Top 10 Tips for Hosting Your Own Fundraiser

For some of us, fundraising comes naturally. For others, we'd rather focus on some other aspect of DfG. However, fundraising = more fabric, more kits, more girls, more smiles, more lives changed, so it can help you do lots more of what you're already doing. Here are some ideas to help you amplify your efforts through fundraising:

1.) Hosting an event takes time. Start planning at least 6 months in advance for a larger event.

2.) Know who you know. Comb those contacts lists, then enlist the help of a few close friends to do the same. We all know that DfG has a large global fan base, but attendees or supporters of your event will come because they want to support YOU! Invite, invite, invite.

3.) Assemble a team with different strengths. Everyone is good at something. It may be calling local merchants to ask about donations of food/drinks, or designing invitations, or creating flower arrangements, or securing the perfect location. Find out what resonates with people, and then send them forth to go do it!

4.) Don't be afraid to ask. Hosts for a recent fundraiser in Edmonds, WA were able to secure donations of hundreds of cupcakes and other delicious desserts for their Dessert Auction. Call around. You never know who might want to support your efforts.

5.) Spread the word. Announce the event in local papers or radio, along with RSVP information. You may just expand your invite list tremendously.

6.) Take advantage of widely known dates. Mother's Day, International Women's Day, and International Day of the Girl are all great examples of times to host an event. Think about what's going on in your area, and what ways you might invite others to help you celebrate that day...through attending a DfG fundraiser!

7.) Pick a theme. A theme like High Tea, or Roaring 20's, or Sunday Brunch for Girls helps pull everything together. Get creative! G Force: Girls, Glitter, and Global Change...Valentines for Africa...Sewing for Sisters...the sky's the limit.

8.) Feature testimonials from several people, if you can. Testimonials help paint the picture of your work, and also recognize the many ways individuals benefit from DfG. They present the emotional connection people are looking for. 

9.) Ask for donations at the end of the event. Pass out envelopes after people have had the opportunity to learn more about the organization, and hear testimonials. Provide people with several higher options, including the option to give annually. Don't just leave a blank space for them to write in the amount. An example would be, "I would like to give: ____$500   ____$250  ____$100   ___$50   ____$Other."

10.) Not all fundraising has to be through an in-person event - take advantage of the internet. A simple email appeal may be a great way to start. Are your friends and family already supporting you? Try a different approach: "We're not asking for your money. We're asking for your voice." Ask them to send the email to 5 friends each, but not to contribute any funds of their own. See what happens!

DfG Brings Some TLC to Survivors of Sex Trafficking in South Korea

Amy Brzezinski is new to the DfG team, but like many other DfG team members, she's dived right in. Amy recently shared this note and these photos with DfG Headquarters. Here is more about Amy's project, in her own words:

Dear Days for Girls,

I first heard about your organization back in April after a friend shared that she had attending a sewing party.  I was immediately interested and knew that I would be sewing for girls.  I printed all the instructions and patterns, made a notebook, began reading everything and emailing Jan.  Thank you Jan for all of your help!

I bought fabric and began to share this burgeoning desire to do something.  Over coffee I blurted out my new found dream to my sister in law.  She very quickly encouraged me and a plan was made to send kits to House of Hope, in Pohang, South Korea.  House of Hope is a group home for survivors of sex-trafficking with special attention to those who are pregnant.

Working with several friends we made 40 complete sets that my sister in law is delivering this week.   I printed the distribution instructions and sent those along.  Our friend, who is Korean, will do the presentation.  

It has been an absolute blessing working on this project.  It’s amazing thinking of all of the hands and hearts that have come together to love these girls from afar.

We are now preparing for our next adventure.... 50 kits for India!

Amy Brzezinski

Thank you, Amy, for your beautiful work, and for sharing your story with us!

Proving You Can Make a Difference at Any Age

Meet Gabby. Gabby is a doer. Gabby is passionate about causes, including Days for Girls. Gabby lives in Lynden, WA, and decided to host a bake sale to raise funds for DfG. She mobilized the troops, motivating one person to make 30 mini banana bread loaves. Gabby, with help from her parents, told her school about the bake sale and took orders. She raised over $225 for DfG! Gabby says this isn't her first rodeo. "I've done lots of drives and I like it. I'm really happy that you are doing this, because I think it's a strong thing to help people with." Thanks, Gabby, and it's people just like you that make DfG strong. Thank you for all that you do!

