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February kicks off with Black History Month celebrations throughout America. Dance, art, photo exhibits, concerts, speaker series, there are plenty of avenues to soak up culture. I want to focus on one group, the Ugandan Orphans Choir. Each year, a group of children tour the world to raise awareness on the struggles of Ugandan children. Their East African cultural music, dance and storytelling tour of the United States begins in California with a free performance at Balboa Park on February 22. The group will tour for 10 months with a handful of Las Vegas and Boulder City performances in May, click here for the complete schedule.

These children bring to light the voice of all children in Africa yearning for an education. Like Hope for Hearts, the choir has a mission to provide children with a future through education. Just like our girls, these children are the fortunate few who are provided an opportunity to leave behind life on the streets and take a path to education and spiritual growth.

Get ready for some simple expression of joie de vivre! The show will be an uplifting experience. African folklore through music and dance is part of everyday-life. These performances combine old traditions, handed down from generation to generation, with a deep cultural background. You will often find a dance performance at ceremony or a ritual to thank the gods, or a simple welcome party, like mine during my stay at St. Elizabeth’s Girls’ Academy. The joy, the passion and love of life shined every time the girls performed for us. Trust me. Schedule time to catch a Ugandan Orphans Choir performance and use the experience to learn something new about the world outside of yours.

Peace and love,

Cristen

GIRLS!

We need to take action to close the gap between women and men – the hopes, ambitions and future of billions hinge on the leaders of today making the right decisions and investments – educating a girl.

A recent study, Adolescent Girls Multilevel Vulnerability Index, captured adolescent vulnerability at the individual, household, and community level. The study is another important tool to generate discussion on the important issue: children, specifically girls and investing dollars into their future.

The study identified gaps in adolescent areas that will help prepare future programming and policy in Africa. The study concluded priorities must:

• focus on individual- and community-level vulnerabilities
• increase educational attainment
• encourage girls to stay in school
• target social values and cultural norms that promote child marriage/early childbearing

Yes. Say it again, Sam. Invest in education for girls. That is where we need to focus our energy – be it Africa, the U.S., Middle East and beyond.

This is why Hope for Hearts continues its support of the all girl educational and training environment at St. Elizabeth Girls’ Academy. Providing a girl a hand-up to a life of self-sufficiency through education is our answer, the world’s answer to poverty.

The World Economic stats show:

• There are still 66 million girls not attending school.
• Extend a girl’s education 1-2 years past primary school increases her lifetime earnings 10-20 percent.
• A country that keeps an additional 10 percent of girls in school longer, sees a national gross domestic product increase of 1-2 percent.

As a world today, we all need to advocate investment in the life of a girl.

Peace and love,

Cristen

The Ugandan government partnered with UNICEF to create a study – Adolescent Girls Vulnerability Index. The results measured the difficulties girls faced between the ages of 10 and 19 like education, early marriage and pregnancy, as well as poverty levels.

The index found that more than 20 percent of Uganda’s adolescent girls had “extreme vulnerability.”  Kampala – where St. Elizabeth Girls’ Academy is located, in a high-density urban area with unique risk factors for adolescent wellness. The city registered at 40 percent for girls’ ages 10-14 and 56 percent for ages 15-19. That number rises to 65 percent of girls in vulnerability when focused on the poorest segments of the city.

The Adolescent Girls Vulnerability Index proves what we’ve known and have been working towards for years, investment in the life of a girl. Hope for Hearts believes in providing a hand-up to the most vulnerable girls. We are committed to investing in her education. It is the key that will open the door to her future, and the future of thousands behind her.

Peace and love,

Cristen

P.S. I’ll write additional blogs from the study soon, but you find out more on your own: Adolescent Girls Vulnerability Index.

We are doing our part to educate and give girls a hand-up in Uganda. We are one of thousands of organizations doing the same throughout Africa.Why is this so important? Because, Africa’s future is female, and an education means the world.

For those of us with children, this week, we find ourselves in bustling homes filled with their laughter as they unwind from school’s first semester.Now imagine school starts up again and the only one who gets to go is your son. Your daughter stays home. Unimaginable? Yes, but not in Africa where it’s common for girls to be excluded from formal education. Statistics show in Sub Saharan Africa, some 16 million girls — one-in-four –underprivileged girls do not receive an education.We are working hard to change this statistic. Annually we help 200 girls with an education and workforce training. When our campus upgrade is completed we will be able to house, educate and train more than 1,000 annually.

According to the World Bank, “The inter-linkages between gender inequalities, economic growth and poverty are the main reasons why girls’ education is a smart investment.”

Educate an African girl, and see

• healthier and happier lifestyle choices
• an increase in economic growth
• decrease in poverty
• fewer, and healthier children born
• reduced disease

All this leads to a positive impact on the future of Africa, and ultimately, a positive impact on the world.

Peace and love,

Cristen

p.s. Need to make a year-end tax gift? Invest in the life of an African girl. Your gift will allow them to thrive and drive change. Visit my Razoo page.

The holidays are not a time for commercialization. The holidays are a time to gather family, friends and even strangers to celebrate. It does not matter if it’s a Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, Happy Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa; let’s examine ways to return the true meaning of the season.

Time. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose…Take time to enjoy the moment. Time with friends and family creating memories and traditions is one of the most valuable gifts we can give.

Be thoughtful. Gather your thoughts. Gather your loved ones. Now, kick off the celebration by writing down what you are thankful for this holiday. Following dinner take time to share everyone’s thanks out loud.

Open your table. There are many lonely people out there who don’t have a place to spend the holidays. Make room at your table for the person who’s partner passed, your single friend, a recent divorcee, a complete stranger, and so on.

Consumer, be gone.  Teach your children well. Take some holiday gifts received and bring them to a hospital, or a shelter on the holiday. Show our children how to give. Let them experience first hand how to turn a shopping holiday into a holiday of giving.

Give your “things” away. We live in a must have the next best toy and gadget world. Take time this holiday to de-clutter the mess. Cleanse your soul by cleaning out all your excess (toys, clothes, food). There are plenty of local organizations that can take those “things” off your hands.

Include faith. No matter your faith, make sure it’s there – it’s powerful and freeing to know it’s got your back.

Storm the holiday front with much gratitude and hope. May the spirit of the season be with you.

Peace and love,

Cristen