Project Good for Girls, Inc

Happy International Day of the Girl 2024!

Please join us once again in commemorating the day by supporting our annual fundraiser in support of girls' education and skills-building!

[Give online, or see below to buy tickets to an in-person event in NYC in connection with this fundraiser.]

It's hard to believe, but this is Project Good for Girls 10th anniversary! For the last decade - through the generosity of our supporters - we have supported small non-profit organizations working with disadvantaged adolescent girls, with micro-grants to pilot initiatives or help them expand their programs. We have worked mainly in Ethiopia and Afghanistan.

For this year (2024-2025), we are raising funds specifically to help our project partner - Girls Gotta Run Foundation in Ethiopia - pilot an exciting new initiative - SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING!

Why self-defense?

Abduction or 'telefa' continues to be practiced in Ethiopia, where men kidnap girls, rape them, and then legally and culturally claim them as wives. The issue began receiving international attention due to the brave actions of girls who stood up for themselves and women who supported them, including as depicted in the 2014 film 'Difret'. The practice is prevalent particularly in the Southern region (where the GGRF Soddo programme is), with estimates that 1 in 5 child marriages are due to telefa.

The mothers of our athletic scholars in Soddo have specifically asked for self-defense training for their daughters in hopes this will prove a deterrent. The issue was raised during a recent visit by GGRF staff to a Mothers' Group meeting, where the women shared that they feared for their daughters' safety as they walked to and from school. One mother, Mebrat, described how she was abducted as a girl and later abandoned as a pregnant young woman. She is raising her daughter alone, working as a hairdresser. "Now I want better for my daughter than the life I have had. My main dream is that my daughter will choose her own path, as I was not allowed to do," she said.

In May 2024, we provided a $4000 micro-grant to help kickstart an initiative to integrate self-defense training into the life-skills portion of the scholarship program. There is significant interest by girls and their families to participate. Now, we are hoping to raise more to help develop the effectiveness and sustainability of the programme.

IF YOU LIVE IN NYC:

PLEASE JOIN US AT THE PROJECT GOOD FOR GIRLS HOLIDAY PARTY, FEATURING SENSEI AMELIA SHEFTALL

When: December 11th, 2024, 7.00-9.00pm

Where: David Dupuy Studios, 45 West 29th Street, Suite 301

What: Some wine, some food, an inspiring speaker, and fun mingling and conversation

Tickets: $25 (or more appreciated!). Use the donate button on this fundraiser to buy, then send names of attendees through our website - www.goodforgirls.org

PARTNER PROJECT SUCCESSES

Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF)

In Ethiopia, where GGRF operates, although 95% of girls begin their education, only about 20% complete secondary school and just a tiny fraction go on to tertiary education. Child marriage, where girls are married off before age 18 (often right when they hit puberty) continues to be a serious problem. Once a girl is married, her access to education and peer networks ceases, and motherhood follows soon after despite the girl still being a child herself.

GGRF’s mission – through athletics and life skills – is to increase the number of girls staying in school, while also increasing their self-confidence, access to economic assets, and control over life choices.

In Bekoji and Sodo, over 175 girls participate in the programme receiving full athletic scholarships which provide tuition, exam fees, school lunches, school uniforms and hygiene supplies, full running gear, life-skills education, and access to showers and laundry. Medical subsidies are also provided for each girl and her mother. The athletic scholars meet three times per week to run as a team and train under the direction of their Coach. Their schedule allows them to train without sacrificing the time they need for homework and family obligations. The Girls Gotta Run teams also compete in one local race annually.

Since the launch of its athletic scholars programme in 2014, 98% of girls who completed the programme have delayed marriage and childbirth (before 18 or before completing secondary school). 96% have finished or are on track to finish secondary school, and a significant number have gone on to college and tertiary vocational studies. In addition, GGRF has made an important impact on the community, reaching over 1400 people including parents, siblings, and community leaders.

A few years ago, Project Good for Girls helped GGRF to establish savings and entrepreneurship groups for the mothers of the athletic scholars. These Mothers' Groups are provided with a 5-day business development workshop, seed capital to establish a savings group, and the weekly oversight of a female savings group manager. At the end of the pilot three-year program, participating mothers were invited to continue to invest in and develop their savings groups. This program strategy equips mothers with the knowledge, tools, and mentorship needed to build financially resilient futures for themselves and their families. Many of these women were once child brides themselves, robbed of their youth and potential -- they are committed to a different future for their daughters, and to raising each other up to forge their independence and improve the lives of their families.

