFA President. So far 9,630,974 people have joined. This combines two of my great loves: soccer and promoting education. Through the awareness that the 1Goal campaign receives, perhaps we will be able make significant progress towards the goal of promoting the girls and women’s opportunity for a quality education worldwide.

Hopefully all of you are enjoying the World Cup as much as I am (other than the heartbreaking defeat of the US team the other day!) Happy Maisy Monday!

Posted in She's the First Intern Posts | Tagged 1Goal, Hillary Clinton, Maisy, Mia Hamm, Queen Rania, USA soccer, World Cup | 1 Comment

Guest Post from a New Mover & Shaker for She's the First!

Melanie Yvette Age 22 Temple University Graduate Creator of Fabulously Focused Magazine

Guest Blogger: Melanie Yvette, 22, Temple University Graduate Creator of Fabulously Focused Magazine

Editor’s Note: Melanie Yvette heard of She’s the First through word of mouth, attended GIRLS WHO ROCK for an introduction to the cause, and she isn’t looking back! Here’s why she cares and what she’s doing about it in Philadelphia.

I was sitting in a brief meeting at the Hearst Magazines Café, when a friend of a friend of mine mentioned three words I would never forget: She’s. The. First.

Recently, there’s been an unsettling restlessness in my bones. I’ve been yearning for the perfect outlet to reach out to girls and young women all over the world. I never really knew how I could do this. Yes, I have donated to charities and hosted some events of my own. But nothing since then has given me the breathlessness of excitement as much as GIRLS WHO ROCK [She's the First's benefit concert] did two weeks ago.

During my brief meeting, I heard the name Tammy Tibbetts. I would later beg for her information and bug her for about a week, expressing my interest to help. GIRLS WHO ROCK would be my first opportunity. I made a quick call to a friend in Harlem for a couch to crash on, bought my ticket, and I was on my way to one of the most life lovely nights of summer.

Lets do the math: Santos Party House + Red Carpet + Martinis + Shontelle singing my favorite song, “Impossible.” And of course, we add in New York City. Sum it all up: a fierce night on the town with one fierce mission at hand: to send girls, in third world countries, to school. Yep. That’s it. School. All they want to do is learn.

While some of us are dreading the “back to school” ordeal, complaining about summer classes and whining about the after-grad economy flop, these girls only imagine what its like to have what so many of us take for granted: an education. They dream of what it is like to raise their hand before their classmates and argue their way from a “B-“ to an “A”.

The beauty of this is that it doesn’t even take much. Did you know that in Malawi, it only cost $80 to send a girl to school? And GIRLS WHO ROCK gave us this chance to raise money while giving us a great concert, yummy bite-sized cupcakes, and a room full of women who want to empower one another. Need I say more?

Two weeks ago, I was a random college graduate, sitting in my little tiny Philadelphia apartment, bugging Tammy via email about getting involved any kind of way. I went from that to attending GIRLS WHO ROCK, to becoming a guest blogger, and now planning my own event for She’s the First in the fall. I am pumped to keep pushing through to help this foundation. You should be too. This is our chance to give young girls the education we are granted by our country without struggle or choice.

So please, do your part and help She’s the First continue its mission to give an education to these young girls. Stay tuned for my updates about my fundraiser in Philadelphia!

Posted in GIRLS WHO ROCK, Sponsor Stories | Tagged GIRLS WHO ROCK, philadelphia, temple university | Leave a comment

Two More Tanzania Sponsorships from Urban Girl Squad!

Great news — two more girls have just been sponsored at Village Schools International (VSI) in Tanzania via the She’s the First “Twice as Nice” campaign! As you may remember, the fundraising success of Notre Dame students led an anonymous donor to pledge that they would match all donations through She’s the First to VSI in the next sixth months!

The raffle at Urban Girl Squad's June 17th Summer Kickoff Party raised enough to send two girls to school through She's the First! (Amanda on far right)

Two more village girls can now go to school thanks to a brilliant idea by Urban Girl Squad founder Amanda Hofman. Urban Girl Squad is a social networking group for women in their 20s and 30s in NYC. Amanda plans several fun events a month, including June 17th’s Summer Kickoff Party at Polar Lounge at the Marcel of the Gramercy Hotel. At the cocktail party, each guest received a free raffle ticket, and for $2 each, they could purchase additional raffle tickets to increase their odds of winning cool prizes, ranging from yoga memberships to mixology lessons.