The Power of Two: You Gave Them Sewing Machines and Knowledge...

Two years ago 5 individuals (Linda, Linda R, Mary, Don and Celeste) took on the challenge of training 52 individuals who gathered in Bullawayo, Zimbabwe to learn how to be Ambassadors of Women's Health and to make washable feminine hygiene products. It was a leap of faith that brought a breathtaking response. The stories of why this was so important, the sighs of relief, the woman that said, "This is going to change our world," were all just parts of this incredible day. After the training, two of the participants would not take no for an answer as they took the knowledge they'd gained back to their communities. They also had the leadership of a Governor who embraced Days for Girls with enthusiasm. Those two, one a woman and one the first ever male Ambassador of Women's Health (that's another great story), are on course to cover their entire district. They have reached 27 schools, and an estimated 8,000 girls. They are proving the power of two.

Girls receiving kits at Mabhikwa Secondary School in Lupane

Here's the report from Linda, the Days for Girls Zimbabwe director, "From the 27 schools covered, 50 students were selected to represent their respective schools and were trained. Several women from the community were selected to take part in this exercise and were trained too. Also there’s women’s groups that, using the knowledge and fabric resources that you made possible, is also making pads in Lupane; this group applied for grants and loans to forward their efforts, a loan from an International NGO to make pads, and will pay back the loan in December 2013.  Since January they have managed to make 200 kits, of which the Manager of the centre says, “It’s quite an achievement considering the fact that it’s the farming season.” (During the farming season most households would rather put their focus and energy on farming since its their source of livelihood.) In countries like Zimbabwe women are the backbone of farming."

Days for Girls kits made in Zimbabwe

Now they are requesting more fabric and funding for fabric.     The amazing thing is that as we continue to prove this model     and improve upon it, that EVERY District in Zimbabwe can be served, and the model can be applied elsewhere in the world as well. There are still the other 50 Ambassadors, awaiting more services to reach more girls and women. It's breathtaking to consider all that is possible. World peace... One pad at a time. DfGI will be taking more fabric and resources to the team in Zimbabwe this summer and gathering their stories and results. That fabric and needed resources will be there, in part because of YOUR support.  
Thank you! Hoping you are doing a happy dance with us.  Next, the Uganda report.

It's Our Birthday! Celebrate with us!

It's our fourth birthday and we thought you might like to hear how this all started.

We didn't mean to start a movement. Celeste was only trying to help children at an orphanage live better. She says, "I thought I had found my calling. Then one morning at 2:30 AM I woke with a startling thought,'Have you asked what the girls are doing for feminine hygiene?" I had never considered it. I ran to the computer to email the question. The answer came almost immediately, "Nothing. They wait in their rooms.' I tried to imagine how girls waited in overcrowded rooms, Bunks stacked end to end. Friends and I worked to send money for disposable pads that month, but I knew even if we could raise money every month, the center would likely use it for food. I was returning to Kenya in just 3 weeks. What could we do? Volunteers worked to make washable kits. The girls were so grateful not to have to miss school, not to have to wait in their rooms. But they shocked me with another statement, now they would not have to let their school director 'use' them just to stay in class. That was the moment Days for Girls was born."

Celeste says, "People ask if I started this organization and I usually answer, 'I'm the really good listener who gets to prove every day that people are truly amazing.' 

Today, just 4 years later, Days for Girls International empowers girls, women and communities in 29 nations on 5 continents, tackling large systemic challenges with a simple solution that is turning out to be key to social change.    In the past 4 years our programs and amazing volunteers and contributors have worked together to reach 60,000 plus girls and women, trained over 150 Ambassadors of Women's Health in 3 nations and saved approximately 8,640,000 days for girls and women worldwide. There are now thousands of grassroots volunteers worldwide. 27 Days for Girls Chapters working around the globe to lift communities, family and women... one pad at a time. And the results have been phenomenal.

Okay, the candles are all lit now and everyone at Days for Girls has burst into song. The rest is up to you.

To Celebrate our Birthday we ask you to join us in VOTING for Days for Girls in the Girl Effect Challenge.  This Challenge will be taking place throughout the month of November. Winning the Girl Effect Challenge would be a HUGE honor and empower Days for Girls to reach even more girls. Help us reach our Birthday Wish, VOTE today! 