As partner, we hope to continue supporting GGRF to expand its support for adolescent girls both joining the programme, and as alumni so they can continue with their studies and give back by becoming life-skills mentors to the younger girls. We also hope to help strengthen the Mothers' Groups to promote community-led women's and girl's empowerment activities.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL 2023!

Once again, we’re commemorating the day by launching our annual fundraiser in support of girls’ education and skills-building!

Over the last few years, our grant project partners have been working extremely hard to get ahead of an onslaught of tough challenges due to COVID-19, inflation and severe political instability in their countries. Their tireless efforts are truly impressive and inspiring, and have allowed many of the girls we support to continue with their learning.

We hope you will join us to help provide critical support over the coming year, especially in light of new funding challenges caused the effects of global inflation. Every bit counts!

PARTNER PROJECT UPDATES

Girls Gotta Run Foundation

In Ethiopia, where GGRF operates, only about 25% of girls go to secondary school. Far fewer graduate and just a tiny fraction go on to tertiary education. Child marriage, where girls are married off before age 18 (often right when they hit puberty) continues to be a serious problem. Once a girl is married, her access to education and peer networks ceases, and motherhood follows soon after despite the girl still being a child herself.

GGRF’s mission – through athletics and life skills – is to increase the number of girls in school, while also increasing their self-confidence, access to economic assets, and control over life choices. Because of the pandemic and political conflict, restoring regular programming has been especially hard. However, over the course of 2022-2023, both staff and partners have worked immensely hard to get things back to normal programming.

In Bekoji and Sodo, a total of 75 adolescent girls were added to the programme (increasing from 160 girls in 2022). They all receive scholarships which provide tuition, school lunches, school uniforms and hygiene supplies, running kits, life-skills education, and access to showers and laundry.

Since its launch in 2014, 98% of girls who completed the programme have delayed marriage and childbirth (before 18 or before completing secondary school). 96% have finished or are on track to finish secondary school, And a significant number have gone on to college and tertiary vocational studies. In addition, GGRF has made an important impact on the community, reaching over 1400 people including parents, siblings, and community leaders. One example of this impact is the establishment of Mothers' Groups -- these are voluntary groups run by the mothers of GGRF scholars, who support each other to become financially independent and expand their entrepreneurial skills and opportunities. Many of these women were once child brides themselves, robbed of their youth and potential -- they are committed to a different future for their daughters, and to raising each other up to forge their independence and improve the lives of their families.

In Sodo, the Mothers' Group, which was newly set up in 2022, is now at the stage where they make loans to one another, after reviewing each other's practical business plans (such as buying two chickens to sell the eggs). The group unanimously agreed to award the very first loan to one of the mothers who needed emergency care for her son with malaria, resulting in the boy making a full recovery. "The Mothers' Group really saved a life," said Kiddist, GGRF programme manager in Sodo.

As partner, we hope to continue supporting GGRF to expand its support for adolescent girls both joining the programme, and as alumni so they can continue with their studies and give back by becoming life-skills mentors to the younger girls. We also hope to help strengthen the Mothers' Groups to promote community-led women's and girl's empowerment activities. Our 2023-2024 contribution will be especially critical to help keep the organization running in light of recent financial constraints related to inflation.

Girls Gotta Run Foundation is registered as a 501c3 organization in the United States.

(Photo: GGRF athletic scholars busy training; photo courtesy of GGRF)

(Drawing by CtI student Farahnaz Osmani; courtesy of CtI)

Code to Inspire, Afghanistan

The upheaval and turmoil In Afghanistan caused by the seizure of power by the Taliban in 2021 continues to disrupt the lives of millions of women and girls living there. Education is prohibited for girls and women.

After the Taliban took over in Herat in August 2021, CtI was forced to cease operations and figure out how to adapt to the unsafe and highly volatile situation. All schools for teenage girls were closed permanently. In October, CtI's entire coding and graphic design curriculum was moved online using Google classroom. After assessing students’ needs and technical capabilities, laptops were provided to girls who needed them, along with monthly internet subscriptions so all students could continue their online classes. Through our flash fundraising appeal in October 2021, we were immensely grateful to all our donors for helping to provide $12000 in urgent funds to CtI to help meet their students’ and families' immediate needs during the crisis, which included food, medicine, rent assistance and internet access.

