Hello, World! 01/11/2012
 Melissa Isabel - Columbia Welcome to Girl, Empowered. I started this site for a couple of reasons:
How to Change a Life Mary Joy, age 6 In 2007, frustrated with the state of the world and desperate to do something--anything--to make a difference, we decided to sponsor a child--specifically, a girl. In today's world, especially in third-world countries, girls and women don't get the same opportunities as their male counterparts, and these girls need every advantage to have any hope of rising out of poverty. Empowered girls become happy, confident, resourceful women able to earn a living and raise healthier, more resourceful families. In fact... There’s a growing recognition among everyone from the World Bank to the U.S. military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff to aid organizations like CARE that focusing on women and girls is the most effective way to fight global poverty and extremism. That’s why foreign aid is increasingly directed to women. The world is awakening to a powerful truth: Women and girls aren’t the problem; they’re the solution. --Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, NY Times  Mary Joy, age 18 So we sponsored Mary Joy from Legazpi City in the Philippines. She was 15 then and had been waiting for a sponsor since she was six. She wrote often to tell us about her life and family. She went to school, played with friends, helped out around the home. She loved to sing. She drew us pictures, and we sent her pictures of us and a drawing my daughter made for her. In the summer of 2008 we got a letter that said she has finished high school and was unable to go on to college as her family can't afford it. The plan for her life was to stay home and help her mother keep the house and garden until something better came along. I called Children International, the organization through which we sponsor our children (three girls now), and asked what it would take to get her into school. The rep told me they'd send someone from the field office to Mary Joy's house and find out why she wasn't continuing her education and what she would like to do if she had a choice. A few weeks later we received a letter telling us that Mary Joy wanted to attend computer secretarial college, but because her family (including relatives outside the home) were paying for her older brother Christian's second year of school, they couldn't afford to send her. Mary Joy's father, they reminded me, works as a laborer for about $3.69 a day. The cost for the first year of school, including uniforms, books, shoes, materials for projects, etc., was just under $1,300. This was in the ballpark of what we might spend Christmas shopping for both our families on a good year. What if we did this instead? This was something that had been bugging me for some time. I love the part of Christmas that is being with my family, but the shopping part, no matter how I tried to streamline it, wore me out. And let's be honest: while we'd love to think that the things we spend so much time picking out will improve people's lives, when you add it all up, how much bang are you really getting for your buck? My partner, Blunt, was all for it. We announced our intentions to our families, and a number of them signed on as well. We would each donate our Christmas shopping (and wrapping!) budgets to a charity or something similar, then we'd all get together at Christmas time, have stockings and yummy treats and dinner and family time, and share what we were able to achieve with the money. We'll ask others to refrain from buying us gifts, donating the money they would have spent as they choose, if they choose. It's a bold experiment for a bunch of consumer-happy U.S. citizens, but we were committed. We sent a check off for Mary Joy's tuition and supplies, and a short time later Mary Joy learned that she was to enroll in the next semester of college. After a few weeks this letter and photo arrived:  Mary Joy learns she's college bound. I'm so surprise learning that you will be sending me to school. I never expect it here right now in my hands that gift that you send. You know, I am really so lucky having such benevolent and wonderful sponsor. You are really a God's gift to me. In behalf of my family, we wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to you and your family. May the good Lord shower you with all his blessings. Thank you and God Bless, Mary Joy  Graduation, 2010 Mary Joy attended college for two years and graduated in 2010. When all was said and done, $300 was left over from the second year's school costs, and Children International contacted us to ask did we want the money back, or were we willing to let the family invest it in a hog farm which would allow them to increase the family's income. We said of course they should keep the money and start a hog farm. As far as we were concerned, it was already spent, and what a bonus! Mary Joy graduated from the Children International program in 2011, soon after she turned 19. At that time we transferred our sponsorship to her sister, Clariz Jane, who just turned 6. Mary Joy is now equipped to go out into the world and make a living. It makes me so happy to think how giving up shopping malls at Christmas for two years sent a young woman to college and helped a family start a business that I hope will provide for them for years to come. I get the knowledge that an intelligent young woman has an opportunity she wouldn't have otherwise because we broke an old habit and created a new one. This spirit of giving is far more rewarding than any Christmas joy I can remember feeling since I was very young. How much can you improve someone's life with your Christmas (or lunch, or cigarette, or magazine subscription) budget? You might be surprised.