In total, $118 was raised. As you see in our directory, a VSI annual sponsorship of a girl is only $110. With the anonymous donor on board, the total doubled and covered the tuition of two girls — plus some money for extra books and supplies!

Amanda’s raffle is a wonderful example of how you can integrate support of She’s the First into an existing event. You can be creative a put a fundraising element into your party, even if you don’t classify the event itself as a “fundraiser.” Steve Vinton, the founder of VSI, expressed his gratitude below in an email — and we echo it!

Many thanks to you, Amanda, and to everyone who helped you pull it off. I love starting schools and I love teaching and I love giving kids who never dreamed that they would get to go to school that chance. You all have helped a really good thing to happen!

Posted in Sponsor Stories | Tagged fundraising, raffle, tanzania, urban girl squad | 1 Comment

Daily Life at a She's the First School in India

Art class at Shanti Bhavan Children's Project. The most vulnerable children in India attend the school -- but you would never guess their past misfortune from their present day smiles!

Editor’s Note: Shreya is guest blogging for She’s the First this summer. She is volunteering at an official She’s the First partner school in India, the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project, a school for the most vulnerable children in India. Although it’s summer vacation here in the US, school is in session!

The academic year has just begun here at Shanti Bhavan, and we are still recovering from the extravaganza that was the graduation ceremony for our first graduating batch!

As you can imagine, the first week got off to a slow start, but days are slowly becoming hectic. The toddlers returned to the school on Sunday, June 13th, and the campus is once again reeling with the laughter and cries of the little ones.

In any case, here is what the daily schedule looks like during the semester:

6.30 – 7.30 am: Grades 5-7: Morning Games, and Grades 8-12: Morning Prep

7.30 – 8.00 am: Baths

8.00 – 8.20 am: Breakfast

8.30 – 10.45 am: Classes

10.45 – 11.00 am: Morning Tea

11.05 – 11.20 am: Assembly

11.20 – 12.50 pm: Classes

12.50 – 1.20 pm: Lunch

1.20 – 3.35 pm: Classes

3.35 – 4.00 pm: Afternoon Tea

4.00 – 5.00pm: Grades 8-12 – Evening Games

4.00 – 5.30pm: Grades 2-4 – Evening Games

4.00 – 5.45pm: Grades 6-7 – Rest / Dormitory Chores

5.45 – 7.30 pm: Grades 6-12 – Evening Prep

7.30 – 8.00 pm: Dinner

8.00 – 9.00 pm: Grade 6 Night Prep

8.00 – 9.30 pm: Grades 7-12 Night Prep

9.30pm onwards: Bedtime!

As you can see, the days are certainly packed to the brim with activities and classes, and as the teachers and students get into the routine of classes, life at Shanti Bhavan will soon become busy and exciting!

Stay tuned for the next few visual posts of the school and the neighboring village, as well as some interviews of our senior girls in Grades 11 and 12 about their dreams, aspirations, and life at Shanti Bhavan!

Posted in Shanti Bhavan | Tagged daily life, school life | 2 Comments

YPulse.com

“Ypulse Interview: Cynthia Hellen & Tammy Tibbetts, Girls Who Rock”

Last week in New York, nonprofit global campaign She’s The First took a literal approach to amplifying cause awareness for girls’ education in developing countries by hosting Girls Who Rock, the organization’s first benefit concert.

Posted in Articles and Blogs | Tagged Cynthia Hellen, GIRLS WHO ROCK, Tammy Tibbetts, ypulse | Leave a comment

A GIRLS WHO ROCK Testimonial

Guest Blogger: Katie Corrado, Fordam University '12

Editor’s Note: After Katie Corrado attended GIRLS WHO ROCK, she wanted to get active in She’s the First…so we started her off with a guest blog post! Here’s her take on GIRLS WHO ROCK:

When I heard about the She’s The First benefit concert, GIRLS WHO ROCK, deciding whether or not to attend was a no-brainer. Of course I had to support! Tammy and I met through New York Women in Communications, where we are both two-time scholarship recipients. Attending the She’s The First concert was a way to not only support an extraordinary cause but also the work of one of my scholarship sisters.

I loved how the event allowed us to make a profound difference in the lives of others while still enjoying a terrific show. From the bite-sized stuffed cupcakes to the amazingly talented musicians, I had a blast. The concert struck the perfect balance between fun and fundraising. I also discovered some great new musicians whose sounds completely blew me away. (If you weren’t at the concert and haven’t listened to Cara Salimando before, check her out! She’s phenomenal and only 18!)

