Edge of Seven in Tanzania!

In 2013, Edge of Seven is excited to announce that we will be taking our mission to provide more educational access for girls in the developing world to Africa!

In partnership with the Africa School Assistance Project, we will be building a campus addition at the Miririni Secondary School in the Mt. Meru Region of Tanzania to increase classroom space for girls and students in the region. And we are looking for several passionate volunteers to join us!

In Sub-Saharan Africa only one out of every three girls gets the opportunity to pursue higher education. The overall goals of the Miririni project will address this issue by developing six additional classrooms and a dormitory to house girls from across the region.

Want to join us on this new adventure? The trip will take place from June 15-21, 2013 in the Mt. Meru Region of Tanzania.  Email us at sarah@edgeofseven.org for more details and a trip itinerary today and download our flyer below.

EDUCATE TANZANIAN GIRLS FLYER

Push Your Boundaries with a Trip Abroad in 2013!

“If a writer stops observing, he is finished.” – Ernest Hemingway

No matter our occupation in life, most of us can find a way to relate to Hemingway’s quote about how relentless observation helps drive personal growth. By exposing ourselves to new situations, ideas and cultures, we create the space for powerful transformations to occur.

That’s why we are excited to announce that Edge of Seven will be embarking on several new, boundary-pushing initiatives over the next year to create more educational opportunities for girls and women in the developing world than ever before. And we want YOU to join us on a trip!

 In addition to working with two amazing new international partners and taking on our very first project in Africa, we will continue to build on our previous work to bring holistic improvements to communities in rural Nepal where higher education is not widely available to girls.

 In 2013, our work will take us (and hopefully YOU) to:

• Miririni, Tanzania: Help build a dormitory and school to offer education to local girls;
• Mankhu, Nepal: Help construct a Women’s Community Center, using the earthbag building method, to provide displaced and abandoned women with vocational training and healthcare;
• Basa, Nepal: Help create more earthbag classroom space at our higher secondary school and build a female-sensitive sanitation system to increase school attendance rates for girls;
• Solukhumbu Region, Nepal: Calling all high school students for our “Bold Explorations” trip, aimed at delivering adventure, improving leadership skills and promoting cross-cultural understandings.

Please check out more details about our upcoming trips  on our website and contact us today if you’re interested in taking a life-changing trip in 2013 or would like to support these projects here in the U.S.!

A Night to “Toast to the Girls”

By Josi Toothman, Edge of Seven Guest Blogger

Welcome- photo credit Anne Bannister

Over 100 people came out Thursday June 28^th to Battery 621 in Denver for the “Toast to the Girls” event, raising $3,000 for Edge of Seven’s Community Development Program. After an initial welcome from Edge of Seven Director Emily Stanley and board member Julia Alvarez, those who attended mingled, shared stories of social impact, and ate delicious food. Sherpa House in Golden, Nepal India Oven and Lalas provided appetizers, while Great Divide, Funkwerks, and Infinite Monkey Theorem, Classic Wines, sponsored beverages.  The energy in the room was filled with both excitement and curiosity as attendants who had previously been involved with Edge of Seven discussed their experiences with those still learning about the organization. Phrases like, “Lifechanging”, “Absolutely Incredible”, and “So Beautiful,” could be heard as those who had previously volunteered with Edge of Seven described their experience in Nepal.

Delicious- photo credit Anne Bannister

In between the socializing and educating Edge of Seven drew tickets for winners of various raffle prizes. The raffle was a great success with individual prizes including one month free yoga from Core Power, gift certificates from Linger, skirts for outdoor girls from Jen-ai Skirts, and ski poles from Icelantic, to name a few.  The grand prize of the evening was a one night stay and dinner at the Oxford.

The premiere of “The Mountain Between Us” photo credit Anne Bannister

Midway through the evening Edge of Seven debuted their recently produced short film, The Mountain Between Us, a documentary which gives a glimpse into the lives and struggles of women in rural Nepal and the opportunities created for them by projects completed by organizations like Edge of Seven. Everyone watched in silence as Junu and Purnima, two young women featured in the film, talked about their desire to continue their education and their dreams to help their villages.

