NO DECEMBER 7TH WORKDAY

OUR BIRTHDAY CAKE

Did you know Days for Girls tweets?  I recently looked at Days for Girls on Twitter, and was surprised to see a picture of our chapter's birthday cake from our November workday on their November 14 tweet (I had posted it to our leaders' group on Facebook).  Thanks to everybody for your birthday work, gifts and delightful presence that day  (Actually two cakes show up in that post, but my blog program is choosing to show only one).

Heart melt!  Some of our chapters and teams celebrated our birthday with us last week — with custom cakes! We're thankful for 11 years of love, laughter, and the DfG family.

ICPD

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the ground breaking International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD@25), which took place in Cairo in 1994. At that conference, 179 Governments adopted a programme of Action, recognizing that reproductive health, women's empowerment and gender equality are the pathway to sustainable development. 

Today, the world is aiming to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and universal sexual and reproductive health is central to much of this agenda- ending poverty, security good health and well-being, realizing gender equality and achieving sustainable communities, among many other goals. Urgent and sustained efforts to realize reproductive health and rights are crucial.

In Kenya, 6 out of 10 girls have never heard about menstruation until their first period. And 65 percent of menstruating girls and women in the nation cannot sustainably access sanitary pads.

PERIOD POVERTY

I remember what it was like to run out of money prior to payday.  What if your family has no funds to buy menstrual supplies and you've got your period . . . and it's a school day? Should pads/tampons be available in 4J secondary schools free of charge, so girls can avoid missing school because of their family's income?  

November 20th, the Eugene 4J School Board said yes!  I love that this issue is being brought into the open.  Would this ever have been discussed at a public school board session some years back? In the November 30 issue of the Register-Guard, there's a GREAT article about this accomplishment.

Some districts are realizing that this is an important equity issue and having those supplies available is important for equal access to education.  In a district elsewhere, the middle schoolers effectively made their point by some creative baking!

Here's a brief article about period poverty.

CHILD BRIDES IN INDIA

A new law in India says sex with a child bride is indeed rape.

THREE CHEERS FOR THESE TEENAGE BOYS!

They actually carry pads and tampons in their backpacks in case one of their female friends has an emergency need.  Maybe there is hope for this world!

ONLINE REQUEST FOR DONATIONS

If you've made a donation to our Days for Girls Chapter, thank you SO much.  Everything we do is only possible because of the generosity of supporters.  The best way for us to receive 100% of your donation, is for you to write a check made out to "Days for Girls" and indicate on the memo line that it's for the Eugene Chapter.  You can then give it to me or send it to Days for Girls International, PO Box 2622, Mount Vernon, WA 97273.  Either way, you'll receive a receipt from headquarters and our chapter will get 100% of the funds.

I've been told by some previous donors that they sometimes get  email solicitations from our headquarters, with a donate button--any donations you make that way do not end up with our chapter.  We won't even know about them.

If you're interested in making a year-end (or any time of year) or Giving Tuesday donation to our chapter, I have some optional check processing forms that have our information already filled out.  I can send one to you as an email attachment, or hand you one at a workday. Just let me know!

KENYA'S NEXT

An old friend of mine, Diana, is flying into Nairobi next month, and has offered to take supplies to our friend Christine Khamasi (I posted a great article about Christine previously) there.  

Diana's group is raising money to build a fantastic state-of-the-art soccer field by one of the poorest Nairobi slums.  If you'd like to help with funds for that, there's information here.  It looks like they need (tax deductible) donations by December 15.

At this point, that's the only "outgoing" happening before our January 4th workday, so unless something urgent comes up, we will NOT be meeting in December.  Enjoy the holidays--and let me know if you need some homework!

ANOTHER AWARD FOR CELESTE

Congratulations to Days for Girls Founder and CEO Celeste Mergens for receiving a global hero award!

THE DFG REFUGEE PROJECT

Remember this?  It started as a challenge for teams and chapters to come up with 11,000 kits for refugees and internally displaced in each of 3 countries, to celebrate Days for Girls' 11th birthday.  DFG was able to add a 4th country, and partner with World Vision which helped with transport. Our incredible volunteers worldwide met the challenge and came up with life-changing kits for 46,221 women and girls in South Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon and Afghanistan.  And our chapter's contribution was 527 kits!!