The crowd at Girls Who Rock. Katie was among them! Photo by Emily Tan.

Of course, the evening would not have been a fundraiser without speaking about the plight of girls in Tanzania, who all deserve an education and the opportunity to succeed (editor’s note: but only 25% get to graduate high school). Listening to Ashley Shuyler from AfricAid talk about creating an organization at such a young age was inspiring. Both she and Chris Bashinelli from “Bridge The Gap” showed that one individual can make a profound difference in the lives of other people. Their speeches were so important because their words helped bring awareness to a cause that most of us have never seen firsthand.

Sharing in this experience with some of my other New York Women in Communications scholarship sisters made the night truly memorable. We have all been given such amazing opportunities, and now, through She’s The First, we are able to give other girls the chance to succeed. The work of She’s The First reminds me of how fortunate I am, and how important it is to give back to the community, whether to a neighbor next door or someone halfway around the world. I’m happy that I was a part of this event, and I will continue to support of the work of She’s The First.

Posted in GIRLS WHO ROCK | Tagged GIRLS WHO ROCK | Leave a comment

Introducing our Summer Guest Blogger in India!

Shreya, She's the First guest blogger -- spending her summer at the Shanti Bhavan school in India!

Shreya, She's the First guest blogger -- spending her summer volunteering at the Shanti Bhavan school in India.

Editor’s Note: On the first day of summer, we introduce you to She’s the First’s summer guest blogger, Shreya Bhatt, who is volunteering at the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project in India. Shanti Bhavan is an official She’s the First partner listed in our directory of sponsorship programs. You can help sponsor a girl there!

For the past year, alongside my full-time job on Wall Street, I have been volunteering for Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project in New York. Most of my work so far has involved corporate fundraising and strategic vision and mission-related projects for Shanti Bhavan.

Girls at Shanti Bhavan Children's Project who Shreya will be mentoring and interacting with throughout the summer!

This summer, however, I am going to be spending two months at the school teaching and interacting with the students, staff, volunteers, and the rest of the Shanti Bhavan family, one that I have come to call my own.

I am excited to blog about this experience and share some interesting photos, dialogues, and other fun stuff with you via She’s the First. Stay tuned for updates!

Posted in Shanti Bhavan | Tagged volunteer | 1 Comment

New School, New Beginnings at Kopila Valley Children's Home

Girls at the Kopila Valley Primary School look out the window on their second day of school

One of my favorite parts of working with She’s the First is hearing school and student updates — which is why I’m ecstatic to be able to share with you this news: The Kopila Valley Primary School officially opened its doors! Two weeks ago today, on June 7, the school for the Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Nepal kicked off the school year.
The school building is designed with all local materials, mainly bamboo, and Maggie Doyne, founder, tells us that the curriculum will be innovative, going beyond traditional Nepali teaching techniques. They’re training local teachers to instruct in exciting and experimental ways, using lots of art, music, and theatre. Check out Maggie’s slideshow of the first day — I promise it will tug at your heartstrings.

The new school has a ton of after-school programs lined up, including sports, tutoring sessions, poetry programs, dance, and theatre performances. These programs, and the school’s facilities — including a library, computer lab, and health clinic — will be open to all children of Surkhet, not just students of Kopila Valley Primary. The school impacts the whole community in positive ways.

This year, the school will admit 250 orphan, abandoned, or handicapped children from throughout the Surkhet Valley. If you’d like to help support, you can find more info in our directory. And if you’d like to follow Maggie’s story, check out her blog.

Posted in Kopila Valley Children's Home and School | Tagged maggie doyne | Leave a comment

New Message from Elizabeth David!

Elizabeth David sends her GIRLS WHO ROCK/She's the First sponsors a second email message.

To all those who came to GIRLS WHO ROCK, as guests, donors or performers, or contributed online: Don’t forget Elizabeth David is one of the two Kisa Scholars that you sponsored, and she just sent us a new message. Don’t you love how she’s ready to “rock” the world as well?

Please leave a comment, as these email exchanges are part of cross-cultural lessons for us all. We will include your comments in our next reply to Elizabeth. Tell her about your job, your city, or your family — any tidbit!

