Day of the Girl

Just two years ago, the UN declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to raise awareness about all issues concerning gender inequality around the world.  It’s a day when activist groups come together under the same goal to highlight, discuss, and take action to advance rights and opportunities for girls everywhere.

October 11 is not just a day; it’s a movement.

A worldwide revolution.

We want ourselves, and girls everywhere, to be seen as equals, in the eyes of others and in our own eyes.

I am so proud to be involved in this movement.  I am absolutely delighted with our Eugene/Springfield team.  I've met so many wonderful, caring, creative people, and really look forward to our workdays.  This has been an amazing couple of years--we've created and donated hundreds of kits.  We've made connections, formed friendships and educated ourselves about conditions challenging women in other areas of the world and how we can contribute to changing them.  And we've improved the lives of all the girls and women who have received our kits.

Our Eugene team meets on the THIRD Sunday of the month, so we're celebrating the International Day of the Girl as a team a week late.  But I love doing this stuff, so I will celebrate privately on Sunday--probably sewing a bit.

If you too would like to do something on your own to celebrate The Day of the Girl on the 11th, here are some suggestions:

• Find some fabric in your stash that would make beautiful bags, shields or liners
• Buy some flannel at JoAnn's (65% off through the 12th, plus an additional 20% off entire order--in mailed flyer) or other quilt/fabric shop.  Remember--darker, busy stain-hiding colors and patterns. 
• Wash, dry and iron fabric
• Buy something else--polyester thread, Ziploc gallon Freezer bags, colorful washcloths, undies, etc. (the list is in an earlier post).
• Make a donation.  Days for Girls is currently in 4th place in the Revlon Challenge.  Winning the million dollars would certainly expand our ability to help girls and women in impoverished areas of the world.  Your donations purchase our team's supplies and help our organization's chances of winning the big prize.
• Post the Fundraiser info and link on your Facebook page 
• Post a link to this blog on your Facebook page
• Spread the word--most of our contacts with new volunteers and requests for kits have started with a simple conversation.  If you know somebody who loves to sew, you might mention Days for Girls.  If you know somebody who has a connection in a Third World Country, tell them what we do and why.  I'm also looking for people traveling to Munich in the next few months who could take some PUL (for kits going to the refugees).

I sincerely appreciate all of you who contribute in so many ways.  Thank you all for your interest, generosity, hard work, travel hours, ideas, various amazing donations, friendships and abundant support.  You make it so rewarding!

Would you like an orange Days for Girls t-shirt?

How about one day a month when you don't have to worry about what shirt to wear?  

Days for Girls has a new batch of t-shirts, perfect for our 3rd Sunday workdays!

• Cotton
• Men's sizes (so order down a size for women's)
• Big logo on front
• $25 gets yours delivered to your front door, postage paid.

If you're interested, you can order here.

Big fundraiser on Crowdrise!!

Revlon LOVE IS ON Million Dollar Challenge Fundraiser

Love is knowing that you matter.  Throughout the world, millions of women and girls go without access to hygiene solutions each month.  But more importantly, they go without dignity.  Without education. Without opportunity.  For a week each month, life pauses.  These girls and women are left to their own devices, not asking for what they need, because they've been told it's shameful.  To love these girls and women is to tell them that there is nothing shameful about menstruation. It's to tell them that they are deserving of care and dignity, and that their bodies are their own. Days for Girls seeks to provide that message to each and every girl and woman we reach.  Since every lovingly handmade DfG kit lasts up to three years, that message is one that will not fade.

Days for Girls can't exist without generous contributions from groups and individuals.  Our team survives and thrives by taking advantage of your skills and your valuable time.  We also need donations of supplies, and money to buy those that aren't donated.

Last year there was a fundraiser on Crowdrise, a competition between nonprofits, part of a drive called #Operation Girl.  Days for Girls International was the big winner, taking home some serious prize money for bringing in the most in donations.  All of you who contributed to our local team via Crowdrise probably already know that we got to keep the money donated for our team, and it counted towards the Headquarter's total, helping them win the prize money.  The funds our team received have been magically turned into flannel, PUL, twill tape, underwear, thread and labels!

From today,  September 21 through Ocotber 29th, 2015, Revlon is challenging organizations whose mission is improving women's health to compete in an online fundraising campaign.  Days for Girls International is one of those organizations, and our Eugene OR team is now registered to receive donations (that we keep, but that count toward the organization's total).  The organization that raises the most money in this period of time will earn an additional $1,000,000!

So, how does one donate?  Go to the fundraiser page on Crowdrise.  Once there, scroll down to where we have this photo of some bags and shields, where it says Eugene OR.   Teams are listed in order of how much they've received in donations (we are currently near the top).  Click on this photo, and then click on the "Donate to this fundraiser" button.