Here's the report from headquarters:

Our Refugee Project Update

November 21, 2019

|

Tiffany Larson

November 12: 

Our Refugee Project is in full swing! In partnership with World Vision, we will be reaching refugee and internally displaced women and girls in Lebanon, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Somalia with DfG Kits and vital menstrual health education!

Our International Chapters and Teams throughout the world have been hard at work making this project a reality!  

Days for Girls Australia is the first to the finish line, contributing a massive 12,543 DfG Kits to the project! A big shout out to the Australia and UK volunteers, Chapters and Teams who contributed and a special shout out to the Ferntree Gully Victoria Chapter who served as the collection point! 

November 15: 

Days for Girls Canada has delivered their DfG Kits! Their incredible contribution of 4082 Kits takes our total to 16,625 ... and we aren’t done yet!!!

Thank you to all the Canada volunteers, Chapters and Teams for this collective effort and special thanks to the Springfield MB, Ancaster ON, and Edmonton AB Teams who went the extra mile to serve as collection points.

November 17: 

Days for Girls USA has completed its first shipment for the refugee project! 3,600 DfG Kits are on their way to Lebanon where they will be combined with Kits made and purchased from local DfG enterprises. 

Then, the Kits will be distributed by DfG Lebanon local leaders to refugee and internally displaced women and girls! That takes our grand total to 20,225 DfG Kits and counting!! 

November 20: 

Today, Days for Girls USA dropped off the last delivery of DfG Kits to our Refugee Project partner, World Vision, and these Kits will soon be on their way to refugee and internally displaced women and girls in Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Somalia. 

USA Chapters and Teams have contributed a total of 29,546 DfG Kits! Well done to all the USA, UK, and Oman volunteers, Chapters and Teams who contributed to this monumental effort! 

A special shout out to our USA collection points. Cedar Rapids Chapter, Stanwood-Camano Island Chapter, Farmington Livonia Team, St Petersburg FL Chapter, Pittsburgh PA Chapter and the DfG USA Headquarters.

The Grand Finale! 

When we began the Refugee Project, DfG Chapters and Teams stepped up with the goal of collectively contributing 33,000 DfG Kits to meet the menstrual health needs of refugee and IDP women and girls. We’re incredibly excited to share that not only have we reached our goal, but exceeded it.

Today, 46,221 DfG Kits are on their way to refugee and IDP women and girls to be distributed along with vital menstrual health education. That’s the equivalent of:

• Former NFL stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington DC.
• More than a sold out crowd at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Canada.
• 4,000 more people than the capacity of The Gabba in Brisbane, Australia.

Our Chapters and Teams have come together to show a stadium full of refugee women and girls that THEY MATTER! The women that we will reach with DfG Kits and education will be empowered to shatter the stigma around menstruation and chase their dreams now that that menstruation won’t hold them back.

NOVEMBER 2019

LESS THAN A DOLLAR A DAY

Think about the fact that millions of females of menstruating age live on less than a dollar a day.  It's not hard to figure out whether their families would choose to spend several of those dollars each month on menstrual supplies. In hopes of carrying on something close to a normal life during their period each month, many girls and women living in poverty try to make do with anything they hope might be at least somewhat absorbent--cardboard, newspaper, rags, mattress stuffing, corn husks, leaves, etc., but many of these items cause them infections.  And, of course they limit their activity and movement.  

And then along comes Days for Girls, with our solution of washable kits that should last 3-4 years.  In the poorest parts of the world, these kits are given free of charge to the girls and women, along with our Ambassador of Women's Health education (on anatomy, reproduction, hygiene, self-defense and kit care).  Many nonprofits distribute beautiful, life-changing DFG kits they buy from the in-country Enterprises, or request them from chapters and teams like ours (we hope with a donation to help with our expenses).  All of a sudden the new kit owners are not losing five days a month!  With the shields snapped in place, their movement isn't limited--they can run, jump rope, dance, work, go to school, etc.  