Thanks a lot for your reply,i love movies so thanks.you really work hard dont you coz i can see that you have a busy schedule.I like eating sausage,fries,rice and mostly i love chocolates,i also love fruits and here in Tanzania there are many fruits.
Actually i do have a special goal and that is being an international business woman,in my country there are few business women but men are the ones which rock in the word of business here.I want to turn things upside down,i want to be an inspirational figure to other Tanzanian and african girls in general.
OK,I gotta go now but next time i will tell you about my family and can you send me your pictures?Bye for now..

First message from Elizabeth David

Posted in AfricAid's Kisa Project | Tagged elizabeth david, student letters | 7 Comments

She Donated Her Birthday to She's the First!

Tara donated her birthday to She's the First by using Facebook Causes.

Tara donated her birthday to She’s the First and its partner Goods for Good in Malawi through Facebook Causes! Read why in her special guest post:

When you think about it, everyone has the power to change the world for the better. And while it’s often easier to sit back and let others work tirelessly to make a difference, you’ll never get to feel the heart-warming satisfaction that “doing good” gives you if you don’t do something yourself.

So when I started reading about what She’s the First and their partners were doing, I felt that wonderful tingle of inspiration and decided that I just HAD to do something. As a busy mom of two young children, I don’t have as much time as I’d like to dedicate to philanthropic endeavors, but Facebook makes it super easy to raise money for causes you believe in. This year, I decided to use my birthday as a way of getting my friends to donate to my charity of choice: Goods for Good as part of the She’s the First campaign. I feel strongly about promoting the importance of education, particularly for the daughters of the world, and the message that with an education we can break barriers and become firsts–especially since I was the first woman in my family to go to college and then pursue a Masters degree (a good example for my own daughter). So far I’ve reached 25% of my goal, but I’ll continue to encourage people to look beyond their own families–and country–and realize that by supporting others we are helping the world move in a more positive direction. I hope that you do the same!

You can donate your birthday too! Email tammy@shesthefirst.org to find out which of our directory partners are on Facebook Causes, and you can fundraise for them as part of the She’s the First campaign.

Posted in Online Fundraising, Sponsor Stories | Tagged Facebook, facebook causes, goods for good, tara rummell berson | 1 Comment

Enter DoSomething.org's 60-Second Video Contest — Talk About Your Work for She's the First!

Show off your She's the First grassroots action in DoSomething.org's video contest with Clean & Clear!

We like DoSomething.org around here. Not only is it a thriving platform for youth 25 and younger who are changing their communities locally and globally, but it’s a non-profit that has awarded major grant money to members of the She’s the First network! Last year, Maggie Doyne, representing Nepal in our directory with her Kopila Valley Children’s Home, won the coveted $100,000 DoSomething Award to build her school…which opened this month!

This year, Jessica Posner, founder of the Kibera School for Girls and the Shining Hope Community Center — representing Kenya in the She’s the First directory — won $10,000 as one of the five finalists for the DoSomething Award — she may win $100,000 too on July 19 when the Awards air on VH1!

Now, with Clean & Clear and singer-actress Demi Lovato, DoSomething.org has a new challenge called “Join the Surge.” In 60 seconds, YOU can be a part of it AND represent She’s the First!

Here’s what to do: Record a 60-second video on how you are making a difference, such as by sponsoring a girl in the She’s the First network. Or, if you didn’t fundraise for a sponsorship, maybe you mentored girls in you community offline, and raised awareness about girls around the world online. Maybe you traveled to another country and volunteered to help impoverished families and their daughters. The possibilities are endless!

Submit the video here between now and September 15. The first 1,000 entries receive a free bracelet! The winner will fly into NYC to watch Demi perform live in concert, and more importantly, the video will air on VH1, bringing so much visibility to She’s the First and the power of girls’ education worldwide!

Posted in Founder's Updates | Tagged contest, dosomething awards | Leave a comment

Take This Book to the Beach!

A Must-Read During Summer Vacation: "How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World" by Jordan Christy

One of my favorite parts of summer is having the free time to read for pleasure. The first book I decided to read this summer — and one I believe you’ll all enjoy — is How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World.

Jordan Christy‘s guide to style, class, and grace is a fun read with an inspiring message: Every woman can change the world and be completely fabulous doing so.

