#IStandForGirls Backstory: From a Namesake to a Campaign
In the past four Septembers (can you believe it’s already been four?!), the #IStandForGirls campaign has gained more momentum than we dreamt possible. We’ve connected with donors and sponsors from all over the world, enabled hundreds of children to have access to education, and started enrichment programs in rural Mozambique that we expected to be years off when we first began.
A lot can happen in four years, but in the grand scheme of things, our work has only just begun. We are, however, incredibly proud of how far we’ve come and with our fourth campaign right around the corner, we’re excited to share some of the backstory that we’ve never shared before, going even deeper into why and how the #IStandForGirls campaign came to be.
If you’re new here, feel free to check out our campaign page to get a quick overview before we dive deeper. Or, if you’re ready to sign up for the 2020 campaign, head here!
The Beginning
While living and working in Mozambique serving in the Peace Corps, our founder, Elisabetta met Percina, our co-founder and in-country director, and the two became fast friends (calling each other sister before long). With roots deep in the community, Elisabetta and Percina wanted to work together to create lasting change in the health and education sectors, even after Elisabetta’s assignment with the Peace Corps was over and she returned back to the US. She continued to travel to Mozambique several times a year and, when she was in the States, helped oversee their project from afar.
Kurandza had its start as a sewing cooperative to provide safe, reliable income to women in the community. They sold handmade jewelry and bags made from capulana - traditionally printed wax fabric - to fund the journey to becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Not long after Kurandza had its start, Percina’s daughter, Lindsey Brianna, was old enough to enroll in pre-school. As her namesake, Elisabetta wanted to make sure Lindsey had access to a high quality, private education from the beginning, so she decided to sponsor that education herself, rather than let all of the financial pressure fall on Percina.
The Significance of a Namesake
In Mozambique, a “namesake” has much more cultural significance than it does in Western countries. A namesake, or “Chara”, can be either someone you’re named after or, in this case, someone who names you. As Lindsey’s namesake, Elisabetta chose an American version of her own name to give to Percina’s firstborn, naming her Lindsey Brianna. This creates a bond, almost like a Godparent, between the namesake and the child - something that Elisabetta and Lindsey have held onto since she was born. In fact, in Mozambican culture, a Chara and a child have an even deeper bond than the Western Godparent and child. To them, the child takes on the characteristics of the namesake, becoming one person in their eyes. It’s a sacred bond and important duty to be a namesake, and something Elisabetta didn’t take lightly.
When Lindsey was ready for pre-school, as her namesake, Elisabetta decided to sponsor her education in 2017. This $50/month to send her to a private pre-school might not seem like much, but even earning more than the average local working for Kurandza, this extra cost would have been a great burden to Percina.
Later that year, when Elisabetta visited Mozambique again, she was blown away at how much Lindsey Brianna had learnt. She was counting in English, and speaking in Portuguese (the national language), and Changana (her local naitive language), and was falling in love with learning. Without access to proper education, most high school aged children struggle with learning the national language since their native language is spoken more frequently in their day to day life. As a 3-year-old, Lindsey already had skills that children much older than her lacked. She also learned to recite poetry from memory, sang songs with her classmates, and so much more. Elisabetta and Percina knew that access to education was the key to a bright future for little Lindsey.
Sound familiar?
With a successful sponsorship underway, Percina and Elisabetta decided to get even more girls into an education program through sponsors from around the world. If they could get sponsors to help with education costs, they could give these girls an access to doors that wouldn’t open without it as they grew up. And so, the very first #IStandForGirls campaign was born in the fall of 2017, with little Lindsey Brianna as the very first student.
A Campaign is Born
With their new non-profit status, Kurandza could now provide the most powerful impact yet through access to education for the local children. As they saw first hand through only a few months of school for Lindsey, proper schooling provides children with life-skills that help them move forward in life, knowledge that leads to more advanced education, and access to jobs, better health care, and so much more.
The #IStandForGirls campaign focused specifically on girls because for most families, the boys would be sent to school first if the parents couldn’t afford to send all of their children. The girls would stay home, focus on household chores, and therefore, not get access to all of the benefits that education provides. Aside from the potential of earning a degree and getting a job, an education would give these girls a broader perspective of the world, increased social skills, and an awareness that they can be and learn anything they want to!
With Lindsey as their motivation, the very first #IStandForGirls campaign successfully sponsored 100 girls and gave them the same opportunities that Percina and Elisabetta dreamed of giving Lindsey. A year later, in 2018, that number doubled and Kurandza did the same for 200 girls, and has been supporting 200 girls (and 5 boys) ever since.
Last year, Lindsey graduated from pre-school and watching all of her progress has been such a joy for Elisabetta, her namesake and sponsor. There’s no greater feeling than having an impact that will last a lifetime.
With the fourth #IStandForGirls coming quickly, our goal is still the same as it’s always been: help as many girls as possible gain access to a brighter future through quality education. Want to be a part of it? Click below to join us for the 2020 campaign!