Passion to share......

A year ago I was in the midst of a fundraiser for my 50th birthday. Deeply inspired by the works of the "Gift her hands" program at Passion to Share Foundation in Nairobi, I decided to celebrate my half century by asking people to donate money to this amazing organization. As my admiration for Lydia, Noel all the staff and women has only grown this past year, I decided to also celebrate my 51st birthday by raising funds. I know 51 is not as special as 50, but the reality is that whether I am 50, 51 or 60, the extreme poverty in the biggest African Urban slum (Kibera, Nairobi) does not change. What has changed over the past year is the size of PSF's outreach and success. I am thrilled to share that not only are they able to host 28 women instead of 16, among others thanks to last year’s Gofundme. Lydia was also invited to the United Nations in New York and in Nairobi to speak on behalf of Kibera single mothers. This woman is a rockstar to me. Lydia and Noel move mountains together, changing the lives of so many traumatized yet strong women who've known intense poverty and heartbreaking tribulations, but nevertheless show breathtaking courage!

As a reminder a very brief explanation about PSF: As a non-profit located in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa, their mission is “To be a force for eradicating poverty in African villages by bringing hope and a brighter future to young adults through, mentoring, technical skills development and entrepreneurship training.” PSF empowers young women and girls by providing a free 6 month training program in computer graphics and fashion & design (including tailoring skills). Through their “Gift her Hands Program,” Passion to Share is able to touch lives and improve the economic status of girls and young women in the slums. And last year when I visited in April 2023, I saw this with my own eyes. Since meeting Lydia and Noel have been sharing updates in the form of messages, pictures, letters and video’s. I was and still am deeply touched by what I saw and heard.

The women enrolling in PSF Gift her Hands program, like everyone else in the slums, often only eat breakfast and dinner, if lucky. They live with about 8 people in little shacks without windows and doors, of approximately 9m2 (12ftx12ft). They share a toilet (a hole in the ground) with around 150 people, for which they have to pay. Because there is no running water in the slums, people also have to pay for any water they need. So, what happens when there is not enough money for these basic needs--which often is the case? Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for women and girls to be forced into prostitution or criminal activities in order to survive. Trauma is thus a common result of life in the slums. And during my walk through the Kibera this was palpable. In Kibera, life expectancy is only 30 years! (In comparison, in the US it is 79, and in NL it is 82.) Despite all of this, Kibera also is a place of hope. PSF is living proof of this.

These women’s transition from surviving the slums to having a sense of dignity and ownership of their lives radiates from their stories. Not only does PSF provide them with a way out from merely surviving to having jobs by training and mentorships, it also helps these women and girls discover their talents. This is very valuable, as some of them did not even realize they had talents other than surviving. In addition, the women and girls realize that, with their newly gained skills, they could significantly contribute to their family and community, a sense of pride and self-determination being the result. In my opinion, these are perhaps the biggest gifts one may give and receive.

Last year we surpassed the goal of €1800 by almost €1200. Not only did people donate through my Gofundme page, also cash donations and money transfers came in. Even friends Kyra and Erwin celebrated their organic Bamboo company’s 25th anniversary by asking donations which they then partially donated to Passion to Share Foundation.

Also this year I hope to inspire you to support me in supporting Lydia and Noel in changing the lives of so many young women. To kick off this this year’s fundraiser I love to share this video of my compassionate friend Lydia speaking at the United Nations in New York: Breaking the Single Parent Poverty Trap (CSW68 Side Event) | UN Web TV