What you see above is what Mary Joy's family was able to buy with the $200 "special gift" I sent in 2011. Another year I sent $100 and she got her first bed (previously she'd slept on the floor--the parents had the only bed in the house). But even the small gifts the girls get on their birthdays and Christmas, like new shoes, a new dress, a set of dishes or cookset for the home, can make a huge difference in the child's (and the family's) day-to-day comfort. As I wind down our first post, I'd like to introduce the rest of our international family. Click the pics to learn more about our girls. (Mary Joy also has her own page.) Check back for updates—we get new photos and letters often. And if you want to help but can't sponsor a child of your own, consider donating a buck or two toward a special gift for one of our girls. This blog and website are about empowering these girls and as many others as we can reach. Tune in for articles about how we can do just that, and about girls and women who are finding their power and using it to change the world.
Leave a Comment! I'd love to know what you think. I read and reply to all comments, so check the "notify" box to continue the conversation. CommentsAbby 01/11/2012 9:19am
Creating world peace by supporting and educating our women of the world. Thanks for the encouragement and good thinking. 01/11/2012 11:39am
Abby, thanks for reading and being my first commenter! I think we have a great lack of empathy in the world today, and empowering women can only make the world a more peaceful, loving place, in my opinion. :) 01/11/2012 10:30am
This is amazing. You are amazing. What an incredible thing you've already done, to help these girls - and now to spread that good work as far as the Internet can take you. You have wings! I'm so proud and so excited to see what you do with this. Congratulations! 01/11/2012 11:41am
Thanks so much, Elsie! I will always treasure the conversation about this very subject that really began our friendship. Thanks for your ongoing support and friendship! Tina 01/11/2012 12:05pm
Wow Mo! This story is amazing and brought tears to my eyes. I really had no idea that you could make such a difference in someone's life. You are an amazing person and I am lucky to know you. 01/11/2012 1:07pm
Thanks, Tina! I didn't realize either, which is why I want everyone to know. :D JonnyGirl 01/11/2012 12:33pm
Wow! Truly remarkable, amazing, wonderful wow! I just loved that you were able to transform Christmas into something so wonderfully special. 01/11/2012 1:08pm
JonnyGirl: Now see, that right there makes all the work I've put into this site so far worthwhile. Thanks so much for reading and commenting! :D Shelley 01/11/2012 1:11pm
That is wonderful - I have sponsored a little boy in Guatemala for many years but this is a inspiration to help beyond the basics - well done :) 01/11/2012 5:16pm
Thanks, Shelley! I hope you've had as rewarding an experience as we have. I'd love to hear more about your boy and which organization you sponsor through. Glad you found your way here! Theresa Wood 01/11/2012 3:48pm
Great Job Marti - you amaze me at every turn! Sorry to be annoying you with Relay Stuff :) , but I think you understand about a passion for something! Thank you for Sharing! I really think what you are doing is wonderful and you can annoy me anytime! You are Superfantastic in every way! 01/11/2012 7:00pm
Theresa: Your updates never annoy me! Thanks so much for stopping by and reading, and thanks for saying sweet things! <3 01/12/2012 9:52am
I love Girl, Empowered! I was lucky to be born in a prosperous part of the world, and have opportunities denied to many. Your site reminds me how lucky I am, not only to have these things, but to have the chance to help provide some of that to others (like my foster child Joseph, in Zambia). Wendy 01/13/2012 6:34am
wow Marti, 01/13/2012 12:36pm
Love you too, Wendy! Thanks so much! Please let me know if you end up sponsoring a child or how you decide to participate. :) Jeni Wilson 01/13/2012 12:52pm
This is so absolutely and utterly AWESOME what you are doing Marti. I believe that this is going to have a domino effect that will snowball into something even bigger than the monumental impact that you are having on changing girl's lives around the world. So many are oppressed and led to believe that they are just vessels to make more children, satisfy and take care of their husbands, all the while with no voice or rights. This is going to change that in a big way. Brava girl. 01/13/2012 4:06pm
Thanks, Jeni! I really hope you're right. I am already aware of one little girl whose sponsorship was "inspired" by GE. I can't wait to post about her! :) Leave a Reply |
About GEGirl, Empowered is a blog/website dedicated to the prospect of empowering girls worldwide. We write about girl power and about our sponsored girls around the world. What You Can Do:
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CategoriesAll ArchivesApril 2012 AuthorMarti McKenna is a writer/editor/artist living in Seattle, WA USA. She tweets at @martimckenna and blogs about other stuff at martimckenna.com. Like What We're Doing?
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