Make sure it says "You are sponsoring Eugene OR" after you click on "Donate to this fundraiser."

To make a Crowdrise donation, you'll need a credit card.  Donors immediately receive a printable receipt for tax purposes.  If you're not comfortable with donating online, you can write me a check and I'll donate that amount online in your name (or however you choose to have it acknowledged). 

Whichever route you choose to donate, you must get to our Eugene OR rectangle with that picture before clicking DONATE, or none of your donation will go to our team.

Please spread the word to your friends and relatives--so many people are interested in helping, even if they're not able to be part of kit making.  If you're a member of an organization that is in a position to make a contribution of any size, please plead Days for Girls' case.  If you or a family member or friend knows of a business which might contribute, please ask.  And of course, please consider making a donation yourself.  

If our international organization wins the million dollars, that money will go to support in-country enterprises that allow women to earn income, meeting hygiene needs in their communities for the future.  One million dollars is what DFG needs to make this happen!

Kits delivered to Kenya and Making Bags

More kits to Kenya

In August, Gwen took more kits to Kenya.  Here's a message from her:

I’m back from Kenya and happy to say that the distribution of kits to the girls at Lomayana Primary School went really well.  School had ended the day before for the term break, but most of the girls came back to school on the first day of their holiday in their uniforms  just to receive their kits.  We invited the nurse from the nearby clinic to help us with the distribution, to talk to the girls about women’s reproductive health and specifically about menstruation and feminine hygiene.  The other reason we use local nurses is that most of the girls are more comfortable with the presentation in Kiswahili, because most are not really fluent in English.  After the nurse did her presentation, two of the girls came up and demonstrated, again, how to put together the shields and liners.  

It was a big group and we gave out 100 kits and left another 25 for girls who hadn’t been  able to come that day.  We had about 50 kits left and gave those to Kokwa Primary School where we had distributed kits last September. They had quite a few new girls this year who didn’t receive kits last year and so now all of the girls at  Kokwa have kits.  The school will save extra kits for other girls who come to the school during the remainder of the school year, which ends in November.  

Thank you again for your wonderful work on behalf of these girls, and others, wherever they may be. These kits are so important and so very much appreciated. It’s so exciting for us to see the girls’ excitement when they receive their kits!    

Gwen

A nurse talks to the girls about menstruation, reproduction, feminine hygiene and how to use the kits.

One of the students volunteers to show the group how to put the liner in the shield and the shield in the underpants.

Another student demonstrates.

Making Bags

The drawstring bags that our kits come in are the part of the kits made to "appear in public."  This is where we want to use our most beautiful fabrics.--fabrics whose patterns would appeal to girls if they had lots of choices, not just because of the contents.  Here are some bags in attractive fabrics that were completed recently.

We've been told, from recipients and contacts in several countries, that the girls like bright colors.  To that, I'd like to add that darker fabrics will hide dirt much better than ones with white and pale colors in the design.  If you look at the ground in the outdoor pictures on this blog and on the DFG website, you'll see mostly dusty dirt.  Imagine how a light-colored bag will look after being set down outside a few times. I see photos online of pastel bags other teams have distributed, and I worry that the recipients will probably have a hard time keeping them looking clean.  We also avoid light-colored drawstrings for the same looking-clean reason.  And of course the shields and liners must be of busy, darker fabrics to hide stains too.

As with the liners and shields, we need to avoid a few things in the designs:  animals, people (basically anything that would have a face), insects (except butterflies), weapons, anything culturally specific, patriotic or religious, or related to a holiday, glam, or designs with words.  Pay attention to the directionality of the design.  We don't want upside down or sideways trees or flower pots.

A bag requires a piece of fabric that measures 12" x 29".  You need a serger to finish the long sides before you start, and straight sew a Days for Girls label (request them from me) down 3.5" from the top raw edge, using matching light orange thread.  It is so much easier to sew the label on before you construct the bag.  

If you are a quilter, as many of us are, you just might find some leftover pieces of cotton in your stash that would make lovely bags.  I know I have.  Please don't just use any fabric you have--as I said before, this is where we want to showcase our most appealing fabrics. 