At the end of the evening Katie Donahue, who has been involved with Edge of Seven for the past year, and who recently volunteered on Edge of Seven’s Basa project in Nepal, came to the stage to deliver the toast that had brought everyone together. Katie spoke of her experience working with children with big dreams who but faced many obstacles. Katie told how, like most people at the event, she was told she could be whatever she wanted to be when she grew up and was encouraged to pursue her dreams. It was a reminder to everyone that many children in the developing world, especially girls, grow up knowing that their dreams of becoming a ballerina, firefighter, or pilot may always be just that, dreams. It is by the efforts of organizations like Edge of Seven along with individual volunteers to educate and empower girls that they may be able to see their dreams become reality. With that, everyone raised their glass and gave a united, “Toast to the Girls.”

A Toast to the Girls – photo credit Anne Bannister

A Catalyst for Collaboration – Meet Kassia

As part of a new series of blog posts, we are highlighting the work of Edge of Seven’s tireless, brilliant, and passionate volunteers, advisors, and board members. The work that we do empowering girls and building infrastructure abroad would not be possible without the network of support we have here domestically. Thank you Kassia for all that you’ve done for Edge of Seven this spring! Read Kassia’s inspiring story below on nonprofit collaboration, international travel,  healthy babies, and good communication …

Kassia in Nepal

Name: Kassia Binkowski

Hometown: Originally from Madison WI. Spent time in Africa, Latin America, the East Coast, and the Pacific Northwest, before “settling” back in Boulder. Next stop on my list: Cape Town, South Africa or Granada, Spain (it’s a toss up!).

Education: Master of Public Health from University of Washington, BA in International Development & Health from CU Boulder

MY STORY IN A NUT SHELL:  Motivated by the time I spent living and working at children’s homes in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, I am committed to  keeping mothers alive to care for their families. Plain and simple: with mom’s around fewer babies will die. That’s what I want.

While pursuing my MPH, however, I realized that determinants of health far exceed access to medicines and vaccines. More powerful than any prescription are the social determinants over which we have very little control: education, socioeconomic status, environment, etc. As it so happens, education and sanitation are more powerful predictors of nutrition than food distribution. For me, this realization was a game changer. Suddenly the success of my career could be measured not only by the clinics built or babies vaccinated, but also by scholarships distributed and hands washed, if you will. They playing field had been blown wide open!

So upon finishing my degree and moving back to Boulder I began pursuing a career to influence the social determinants of health in our world’s most marginalized communities. Some days that means I organize benefits for midwifery training programs, other days I design marketing materials for socially responsible tourism, and still other days are spent building constituencies for conservation projects. In the past five years I have contributed to programming, communications, and fundraising efforts of international development programs around the world; I have designed projects in Malawi, lived with orphans in Tanzania, studied with traditional healers in Ecuador, led fundraising efforts for Ugandan health workers, coordinated urban clinics in the United States, and researched maternal behavior in Guatemala.  Each of these experiences has only enriched my understanding of the complex choices facing mothers in resource constrained settings, and led me to work more creatively towards promoting health in these communities.

Kassia in Tanzania

WHAT DREW ME TO EDGE OF SEVEN: I am an international health professional, with a huge itch to travel and a need for constant adventure. With experience across Latin America and Africa, it should come as no surprise that I was drawn to Edge of Seven’s work in Asia combining experiential education, developing world adventure, and community development. Contributing to Edge of Seven presented the perfect opportunity to build out my existing skill sets in community development and creative communications in a brand new environment, Asia. What isn’t to love? Besides, I believe the organization is on the cusp of a very exciting growth spurt, and I’m excited to contribute to the identity development and constituency building that are requisite for success.