A year later, through sheer, unrelenting persistence, CtI received permission to renew its work permit, meaning that its coding school could legally reopen. In October 2022, a new graphic design class welcomed 200 girls and young women (a one-year tertiary afterschool programme), and 80 students began a full-stack web development course. However, completely unexpectedly, on 20th December 2022, the Taliban declared that all education and extracurricular activities for women and girls, including tertiary/university students, would be suspended indefinitely.

Once again, CtI had to adapt rapidly, and shift all its operations and programmes online. Your support helped to keep courses running through the purchase of devices and internet access. In October 2023, testament to the resilience of Afghan women and their strong desire to learn, CtI introduced three new cohorts specializing in Graphic Design, UX/UI, and Motion/Animation. 80% of its students have been able to continue learning, and many young women have also been able to continue earning an income through remote work contracts that help support their families.

Sadly, disaster struck again just last week, when a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan's northwest region, particularly affecting Herat province. Thousands of people lost their lives, were badly injured or remain missing - 2/3 of the victims are women and children.

As partner, our support will go towards meeting whatever needs are most pressing among the students of CtI, including emergency and medical care, and food and hygiene supplies. We are holding our partner and their staff and students close to our hearts at this awful time.

(Photo: Farahnaz Osmani and a drawing she has titled 'Hope'; courtesy of CtI)

Code to Inspire is registered as a 501c3 organization in the United States.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL 2022!

We’re commemorating the day by launching our annual fundraiser in support of girls’ education and skills-building!

Over the last few years, our grant project partners have been working extremely hard to get ahead of an onslaught of tough challenges due to COVID-19 and severe political instability in their countries. And while there are definite successes to report, there is still much to do to get things back on track.

We hope you will join us to help provide much-needed support over the coming year. Every bit counts!

PROJECT UPDATES

In Ethiopia, where GGRF operates, only about 25% of girls go to secondary school. Far fewer graduate and just a tiny fraction go on to tertiary education. Child marriage, where girls are married off before age 18 (often right when they hit puberty) continues to be a serious problem. Once a girl is married, her access to education and peer networks ceases, and motherhood follows soon after despite the girl still being a child herself.

GGRF’s mission – through athletics and life skills – is to increase the number of girls in school, while also increasing their self-confidence, access to economic assets, and control over life choices. Because of the pandemic and political conflict, continuing regular programming has been especially hard. However, through sheer perseverance and the hiring of new, dedicated staff, work is getting back to full strength.

Over 160 adolescent girls receive scholarships which provide tuition, school lunches, school uniforms and hygiene supplies, running kits, life-skills education, and access to showers and laundry. New girls are being added to the programme for the 2022/2023 school year, with a focus on girls who lost out because schools were closed during the pandemic.

Since its launch in 2014, 95% of girls who completed the programme have avoided early marriage (before 18 or before completing secondary school). And a significant number have gone on to college and tertiary vocational studies. We hope to support GGRF to assist alumni to continue with their studies and give back by becoming life-skills mentors to the younger girls.

Photo: GGRF alums who will act as mentors for the programme in Sodo, Ethiopia; they continue to receive small stipends to help with their further studies. (Photo courtesy of GGRF)

The upheaval and turmoil In Afghanistan caused by the seizure of power by the Taliban in 2021 continues to disrupt the lives of millions of women and girls living there. Secondary schools for girls remain closed.

After the Taliban took over in Herat in August 2021, CtI was forced to cease operations and figure out how to adapt to the unsafe and highly volatile situation. In October, the entire coding and graphic design curriculum was moved online using Google classroom. After assessing students’ needs and technical capabilities, laptops were provided to girls who needed them, along with monthly internet subscriptions so all students could continue their online classes. 

Through our flash fundraising appeal in Sept-Oct last year, we were immensely grateful to all our donors for helping to provide $12000 in urgent funds to CtI to help meet their students’ and families' immediate needs during the crisis, which included food, medicine, rent assistance and internet access. Today, 80% of CtI’s students are on track to complete their classes using Google classroom.

