Fund Study Camps for 35 Students in Tanzania

Dear Girls Ed and Project Wezesha Supporters, 

As with many nonprofits, we faced some challenges with fundraising this past year. There are so many wonderful causes to support and we know that at the root of one's decision to contribute is a personal connection. If you join us in supporting girls to attend our December and June study camps, you are guaranteed to find connection through the stories and updates we will be sharing with you!

This year, 10 of our girls are going on to post-secondary education programs! This is really remarkable given the odds that are stacked against them in rural Tanzania. Before our study camps, many of these girls were ranked low in their classes. They face intimidation studying in classes as the gender minority; they face pressures at home to do the chores that many boy children don't do; they face insecurity each month when they have their periods; and of course, they face worries about safety as they walk to and from school every day.

Nonetheless, our girls have persisted and excelled. Thanks to the study camps, their confidence has increased, their motivation to learn has increased, and according to reports from parents - their sense of responsibility and maturity has increased! They have also consistently moved up in class rank with teachers noting a change in their academic performance and confidence in class.

We are so proud of Rabia, Adija, Nasra, Edasta, Sada, Asia, Lois, Scolastica, Hawa, Secilia for doing well on their national exams during their final year of secondary school. As of this year, they have all started the next phase of their academic journey -- entering certificate programs or high school. 

This coming December, we'll be offering our 5th academic study camp! The cost to run one camp is $3500. We are blessed to have a donor who has come forward with an endowment to cover the costs of our June camps. Her request (challenge) to us was to engage our donors in a matching campaign to fund the December camps. Our benevolent  supporter, Shelly will put $1,000 toward our $3,500 December camp budget. But we need your help to raise the remaining $2500.

This holiday season - which is right around the bend - please consider asking friends to chip in, or even better, make a donation of your own in honor of a loved one for their favorite holiday -- Halloween, Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Boxing Day, Kwanza, New Years, or even Tanzanian Independence Day!

I will be going to the camp for 2 weeks this December, along with Shelly! We'll be sending updates from the field - personal stories, pictures, academic highlights, videos. Stay tuned and you'll see for yourself how your contribution is changing lives, one lesson at a time!

Thank you! Asante!

Rai Farrelly
& the Girls Ed Team