If you decide to make some bags, here are some reminders:

• Wash, dry and press the fabric before cutting.
• MEASURE!  Start with a piece of fabric that's 12" x 29" (This is 1" bigger than the DFG minimum size in both directions) and use a 3/8" seam allowance on the side seams.
• Please use a serger where it says to serge.  NOT a zigzag.  If you don't have a serger, you can use one at Our Sewing Room or ask if we have any bags that have been cut and serged, ready for the next step.
• Please press as you sew and press the completed bag--they look so much nicer when the folds and side seams are crisply pressed.
• Backstitch where it says to!  This is important to reinforce the places that will get the most wear and tear.
• MEASURE again.  If the finished bag is smaller than 10" x 12.5", we won't use it.  We actually like them about an inch larger in both directions.
• Clip your threads!  We often have to "clean up" donated bags (and liners) that were supposedly finished when given to us.
• If you're inserting the drawstrings, please make certain that they're not twisted in the casing.  This is an annoying issue that should be checked for and caught when you are inserting the tape, before the ends are knotted.
• Cut the drawstrings 36" end to end.  Since the ends should be cut on a 45 degree angle, they'll actually measure about 37" from end point to end point.
• I have purchased LOTS of colorful twill tape for drawstrings.  If you'd like to turn in your bag without drawstrings, please do.  I match up the fabric with twill that complements it, and they look beautiful.  
  
• A little bit of Fraycheck on the diagonally-cut ends of the twill tape is a great idea.  We're told that the girls use the bags every day, so that will help the drawstrings last longer.

If you want to make bags, and you have some beautiful (washed, dried and pressed) fabric but no serger, you can cut it into 12" x 29" pieces and bring it to one of our workdays to for serging.  Do not substitute a zigzag stitch for serging.  if you can't stay to serge,  there will most likely be someone who can serge it for you and you can get it to complete later.  Or, we're are also delighted with donations of the uncut fabric yardage!  

What if you have some fabric that doesn't meet the bag guidelines?  Maybe it would work well for shields.   Fabric design restrictions apply here too.  For the shields and flannel liners, we must keep in mind how well the fabric will hide stains--remember, our goal is for the kits to last for up to three years, and being able to dry them in public.  Busy designs in darker colors work best.  Here are some examples of good stain-hiding shield fabrics:

Notice that none of them have light backgrounds.  The busy designs have curves, not straight lines.  That helps hide the stains.

If you want to donate fabric for shields, please bring it to Our Sewing Room to be cut on the Accuquilt die cutter.  Washing, drying and pressing are greatly appreciated, but not required.  Any fabric we receive that's not appropriate for Days for Girls use will be donated to other charitable groups, such as Comforts for Children, Project Linus, and Bags of Love.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you are sewing any of the kit components at home, please let me check the first one or two before you launch into mass production.  It breaks my heart when a volunteer puts in many hours after misreading the directions. 

Next workday for our team

You can set aside the third Sunday of each month  through May for our workdays at Our Sewing Room.  I'll always have upcoming dates here on this blog, and so far, I have remembered each month to send out reminders to everyone on our email list.  Occasionally, we'll run into a conflict on a third Sunday (like Father's Day next June) and we'll announce the substitute date. If you're not on our email list and would like to be, please send me your email address (to eugeneor@daysforgirls.org) and I'll add you.

Hope you can make it to our September 20 workday.  Handy things to bring:  your machine, an extra bobbin or two, sharp scissors, a seam ripper, and your favorite rotary cutter.  Label everything, of course, to avoid mix-ups.  If you've come across some bargains and purchased undies, Ziplocs (gallon FREEZER only), flannel or washcloths, please remind us if  you'd like a receipt for an in-kind donation.

August Events

I hope you are able to see at least one of Patience Munjeri's performances while she's in Eugene. We got together and chatted with her last week, and she treated us to her wonderful mbiri music.

Patience  told us a bit about her life, her music, her community in Zimbabwe, and the orphaned kids at the school where she teaches.  These are the girls receiving our kits.  Patience said that those who received the first batch of kits have not missed any school since!  Fantastic!  We've provided 115 and have about a hundred to go, to provide for all of the girls and teachers currently needing them.

We received this note from Maggie Donahue, of the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center, which brought Patience to Eugene this summer:    "Thank you to everyone who came to meet Patience Munjeri from Zimbabwe.  She was touched by the obvious interest everyone has in the girls she teaches at Chinhoyi High School.  The girls love the hygiene kits and we appreciated the commitment Days for Girls has to getting more of them into the hands of the girls who are orphaned.  A special thank you goes to Sue Cote, Michelle and Kathy who made beautiful bags out of cloth dyed in Zimbabwe, to help fund the distribution.  We look forward to future collaboration between Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center and Days for Girls."

Maggie has been the one finding transportation to Zimbabwe for our kits.  We just sent our second batch (50) with a friend of hers earlier this month.  If you hear of anyone traveling to Zimbabwe, willing to carry some more kits, please let me know.

The bags she refers to are so appealing, and made to hold African instruments.  The ones in the photo below are also perfectly sized for iPads and other tablets.

I also caught Patience at her Saturday Market gig this past weekend.   Her future performances and presentations are detailed on the Kutsinhira website.