If you get or got a chance to watch the video of a distribution posted on Facebook by the vivacious Alice Wambui Mwangi last month, you'll see how the girls in her audience were so delighted when she did all sorts of moves, and the panties holding a shield and liner she had put on over her leggings were staying put.  Alice doesn't limit her Facebook to FB friends, so you can watch it on her page, or if you're a FB friend of mine, it's on my page too.  Alice welcomes you to friend her--she currently has over 3900 FB friends, which means so many people can see what an amazing force she is for Days for Girls!

If there's a Days for Girls Enterprise near where they live, women and girls can save up to buy additional or replacement components and purchase those locally, one by one as needed.  In addition to the convenience, this provides an opportunity to local women earn an income.

Every hour or dollar you spend helping us with our kits is changing lives.  I love seeing videos and photos of distributions and girls holding up their new kits.  Such delight on those faces!  And, I'm very proud of how absolutely beautiful and perfect the kits are that we're turning out here in Lane County!  One person who distributed our kits in Africa said some of the girls expressed amazement that strangers on the other side of the world would make such beautiful kits just for them.  They just might be surprised to learn of the joy it brings us!

AND IN THE USA--NATIONAL PERIOD DAY COVERAGE

Chapter and Team leaders receive a monthly newsletter from our Chapter Liaison person.  This month's (below) has links to coverage of some National Period Day events held on October 19.  I hope these rallies brought needed attention to the unfairness of taxing tampons and pads.  Thirty-five states still levy a sales tax on them.   Oh, and food stamps and Medicaid funds cannot used for menstrual supplies. Did somebody say Period Equity? 

But, happily, a few cities and states now require that pads/tampons be provided free in all public schools, prisons and homeless shelters.  Just like toilet paper is.  And some institutions are doing that on their own, just because it's the right thing to do.

Interested in seeing more  from National Period Day? Watch DfG US Northeast Regional Rep Leslie Roy's speech in PA HERE ((and others) Watch DfG Board Member Clarice Chan speech HERE Read an article published in the Salt Lake Tribune about The Utah Rally HERE They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this is certainly the case for US National Period Day. Here are some highlights from DfG volunteers' involvement throughout the US!

AN UNDERGROUND CLUB

At work, have you ever hidden a tampon in your sleeve before walking to the bathroom?  Been embarrassed to buy menstrual products when the cashier was a male?  Read this article!

I remember the first time I spoke to the Springfield Lions, I said something like, "If somebody had told me that 20 years after menopause I'd be speaking to groups about menstruation, I wouldn't have believed them."  

It's amazing to me that something that is a normal part of life for half of the world's population has any sense of embarrassment attached to it!  I think great strides have been made in just the past few years to address that issue.  But, we have a long ways to go!  Thank you for your work and for talking openly about menstruation and Days for Girls.  

HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY,  DAYS FOR GIRLS!

November 1, 2008 is the date Days for Girls International was formed by Celeste Mergens.  Since then, so many concerned and caring people have been working together to provide kits and improve the lives of women in the poorest parts of the world--there are 910 teams and chapters with over 6000 volunteers.  

Over 1.5 million of our DfG kits have gone to 141 countries in Africa (55%), Asia (22%), Latin America (16%) and elsewhere, each delivered with a fun presentation of anatomy, reproduction, hygiene, self defense, and kit care education.  Quite an accomplishment in such a short period of time!

We celebrated this birthday Saturday with an amazing, beautiful, ultra-rich Chocolate Orgasm cake from Sweet Life Patisserie. 

We had a good turnout and made much progress on our kit components.  Our volunteers are a fun and caring group--many former strangers are now good friends outside of our workdays, and I think we all look forward to the social aspect as much as to what we accomplish.  A few stayed all day, most for just what hours worked best for them.  If you haven't joined us yet, I hope you can make it sometime in 2020.  As usual, I apologize for not getting everybody in a photo.  We had well over 20 volunteers yesterday.  I thank them all!  Here are my woefully amateur shots from the day, showing just some of the volunteers, fun and varied tasks/steps we worked on.

WHEN IS OUR NEXT WORKDAY?

As posted earlier, we will not meet the first Saturday in December, as Our  Sewing Room is holding a special event for their members that day.

If we have a request come up and we need to get together to work on that before January, I'll post that here and send an email to those of you on our mailing list.  

Otherwise, enjoy the holiday season, and I hope to see you January 4th.