HOW DO I PLAN TO MAKE AN IMPACT: More than anything else I’ve seen, I’ve been infuriated and motivated by the isolation of individual organizations in the international development industry. Day in and day out we compete for grants only to accomplish the same goal: end poverty. If we all want the same thing, I believe there has to be a more efficient way to operate collectively, mobilizing individual strengths and leveraging our great networks to create more monumental and sustainable change in marginalized communities. I don’t know what the answer is, yet, but I think it’s 40% innovation, 40% collaboration, and 20% rigor. We need to think creatively but act effectively, and we can only do that if we put our minds – and moneys – together. Recently, I took a tiny step in that direction. I founded The Righters (www.the-righters.com) as an online forum for the voices of workers at the front lines of social movements. At just the beginning of a very big thing, right now The Righters is a place to swap stories and inspiration, and hopefully soon it will be a place to connect and learn as well. That’s what I hope to be remembered by – as a catalyst for collaboration in this industry so that we can finally keep all the mothers alive to care for all the babies!

In Morocco

In Country Orientation: What Will Your First Days in Nepal Look Like?

By Program Director, Emily Stanley

One week ago, eight Edge of Seven volunteers boarded a plane for Nepal. After two days of air travel they arrived in Kathmandu, tired but inspired to begin their adventures. Edge of Seven volunteer trips are an experiential lens into another county, culture and way of life. Because much of our work is in very rural Nepal (and trips often require a several  day hike into the project site), volunteers tend to spend a good portion of their pre-trip thoughts and preparations focused on what they’ll do once they arrive in the village. But what happens when you first arrive in Kathmandu and the days that follow?

While the schedule varies slightly trip to trip, below is a sample itinerary (based on what our March volunteers were doing last week):

DAY 1 (Sunday) – Airport pick up and a brief introduction to Kathmandu and Thamel (the neighborhood where the hotel is located). While touristy, Thamel is a backpacker’s haven. Good food, bustling streets and lots of outdoor gear. The volunteers nap, shower and settle in to their rooms. In the afternoon, a local resident leads us on a tour of Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with unique, historic Newari architecture. By early evening, jet lag kicks in. We finish the day with a dal bhat dinner and early to bed.

Edge of Seven March volunteers at hotel in Thamel with project partner, Karma Sherpa

DAY 2 (Monday) – During the morning, volunteers to do a cultural tour of Kathmandu paying visits to Swayambhunath,  Patan Durbar Square and Boudhanath Stupa. After lunch, we conduct a cultural and logistical orientation covering what to pack for the project site, life in the village, religion, history and general questions. Volunteers eat dinner in Thamel before retiring early to prepare for a morning flight.

Kathmandu, near Durbar Square

DAY 3 (Tuesday) – The group takes a commuter flight from Kathmandu to Phaplu, one of the airports in the Everest Region. Sometimes they see a brief glimpse of Everest from the air. They enjoy lunch in Phaplu and hit the trail early afternoon. This year, thanks to a generous donation from one of our former volunteers, the group carried laptops from the U.S. all the way to Nepal. The laptops were dropped off at our recently completed girls’ hostel in Salleri, quite close to Phaplu. Volunteers trek all Tuesday afternoon and camp (gear provided) that evening.

Salleri Girls Hostel

DAY 4 (Wednesday) – Most of the day is spent trekking to the village. This spring, our project is constructing a higher secondary school in a village called Basa. Upon arrival, volunteers are introduced to the local community and their host families. While it takes a few days to settle in and find a routine, we introduce volunteers to the toilets, kitchen, water and day-to-day needs. Living accommodations are typically very basic and our groups live simply, but happily like locals!

Basa School Committee (Photo Credit: Sarah Andrews)

When preparing for a volunteer trip abroad the most important thing to bring is an open mind. With a little flexibility and a willingness to go with the flow, you’ll get more out of your experience than one might imagine.

Nepal's Everest Region (Photo Credit: Adam Sittler)

For a little about the Basa Project Site and photographs of the region, visit Edge of Seven’s board chair’s blog at: http://outlanderings.com/2012/03/15/welcome-to-basa/.