Through unrelenting persistence, and never giving up hope, CtI finally just received permission to renew its work permit, meaning that the coding school can legally reopen. For 2023, this means that a new graphic design class can be held for 180 girls and young women as a one-year afterschool programme (tertiary level only). We hope to support CtI with a grant to roll out this class, purchase new equipment and furniture for the school, and subsidize internet costs.

Graphic by Zainab Azimi, one of Code to Inspire's top graphic design graduates. (Photo courtesy of CtI)

--------------------------------

Project Good for Girls is an all-volunteer-run not-for-profit organization that supports girls to gain the education, skills and self-esteem they need to become independent, empowered adults able to realize their full potential and be forces for change in their communities. We believe that when girls are empowered and given opportunities to succeed, they hold the key to positive development – socially, economically and politically – in their communities. At the root of this empowerment is education, including skills-based learning.

We partner with other non-profit organizations and grassroots community groups that work to empower girls, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, and those who have suffered violence or live in insecure or threatening situations. We help facilitate, grow or move forward initiatives, including through offering small, high-impact grants, and working directly on partner-led joint projects.

Project Good for Girls is a 501(c)3 registered charity in the United States. www.goodforgirls.org

Code to Inspire is a 501(c)3 registered charity in the United States.

Girls Gotta Run Foundation is a 501(c)3 registered charity in the United States.

All funds raised will be sent directly to these entitities for disbursement.

-------------------------------

Code to Inspire is the first computer coding school for girls in Afghanistan. We at Project Good for Girls started our partnership with them in 2020, right in the middle of the global COVID-19 outbreak, by raising much needed emergency funds to help provide internet access to girls who had to continue their work at home when the coding school was forced to close. We also contributed professional tablets to kick off a new advanced graphic design programme at the school. The school re-opened and 75 girls were able to graduate this year in coding and graphic design - several of the girls were already earning an income building websites and apps for companies.

Things changed drastically over the last few weeks.

In light of recent events in Afghanistan, we are launching this urgent fundraising appeal to help the girls of Code to Inspire, who have overnight seen their living situations deteriorate rapidly. We have a generous donor who will match up to $2500 in funds by midnight 27 Sept (EST), so every dollar you donate will become two.

Monday Sept 19th was the first day back at school in Afghanistan under the Taliban. But only for boys.

Fereshteh Forough, the founder of Code to Inspire has received many urgent messages for help from the girls and their families as the humanitarian crisis continues to grow more dire, especially for girls and women.

In her own words:

"These past weeks as much as I was worried and concerned about the future of our girls with our coding school, I received heartbreaking messages from our students whom either themselves as the main breadwinner of the family or someone from their family lost their jobs and have no income at all which led to food insecurity, not being able to pay rent, medical needs, commute and etc.

Here are a few of the messages I received:

"I don't have a father and our situation at home is very bad."

" My father is disabled and my mom and I were the breadwinners. We both lost jobs. Any help can save us."

"My mother was a government human rights lawyer. The Taliban took my father as hostage to force my mother to resign which it happened. My father is hidden and we don't have any source of income since my mother lost her job."

"I don't have a father. I was the only breadwinner. My mother is sick and we have to pay for her medical bills which we don't have any money for."

There are currently 80 students asking for cash assistance to support their families. With an average family of six, cash assistance of $200 per family can help cover food, rent and medical expenses.

Every bit counts if you can spare it. Thank you for your help.

[45 graduates of the graphic design programme at their graduation ceremony in June 2021. Photo courtesy of Code to Inspire]

Project Good for Girls is an all-volunteer-run not-for-profit organization that supports girls to gain the education, skills and self-esteem they need to become independent, empowered adults able to realize their full potential and be forces for change in their communities. We believe that when girls are empowered and given opportunities to succeed, they hold the key to positive development – socially, economically and politically – in their communities. At the root of this empowerment is education, including skills-based learning.

We partner with other non-profit organizations and grassroots community groups that work to empower girls, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, and those who have suffered violence or live in insecure or threatening situations. We help facilitate, grow or move forward initiatives, including through offering small, high-impact grants, and working directly on partner-led joint projects.

Project Good for Girls is a 501(c)3 registered charity in the United States. www.goodforgirls.org

Code to Inspire is a 501(c)3 registered charity in the United States.