Ashley with kids she's met in Tanzania while working on AfricAid projects.
As a She’s the First Researcher assigned to keep tabs on AfricAid, one of the Tanzania partners in our directory, I recently had my quarterly check-in with Ashley Shuyler, the founder of AfricAid and its innovative, technology-driven sponsorship program called the Kisa Project. She’s the First sponsors three Kisa Scholars — Elizabeth, Grace, and Happiness — through the proceeds of our 2010 GIRLS WHO ROCK concert, as well as from sales of our branded Flip Cams in the Flip for Good store.
Elizabeth, Grace, and Happiness send us personal updates, which we post to our blog monthly, so Ashley filled me in on the overarching changes we can expect to see from the Kisa Project.
The Tanzanian school year runs from April into February, so the 23 girls enrolled in the Kisa Project will be on ‘vacation’ in just a few short weeks. But when they return in April, they will have 50 new classmates!
The Kisa Project will have 80 girls enrolled in the next school year, nearly quadrupling the number from its pilot year. The program itself won’t be changing though. The girls will have the same awesome opportunities to combine learning in the classroom with leadership and computer training.
Along with an increase in class size, we can expect a relaunch of kisaproject.org, which will include more social networking features. Not only will there be more opportunities for sponsors to interact with the students, but the site will also serve as a platform for the girls to network with professional women and role models in Tanzania.
What you can do: There are still some girls in need of sponsoring at the Kisa Project, so we encourage you to consider this program as the beneficiary of your fundraisers, even if you cannot cover an entire year’s tuition ($1,000). Your partial donation will be combined with other donations from She’s the First supporters and have a huge impact!
Do you have any questions for AfricAid? Leave them below. We’ll ask Ashley!
p.s. Don’t forget Ashley also authored a children’s book about a girl’s sponsorship in Tanzania – check it out here.