First Impressions: Kathmandu

By Emily Stanley

Motorcycles. Rickshaws. Exposed electrical wire. An outdoor gear afficionado’s paradise. Dal bhat. Northface. Tuk tuks. The ring road. Bhat Bhateni (Nepal’s super store). Marmot. Donkeys. Mammut. Newari buildings. Fog and dust. Prayer flags. Durber Square. Stupas. Lamas. Monkeys. Pashmina. Trinkets. Smiles. Thamel. 

Kathmandu is everything. It is crazy, yet sometimes strangely quiet. The people are warm but busy. And the vibe is, simple put, vibrant. It is different from any other city I’ve visited yet similar, or perhaps just somehow familiar. Some people feel overwhelmed by the pace of the city. Not me, I love it.

In Kathmandu, cows, bicycles, tuk tuks, donkeys, pedestrians and cars share the road. On my first day there, I saw a monkey straddling 2 power lines until he could go no further.

The crowded, narrow streets make the city seem heavily populated. During the Nepali Civil War, which plagued the country from 1996 to 2006, many local people fled violence in rural areas and sought safety in the city.  Today a number of different ethnic groups live side-by-side, numerous languages are spoken and Kathmandu’s population is nearing 1 million.

As Nepal is home to several of the world’s highest mountains, fog, smog, and dust naturally seem to settle in the valley of Kathmandu. Everything is covered with a fine layer of dust.

The power lines.

The tourist areas (Thamel).

But the cloudy air is not a deterrent to the Nepalis. Again, this is what I like. The energy. The industrious, creative, positive nature of the local people. It is not uncommon to see someone walking down the street with a 100kg load on their back and a smile on their face.

To me, Kathmandu is strength, it is community, and it is colorful. I look forward to the day when I can return!

Photograph by Rachael Weaver

Earthbag: Everybody’s Doing It!

by Sarah A.

It was the 68^th consecutive day of 105 degree temperatures in Central Texas, but shovels flew at Green Gate Farms as dozens of volunteers worked together to build a 175-square-foot Earthbag shed for The New Farm Institute, a nonprofit that aims to educate and inspire a new generation of sustainable farmers.

Even the world’s greatest advertising agency would have been challenged to make the volunteer job description for the build sound attractive. Taking the approach of total frankness, the ads might have read something like: “Wanted: Many people who are willing to work in the direct sunlight of the piercing Texas heat all day for free. You can choose to either wake up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday or come at Noon when it will be seriously hot outside. Duties to include shoveling dirt into polyurethane bags until they weigh about 65 pounds and then lifting said bags into place on the wall. Also, there will be barbed wire. Bring gloves.”

But thankfully the calls for help were focused on the myriad positive aspects the shed build would accomplish, and people got it right away. Thanks to the generous help of dozens of volunteers, we were able to get all of the walls up in two days, an amazing feat given that it was one of the hottest weekends on record!

The goals of the project were two-fold: to provide The New Farm Institute, an organization that has been hard-hit by the continuing Texas drought, with a much-needed shed and to provide training for local architects and designers on how to implement Earthbag construction.

Coordinated and sponsored by the Austin chapter of Architecture for Humanity and guided by Aaron Chevalley, a LEED-certified designer who has worked on earthbag projects in Peru and Central America, one such architect participating was Travis Hughbanks, who will be the Lead Designer on three school building projects that Edge of Seven, in partnership with Architecture for Humanity chapters, will be undertaking this fall in Nepal.

Earthbag construction is being examined for use in these schools in Nepal, because it offers several benefits to building in impoverished and hard-to-reach areas like the Himalayas. Here are just some of the benefits of Earthbag buildings:

• Cost – the main supplies used are cheap, such as dirt and polyurethane bags;
• Supply Availability – dirt, bags and wire are readily available in most places and easy to transport to remote project sites;
• Durability and Seismic Resistance – Earthbag buildings fare extremely well in seismic zones like the Himalayas;
• Speed of Construction – Earthbag building utilizes large building blocks and does not require mortar between courses;
• Less Skilled Labor required – a boon when working in remote regions with a small labor force;
• Thermal Mass or Insulation – depending on which one you are going for, both can be achieved by altering the materials you put inside the bags.

