Hello friends and family,
I can’t believe I’m graduating from high school--May 2022!!  As I finish out my high school career, I wanted to take a trip someplace meaningful.  My mom and I decided to venture Bangladesh in July to visit the girls we sponsor through Speak Up for the Poor .

We need to raise $4000 to get to Bangladesh.  
The money we raise will cover our flights and our stay while volunteering with the girls.  It feels like so much money to me, but I have seen how God provides and gives us opportunities to join in His generosity to others as well.  

Speak Up for the Poor  is a nonprofit organization spearheaded by my Uncle Troy. Inspired by this Proverb: “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy,” the organization dedicates time and resources to educate the poorest of the poor girls in Bangladesh, providing an alternative to child marriage. 

We have Three Main Goals in Bangladesh:

·      We hope that this trip will lift up *Dee, Lula (the girls we sponsor), and the other young women we meet through Speak Up.  
·      We also want to raise awareness about the crucial work Speak Up for the Poor is doing through their Girls Education Program. 
·      We expect that this trip will change us to have a more expansive perspective of poverty, injustice, education, and God’s generous heart.

I plan to help the students in the Girl’s Education Program (GEP) practice English and computer skills. I would also like to bring some art supplies, so we can do art projects together. Furthermore, I have a passion for business since I opened my own Etsy shop. Many of the girls sew their own clothing. I would love to show them how to set up their own online business, empowering them to rely on the unique skills God has given them. 

I’m excited to travel with my mom, who is involved with language learning and Women’s Empowerment in her work with refugees in our community.  I think this trip will be an inspiration that will shape my future career. If I can take what I learn in college and apply it to situations like the one in Bangladesh, I hope to make the world a better place.

Will you consider contributing to our travel fund? 
 
Any amount will help us get closer to our goal and we would really appreciate it.

The Back Story...

During my sophomore year of high school, when I started my very first job, I began considering how I can be more generous and use the money I made to honor God in some way. 

Speak Up for the Poor came to mind immediately--because of my Uncle Troy.  

I decided to commit monthly to sponsoring Dee, a young woman dedicated to making her way through school. We wrote each other several letters, and I even sent her one of my paintings. I have been hoping ever since that I would be able to meet Dee face-to-face. And now we get to do that!

Thanks for taking a moment to read about my journey ahead; and for so many who have invested in my life in various ways.

Gratefully, Zoe Coats
And for my mom, Georgia Coats

*Dee and Lula are nicknames to protect their identities from those who oppose their educational endeavors.