Author Jordan Christy, based in Tennessee

As you may have remembered from a previous post, I am a student and sorority member at the University of Tennessee. There’s no place in the world where you will hear about class and gracefulness more than from the belles here in the south. (Jordan is a Tennessee girl too!) However, one thing about the word “class” that has always bothered me is that it’s almost always associated with being wealthy. Jordan cleared that assumption up — and made me fall in love with her book — very quickly.

The great thing about living with class, style, and grace is that is has nothing to do with wealth. Being classy is an attitude and outlook on life; the art of gracefulness is how we behave and act when no one is watching; being stylish is how we present ourselves to others.

When I read this passage I thought, “Yes! Finally! Someone gets it!” Realizing that our dignity comes from something other than our wallets is a lesson that so many girls need to learn, and this book is a fantastic way to do so.

Not only does it deliver a great message, but it’s fun to read! Jordan includes fantastic tips, some of her own favorite recipes, and even a few quizzes to help you determine your own personal style.

How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World ends with a call to action that is so important for women everywhere to hear. Jordan inspires women with one of my all-time favorite quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt: “It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.”

This quote perfectly describes the amazing people who have sponsored students through She’s the First. You CAN change the world around you; by lighting one small candle, giving one small dollar, and sponsoring one small girl.

So, grab your copy and get to reading! I promise you won’t have to write a book report, but I would love for you to leave some comments about what you think!

Posted in Arts & Books | Tagged audrey hepburn, Jordan Christy | 6 Comments

Inspiration

Spotted by She's the First intern Sydney Lowe on tumblr

Posted in She's the First Intern Posts | Tagged inspiration, photography | 3 Comments

First Female VP of Malawai Visits NYC — We Were There!

Ann Veneman, Former Executive Director of UNICEF, moderator Claire Gaudiani, Dr. Jane Aaronson of WorldWide Orphans Foundation, Vice President Joyce Banda, and Melissa Kushner, Founder of Goods for Good.

On Monday, She’s the First met the first female VP of Malawi, the Right Honorable Joyce Banda, at the free NextGen Africa forum hosted by Goods for Good, which is the Malawi member of the She’s the First network. You can send a girl to secondary school in Malawi via Goods for Good for only $80 a year! (Email me, tammy@shesthefirst.org, if you want to figure out how to pull it off!)

Here on vimeo, listen to the speeches from the Executive Director and Founder of Goods for Good, Melissa Kushner, and the Vice President. There was also a panel discussion, featuring the women pictured left, and an exclusive 8-minute screening of a new documentary called Moving Windmills, about a Malawi boy who built windmills to power his village despite naysayers. Below, read the She’s the First Cliff notes!

In Malawi, secondary education is not free. Only 27% of girls get to attend secondary school.
Vice President Joyce Banda has a foundation that gives secondary school scholarships to deserving girls.
Vice President Banda stressed the importance of partnership. It is vital that organizations entering a country involve the locals in the process and listen. Local chiefs, for example, are highly influential. Inform the culture, don’t overwrite it, and work with the leadership to achieve a shared goal.
Dr. Aaronson said the quality of schools is vital — schools that just encourage chanting back of information are not raising a new generation of leaders. We need to raise the bar.
Dr. Jane Aaronson of World Wide Orphans Foundation and also a Glamour Woman of the Year in 2009, meets the Vice President at the pre-forum networking reception.
Dr. Aaronson said that changing the world is overwhelming indeed, but “bite things up to small pieces.” Take it one step at a time.
In the audience, a woman who had worked several years at the UNICEF office in Malawi asked the speakers if they could tell people how much it cost to sponsor a child in school, since that is something actionable we can all do. We knew the answer!!

Thank you Melissa Kushner, and your tireless Goods for Good team, especially Natalie Bonifede and Patricia Schmiedigen, and your sponsor Merck for this rich educational experience! She’s the First is honored that we could attend and live tweet the action with #NGAfrica.

Posted in Africa | Tagged dr. jane aaronson, goods for good, malawi, orphans, UNICEF | 2 Comments

A Special Interview with an Avon Leading Lady

Christina TK, top Avon sales representative

Christiana Oduh dreams of opening a school in Nigeria to give back!

When Avon contacted She’s the First with the opportunity to interview Christiana Oduh, one of their top sales representatives, I jumped on the assignment! Using Skype, we connected face-to-face and I captured her story, to inspire all She’s the First supporters.

So cool connecting with Christiana on Skype!

Born in Nigeria, Christiana moved to the United States when she was in the 6th grade. She completed her elementary and high school education in Chicago, but her family had no money to send her to college.