Enough time has passed since the project start and I am now to the point where I no longer require the aid of Ben Gay and can once again bend down to pet my dog. There is no doubt that this method of construction is hard work, but after having both worked on a brick school building with Edge of Seven in Nepal last summer and helping with this shed build, I can say I am firmly in the Earthbag corner and can see how this method could have far-reaching effects in providing infrastructure to areas of the world where funding, supplies, and labor are in short order.

Since this first day on the project site, volunteers have continued with the next phase of the building. For more information and updates, check out the shed’s project page on The Open Architecture Network.

The Underdogs

by Tamara A.

“You got no time for the messenger,  got no regard for thing that you don’t understand.  You got no fear of the underdog, that’s why you will not survive.”

-Spoon, lyrics from the song The Underdog

I’m not really a fan of golf.  With that being said, I am a sucker for a good underdog story, especially when it is a down-to-earth 22-year-old that comes in and simply cleans up on the course.  Rory McIlroy’s performance at last week’s US Open was just incredible.  To come to a foreign country and became the youngest player in 88 years to win this famous tournament is a stunning accomplishment.  And what is more, amidst the hoards of people chanting for him and the continuous comparisons to the game-changer Tiger Woods, Rory is very rooted in his traditional and respectable family values and that makes him an even more admirable winner.

What makes an underdog so appealing is the dedication and extra effort that they put in to overcome the overwhelming odds against them.  The leaders have already proven their skill, have built a support group or fan base, and most likely have the financial backing to move them right along their successful path.  Thus, they are expected to do well.  But where is the excitement in that?  To always have the favorites win or expected happen, it’s predictable; it’s boring.  Just watch Remember the Titans, Miracle, or any other cliché, feel-good sports movie to clearly paint this picture for you.  Knowing that an individual, player, team, group, company, or country stood in the face of adversity, overcame that extra obstacle, and found success on their journey is exceptionally respectable.  Everyone loves this kind of triumph.

This kind of story exists in so many areas of life, not just the sports world.  Seeing someone who has started with very little or who has defeated a series of challenges in order to help himself or herself, their family or their community is inspirational across the board.  A homeless man getting a break as an announcer.  A refuge escaped from their homeland to start a fulfilling life for their family in a new country.  A car crash victim learning to walk again.  An Illinois senator becoming the first black president.  An 80-year-old freedom fighter entering the first grade to receive an education.  All had to fight an extra fight, to push a little harder to get where they are now.  I respect that.

The underdogs.  This is why Edge of Seven was established with our mission “to invest in education, health, and economic opportunity for girls in developing countries.”  These women are definitely underdogs.  The odds are stacked against them.  Look at the obstacles that they face: poverty, domestic responsibilities, gender stereotyping, lack of educational resources.  How can they pull their families out of poverty when there are no financial opportunities for them?  How can they help to better their communities when education is just out of reach?  We would like to help lessen these gaps and shorten the hurdles that these ladies have to conquer.  Help us in our mission to do this.

Golf information taken from The New York Times’ June 20^th article, “McIlroy Wins U.S. Open, and Fans, With Disarming Dominance”.

What makes a good volunteer?

by Tamara A.

Service has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember.  Growing up, it was more a result of my family and the community that I grew up in as opposed to me choosing to be super involved on my own accord.  However, it became engrained in me.  When I finally got to college where I didn’t have any service requirements or pressure from others to sign up for the service opportunities through church or school, I found that there was something lacking amidst my new friends, parties and exciting college activities.  It was service.  I realized that I thrived on finding causes that I believed in and volunteering where help was needed.  Since then, I have looked for a variety of ways to get involved with my community and use my talents towards something beyond my personal needs.  Whether it has been helping to organize a local food drive or shipping myself off to Peru for a few months to help children, I have found so much reward in service.

