Be a Penpal with Eli from Tanzania!

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Lauren Strupp

Meet Eli! She’s one of the two new Kisa Scholars now sponsored in the AfricAid program in Tanzania. The $4,000+ raised from sales of the She’s the First Flip cam collection funded her education, making all of YOU her sponsors.

Eli wrote to us this week, letting us that she’s now the head girl and expressing what it means to her to have your support and encouragement. We’re so inspired and moved by her words, and we know you will be, too:

thanks a lot ladies !!!!

i am doing well in school and i am very busy preparing my self for the terminals exams next week !!!
i have good news 4 kisa members and you sponsors!!!most of us have chosen to be leaders here at school!!! we had election last week and i am THE HEAD GIRL!! Now i can make what i learn in kisa IN ACTION!!! Lovely!!!
at SCHOOL I am doing HISTORY ,LANGUAGE ,PHILOSOPHY & SWAHILI!!!! SO HOPEFULLY I WILL BE JOURNALIST !! I HOPE TO READ YOUR MAGAZINES!!!!!!!
AM HAPPY BECAUSE NOW I CAN STAND AND TELL PEOPLE WHAT IS WRITE AND WHAT IS WRONG IN LIFE!!I LEARN TO FORGIVE AND FORGET!! THERE IS WHERE YOU CAN MOVE ON!!!IN KISA WE LEARN ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER AND MAHATMA GANDHI !!THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN LOVE! TEY SAY ,”LOVE YOUR ENEMY
!’”WHEN YOU LOVE AND FORGET & FORGIVE THEN YOUR LIFE BE PROGRESS!!!
IT IS GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE COURAGE!!!WHEN YOU HAVE SUPPORTERS!!! U FEEL YOU ARE NO LONGER A LONE !!!AND THERE IS WHERE YOU FIGHT TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME REALITY !!WE SHOULD NOT LIVE OUR DREAMS BUT WE ARE THE ONE MAKES OUR DREAMS LIVE!!!
KISA IS THE BEST FAMILY !!THE FAMILY THAT UP GRADE!!!I AM HAPPY BEING IN KISA !!I HOPE TO HERE BACK FROM YOU SO SOON!!!

Here’s the digital story she put together to tell us about her life. She’s already a digital storyteller!

Eli wants to be a journalist and help women and children, just like so many on the She’s the First team. Comment on her video and letter below and we will ensure she gets all your warm messages of support. Check back for her response!

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  • Tammy

    hi Eli!! WOW, congrats on being the leader of your class! What are the responsibilities of a head girl? Did you have to give a speech? Were there many girls in the running? What are your goals for the year? This is so exciting and fascinating, fill us in on all the great details!

    As you know, I majored in journalism, and this sounds like it will be such a great career path for you – already in your letters you make us so excited and jumping out of our seats to make a difference in the world! :-) There is so much power that can come from words. As we all know, words can hurt, but they can also heal. There is a journalist from the US whom many of us admire named Nicholas Kristof. Have you heard of him? He writes for the New York Times. He travels the world and visits people who cannot tell their own stories, to give them a voice, to help them rebuild their lives. He believes less about the big scary statistics and more about telling you the story of ONE person who represents thousands, if not millions. Because when you connect with one person, you can truly understand the BIG impact small actions can have.

    Can’t wait to hear more about your elections and what you will do as leader of your class this year, Eli! Hugs from She’s the First!

    XOXO, (that means hugs and kisses!)
    Tammy

  • http://www.hannahkaty.com Hannah Katy

    Dear Eli-

    Let me just start by saying this: You. Are. Amazing.

    I loved reading your letter and absolutely love your goals and dreams. I am excited to see your path towards journalism unfold. We are living in very exciting times and one of the best and greatest honors is to be one of the sources that others turn to when they need news. Real news. True news. Bravo for you!

    I love your messages of love and how very beautifully they are scattered on the page. Do you know that I write love letters for a hobby? To people I will never meet. But the reason I do it is the very reason that you just wrote above me…. love is all that matters. Love is the fuel behind all that we do. I think it is safe to say that Tammy and all the girls at She’s the First know it to be true. Just like you have your Kisa Scholar sisters, I have my She’s the First sisters and I am so happy that the two are able to mix.

    We are so happy to hear from you and even happier that this is just the very beginning to your education, your dreams coming true, and our friendship. Take care, Eli! You are beautiful and the world is at your heels.

    Best,

    Hannah Katy

  • http://www.bread.org Racine Tucker-Hamilton

    Dear Eli,

    I LOVED your story!Part of being a great journalist is the ability to tell good stories and you are well on your way. Congratulations on becoming “Head Girl.” I am very proud of you and I’m sure your family is too. I work for Bread for the World, a Christian anti-hunger/poverty organization in the United States. We work hard urging our decision makers to end hunger and poverty at home and in countries like Tanzania.Through my work I know that six out of ten hungry people in the world are women and girls are twice as likely to die from malnutrition as boys. It’s good to know you and other “Head Girls” in the world are helping to change those statistics. Please send me a copy of your next great story and we can post it on our website and share it with our networks. Keep up the good work and continue to dream BIG!

    Blessings,
    Racine