“I remember seeing an Avon commercial when I was doing laundry one day when I was in high school,” she said. “The plan was that I was supposed to go back to Nigeria, but I didn’t want to do that without a college education. I was looking for ways that I could make money to put myself through college and after seeing that commercial I thought ‘oh! I can do that!’ so I called.”

She decided to try selling Avon products to help with the high costs of college tuition. Christiana started her own business, all while double majoring in economics and marketing at the University of Illinois. Not only was she able to support herself with her sales, but she quickly became one of the top representatives.

In 2007, Christiana was invited to speak at the United Nation’s International Women’s Day. There she sang the praises of the business that allowed her the time to be an independent woman, a mother, and a first.

“One thing that I can remember that I am very proud of that I am the first to do…I was able to get a chance to speak at the United Nations at the International Women’s Day in March of 2007. There is a need to empower women in the injustice of domestic violence against women; it is a huge issue that needs to be addressed. I was very honorably humbled to be a part of that. It was amazing to be a part of something so wonderful and so dear to my heart and to the heart of my company. I will never forget that experience.”

When I asked Christiana what was in store for her future, she lit up with a smile. Her hopes are to one day build a school in her hometown in Nigeria, with the help of her husband. “We are hoping that building a school in this village in Nigeria would bring hope and opportunity to the children and the community. It’s a chance for everyone from every walk of life to come together and see that there is hope in the chance to get an education.”

Christiana’s story is an inspiration to me personally for a number of reasons. Her will to succeed is outstanding, and obviously it’s brought her great success. Christiana has achieved so much for herself, and she is using that platform to encourage others to give back. Most of all, I admire her willingness to take the leap. Moving to another country with nothing is terrifying enough, but she went a step above in starting her own business and supporting her own education. Stories like Christiana’s are a reminder to me that sometimes you need to go with your gut. That little voice that told her to listen to the Avon commercial is the same one we should all listen to – maybe it’s telling you to start your own blog, become a doctor, or join the Peace Corps. Whatever it is, Christiana’s life is proof that you can take a big leap and get real results.

We always ask people what they are already the first to do, but I have a new question for everyone.

What are you going to be the first to do? I’ll start us off — I’m already the first in my family to do volunteer work in Haiti. Next I’m going to be the first to travel to Africa and run my own non-profit. Let me know what firsts you’re excited to start achieving, and remember to dream big. Christiana did.

“If a woman is empowered through education, she will pass it on to her children, and the world would become a better place.” – Christiana Oduh

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged avon, nigeria | 7 Comments

Rain, Rock, and Rococo…Maisy's trip to NYC!

My New York adventure began with getting lost on the subway (while making a friend from Senegal), walking down 34th St. in the pouring rain with all of my luggage (and no umbrella) and meeting the fabulous Christen Brandt. Despite looking like a wet rat when I got there, Christen gave me a big hug and we proceeded to grab some food and then stay up all night chatting about life and our ambitions. Besides, who could sleep with Girls Who Rock being the next day!?!

Christen and Maisy in Central Park

Christen and I headed over to Tammy’s place where I finally got to meet her as she was running out the door. A quick hug and we were off to run some last minute Girls Who Rock errands. We got to Santos Party House and started to get things ready with the rest of the She’s the First and Girls Who Rock team. All of the amazing artists started arriving. You could not have asked for more passionate and talented girls..who definitely rock. The event was a huge success thank to the passion and dedication of all of the amazing people involved. As a bonus, we had the truly fantastic founder of AfricAid, Ashley Shuyler, with us at the event. We raised enough money to not only send Elizabeth David to school for two years through AfricAid’s Kisa project , but enough so that another girl could join her for those two years. If you want to help us send a third girl to school you can still donate at www.giveforward.org/girlswhorock2010.

@ the Met

My last day in NYC was spent walking through Central Park with Christen and some of her friends from Pennsylvania that came up for Girls Who Rock, going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then having lunch with Tammy Tibbetts, Ashley Shuyler and Cynthia Hellen. All in all, it was quite a whirlwind but an amazing one shared with so many incredible people. I look forward to my next She’s the First adventure and getting to spend some more time with these crazy amazing girls!

Posted in AfricAid's Kisa Project, GIRLS WHO ROCK, She's the First Intern Posts | Tagged elizabeth david, New York City, santos party house | Leave a comment

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