Now that is my own story.  But there are so many people that offer up their time and talents to help others.  Volunteering is a super gratifying experience that is beneficial to both those being served and those serving.  And the great thing is, anyone can do it!  The terms “volunteering” and “volunteer” can apply to such a wide variety of activity that there is definitely a little place in there for everyone.  Donating your time to the local library is no less or more important than spending your time socializing with the residents of a nursing home or flying to Thailand to help out at an orphanage.

While I believe that everyone is capable of helping in some way, there are definitely some qualities that make people more inclined towards volunteering.  Here is a list of some characteristics that I believe most volunteers do/should possess:

1.    Being proactive. 

I can’t tell you how many people have said to me that they would like to get involved in some nonprofit or that they would love to volunteer for a certain event…BUT they don’t have the time, energy, money, or whatever excuse they come up with.  There seems to be a “but” for a lot of people.  The biggest obstacle in volunteering is the first step.  It is easy to say I want to help, but taking the initiative to call an organization or show up at an event is thing that separates the true volunteers from the wannabes.  So be proactive and make that first move.

2.    Belief in the small steps.

People get scared to volunteer, but the thing is, it takes the little steps to go the full distance.  When looking at a social issue in its entirety, it is easy to become overwhelmed at the massiveness.  Bring it down to a local level.  Look at it in the form of several steps and focus on one.  National hunger problem: find a local food kitchen that needs help.  Empowerment for handicapped individuals: sign up to work at the Special Olympics.  Lack of education in developing countries: focus on helping construct a hostel in Nepal for continued girls’ education.  You have to believe that even though you may be refining your focus, it is helping in the grand scheme of things.  If everyone does a little, that adds up to a whole lot.

3.    Willingness to be a little uncomfortable.

Volunteering is not always about staying within your comfort zone.  Most ventures will challenge you a little bit.  It may force you to interact with a wider variety of people, push you to think in new ways, and tryout a skill set that you didn’t necessarily know you had.  This is especially true with international volunteering.  For example, Edge of Seven volunteers sign up to help in a community where they do not know the language, are helping through physical labor, and do so without the modern conveniences that they are accustomed to.  These can be truly trying experiences, but equally worthwhile.

4.    Heart.

The most important quality is the passion to help.  This seems almost too obvious to say.  A volunteer should truly care about what they are doing and the people that they are helping.  Believe it or not, I have witnessed individuals showing up at an event and proceeding to complain or avoid completing any work for the length of their “volunteering”.  What good is this for anyone involved?  If you don’t want to be there, don’t be.  If you want to be there, then you will inevitably be driven to help in whatever capacity you are able to.  It is this heart that allows so much to be accomplished through volunteer work.

As I said before, ANYONE can volunteer.  Find something that you believe in and try to find a way that you can help further the cause.

Teenage Girls Fighting for Teenage Girls

At Edge of Seven, we are dedicated to creating a movement of social change.  We are not 1 person, or 10 people, but an entire volunteer network of people both at home and abroad that believe each person should have access to food, water, and education.  I’d like to take the opportunity to spotlight one exceptional volunteer who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to empower girls, her age, in rural Nepal.  Ann Mackey, a 16 year-old from Denver, will be joining us for two weeks this summer to build a dorm in Salleri, Nepal.

As many of you know, we recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $6,000 for The Mountain Between Us, a documentary exposing the challenges that girls face when trying to pursue education in Nepal.  As soon as we launched the campaign, I received the following email from Ann:

“I am eager to do a fundraiser for the 12 minute documentary. I have been motivated by movies similar to this before and think they really make an impact on people.”

 I was touched.  And then, I was impressed.  Over the course of two weeks, Ann raised $4,200 from over 50 donors.  Note to self: never underestimate the power of a teenage girl.  I asked her to send me her appeal letter since she achieved such astounding success in such a short amount of time and I’d like to share that letter today.