Many of us have been taking advantage of the Back-to-School sales on girls' underwear.  I only saw the best prices online once, and they only had size 12 (and 4).  I stocked up, to put it mildly.  We won't need any 12s for awhile.

There have been some wonderful prices (under $6. for a 12-pack) available at Target and Walmart, and we're pretty good at clearing the shelves in our most requested sizes.  The stores haven't been having the generous inventory that they did last year.  Last year I was able to fill a shopping cart in one visit, but now it's just a handful of packages.  But Patty offered to stop at Target Stores as she drove to Washington a couple of weeks ago, and brought us back many packages.  

If you come across bargain on girls' briefs (the only style DFG is wanting us to use now), our most needed sizes now are, in order, 14, 10, and 16.  Target's ad for this week is 12-packs of briefs for $5.99.  That ad also has a coupon for $5 off if you buy 3 Fruit of the Loom packs. There are other coupons online, and those of you with a Target Card can get 5% more off,  I believe, plus I understand that you can designate a nonprofit to receive some percentage too.  Target replenishes their stock by every Monday, Wednesday and Friday opening.

Given a choice, we try to avoid fabrics with prints depicting animals, people, camouflage, peace signs, weapons, religion or holidays, glam, or contain words.  Most packages contain a number of whites and some have the taboo prints.  Just do your best--we'll deal with it creatively, swapping and dying!

Patty, the super underwear shopper mentioned above, also volunteers for Bags of Love.  Their underwear requirements aren't as stringent as ours are, so we're doing some swapping (being creative)!  Some of those cute animal prints and too-light-for-DFG panties were traded and will be happily received by Lane County girls.

Tonight we had the assistance of the young women's group at a Bethel Area church helping us with some of the many non-sewing tasks that are a vital part of kit making.  These  twelve girls cheerfully drew the rounded corners that our sergers will follow as they finish the edges of liners.  They also sorted hundreds of pairs underwear into three groups within each size: OK as is, need to be dyed, and prints not acceptable, and removed the Scotch tape on each pair.  A time consuming task--more fun when you're doing it with friends.  Thank you, girls!  I hope to meet with you again!

If you're still with me, I'd like to share a link I received from DFG headquarters about how the Nepal earthquake affected women.  And another one, about taking the shame out of periods.

Let's meet Patience

I hope you can join us at 3:00 pm Thursday, August 20 (that's tomorrow!) at Our Sewing Room for an opportunity to meet Patience Chaitezvi Munjeri, a musician who teaches at the school in Zimbabwe where we've sent two batches of kits.  She's in Eugene to share her music, and would like to meet the Days for Girls seamstresses while she's here.  Join us for cookies, tea, and a bit of music.

The Honest Company has just launched a line of tampons made with organic cotton.  At the same time they've partnered with Days for Girls to support our efforts in Uganda to enable women to earn an income by sewing and selling feminine hygiene kits in their own communities.  The company is also helping domestically by donating their products to at-risk women in Edmonds, Washington, and they plan to expand this project to other communities.

Best prices of the year?

It looks like this is the beginning of the best prices of the year for underwear.

Walmart, Shopko and Target all have 9-packs and 12-packs at greatly reduced prices.  The 12-packs are the best deal, but the others are also much cheaper than usual.  We're lucky in Oregon not to have to add sales tax.  Per-pair prices near 50¢ are fantastic!

Walmart has a 12-pack of Fruit of the Loom briefs for $5.86.

At Shopko, Fruit of the Loom 9-packs are buy one, get one free.  Plus I read that there's a Senior discount today.  I don't know if that's every Wednesday.

Target has 9-packs and 12-packs for the same price.  I think the price range for the 12-packs is $5.99 to $6.50.  Both are way cheaper than usual.  Until August 8, there's also a coupon (on the website and in last Sunday's paper) for $5. off when you buy three Fruit of the Loom items.  

The problem is that their inventory was low when I looked at all three stores, although Walmart seems to have larger quantities.  Target told me their inventory is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.  And these packs/prices aren't currently on their websites, although they were last year, so maybe I need patience.

If you are out shopping for underwear for DFG, please keep in mind that briefs are the style that we use.  The sizes we need are about 80%--90% 10s and 12s.  We use just a few 14s.  And, we need to avoid undies whose prints depict people, animals (butterflies are OK), weapons, camouflage, or include words.  It makes it more of a challenge, for sure.

Please join us at our August 16 workday at Our Sewing Room.  We're there from 10 am to 5 pm.  Come for as long as you can.  A few sergers and sewing machines are available to borrow, but most of us bring our own.  If you're bringing a sewing machine, please bring an empty bobbin.  Also handy--scissors, seam ripper, and name tag.