For as long as I can remember, I have been concerned about the world around me and have become increasingly passionate about making it better. I am fortunate to have a family that is willing to support my every — reasonable — request. Recently, I have been granted the opportunity to travel to Nepal this summer for three weeks to help finish building a dormitory for 40 girls in the village of Solukhumbu, which is located in the Everest Region. 

This construction project is being funded and managed through Edge of Seven, a nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for volunteers to a make a change and be changed by people from the most distant corners of the world. The dormitory will serve the current and following generation of girls in the region who seek to finish the equivalent of high school.             

To some this may seem like three weeks from hell:  traveling alone half-way across the world, living in third world conditions (with strangers that don’t speak English), putting in hard, manual labor from sunup to sundown — but to me it is a dream come true. I chose this particular project because I am realizing the importance of educating women and girls in developing countries.

The education of women and girls in the developing world leads to improvements both economically and socially. The following facts are a sample of the “girl effect”:

• Lowering infant and child mortality rates: Women with some formal education are more likely to seek medical care, ensure their children are immunized, be better informed about their children’s nutritional requirements and adopt improved sanitation practices. As a result, their infants and children have higher survival rates and tend to be healthier and better nourished. 
• Lowering maternal mortality rates: Women with some formal education tend to have better knowledge about health care practices, are less likely to become pregnant at a very young age, tend to have fewer, better-spaced pregnancies, and seek pre- and post-natal care. It is estimated that an additional year of schooling for 1,000 women helps prevent two maternal deaths.
• Creating intergenerational education benefits: Mothers’ education is a significant variable affecting children’s education attainment and opportunities. In many countries each additional year of formal education completed by a mother translates into her children remaining in school for an additional one-third to one-half year.
• (World Bank, Girls’ Education, 2009.)
• When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she   marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children.
• (United Nations Population Fund, State of World Population 1990.)
• When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man.
• (Chris Fortson, “Women’s Rights Vital for Developing World,” Yale News Daily 2003.)
• When 10 percent more girls go to secondary school, the country’s economy grows by 3 percent.
• (Barbara Herz and Gene Sperling, What Works in Girls Education 2004)

Nepal is certainly a developing county. With the literacy rate at an estimated 67 percent and the unemployment rate at an estimated 46 percent, it is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world. With almost one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line, agriculture the mainstay of the economy, landlocked geographic location, civil strife, labor unrest and its susceptibility to natural disaster, the country faces many challenges.

Home to Everest and the Himalayas, Nepal is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful countries in the world. Populated with Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims; located at the convergence of Tibet and India, Nepal’s culture is intricate and rich. Most important, the country has hope. With a new democratic government in place and the drafting of a new constitution, rapid changes are being made.

I am seeking your help to make a change. Please help me raise funds for an important video: “Edge of Seven is partnering with the Peaks Foundation to film a 12- minute documentary to highlight the stories of two phenomenal women in rural Nepal and tell their stories of hope and of optimism,” explained Erin Guttenplan, founder of Edge of Seven. The purpose of the documentary is “To raise awareness of the challenges facing the girls in Nepal,” says Chloe Chick of the Peaks Foundation. Awareness is always the first process in change. Through this documentary, the global community will be made aware of the challenges and hardships and will be eager to help improve the lives of the Nepalese through the education and empowerment of women and girls.

To see the trailer, please visit http://www.vimeo.com/22171473.

As with many things in life, one thing stands in their way from recording, processing and screening the film around the world — money. To date, $2,120 of the $6,000 needed has been raised.  There are only two weeks left to reach the fundraising goal.  It is my hope you will join me in helping Edge of Seven improve the lives of girls through education in Nepal and create a positive change that will echo throughout the Everest Region.  I will venture to do the manual labor in Nepal and I am asking you to donate so that together we can help make this film and improve the lives of future generations of Nepalese people.

 Please help by donating today. Your check – for $5 to $500 – made out to Edge of Seven will help us tell the story of the women of Nepal. Your donations are tax-deductible and you will be receiving a receipt. Please use the enclosed stamped and addressed envelope to send your check.

Thanks, Ann.