 

It's Just an Ear. Adventurers with Days for Girls Rated PG

We just learned that there are chimanzee's and gorillas in the highlands here!!! I did not know this or I would have scheduled two days to go be with them.  Imagine a silverback in the wild. Kayte says she is NOT going. In truth we can't as our schedule is full... but next time. Danger or no... we go. Tee hee.  Speaking of danger, I am no longer allowed to text. I was trying to text my husband and sent my love and I am truly "all thumbs" when it comes to the old style of "thumb intuative texting" on old phones. Well I accidently sent an I love you message to... our taxi driver. Who immediately sent a message back to KAYTE saying, "OH! I love you too Kayte!!!" I'm busted. Kayte was mortified. We LIKED that driver and planned to use him again. No more texting for me. Tee hee.

Great day of catching up yesterday after not being able to connect much. I had over 300 emails waiting for me. We leave for the northlands today. I don't know how much access we will have to internet. AMAZING connections here.  Miracles. Let's just say that a mix up in our flights ended up having us getting to meet with international Rotary in Uganda regarding WATER and SANITATION and well, you can't make that happen just like that.

So, funny thing happened yesterday Kayte was making copies of our Ambassador's training manual which we had just added a few things to. She noticed that the last page was formated funny so she had to reprint it. She went to the office where it was printed off and there was a line of youth missionaries along the wall staring at the picture on the printer of... anatomical intercourse (interior view). In the reproductive health part of our training when we get to the anatomy we explain that there is nothing to be ashamed about. We point to our arm and say, "Arm..." Then point down "Vagina. Both are an important part of your body". Then point to the male anatomy chart and say, "Penis... (then pointing up) ear. Both have important functions. " Poor Kayte says she grabbed it from the printer and kept saying to herself, "It's just an ear. It's just an ear." Tee hee. Her face was still red when she got back to the room! Adventures with Days for Girls!

 Okay, we're off to Gulu in our twist skirt and Keen sandals. I'm the one with the beastly hair up in a barrett. I tell you what, sometimes I wish I could trade hair with someone. Who has hair like this in all of the pictures? Someone asked if we wanted to have TV coverage. No thanks. Can I stick to radio?  We'll share photos and more very soon. Promise

The Chief, the Counselor and the Chaos

We arose in the dark of 4 AM and headed toward the province where the Great Zimbabwe ruins stand. We picked up a fourth passenger, which meant three of us were in the back of a small compact and two in front. The car was weighed down with DfG supplies generously made possible by supporters like the Soroptimist Club of Anacortes, WA and Lunapads. (Yea!!) so we were quite low to the ground, but our driver Lucas handled the journey with ease and we arrived just before 11 AM, ready to help Ambassadors teach 50 students, only we were instead routed to "Grandpa" who is a revered leader of the community. Linda had to squeeze onto the center bump between the front seats for Grandpa to join her in the seat and off we went to... The Chief's place. The red dirt road up to his compound of huts, one cinder block building and livestock (chickens and goats) was filled with beautiful natural mineral stones. In fact the region is rich with mineral deposits, which is probably why it has  a very large open asbestos mine (yes, asbestos).  The Chief, his assistant and his wives greeted us and we were directed to be seated on grain bags (one of which read World Food Program) at his feet. He sat on a traditional wooden carved stool (it was interesting to see that what we see in shops is authentically used)and his assistant, Grandpa and our  driver The Chief was attentive and congenial. He asked what our purpose was and then said that this project was good even late, as they could have used it "yesterday"  ( we get this a lot). He then rose and went to go get his "official jacket" which turned out to be a suit jacket with a medal revealing his position which Linda explained later was given to him by Mugaba., their current President.  He declared his approval and said goodbye. We took photos.  His wives then gathered in to see what we had brought and then asked why we had not come with some for them. We regretted not having more than we had said we would bring for the school and promised to return.   Walked back down the hill and climbed in the car,  we drove awhile hen up a long dirt road that required us to climb out and walk as the car woul bottom out. 45 minutes later we were at a large school. We thought we had arrived! It turned out that they did not know we were coming. Then they explained that the Secondary School girls were away on a field trip but we should wait for the counselor. We were puzzled but we sat dutifully, answering questions.  Soon we left with hugs and picture taking and declarations of how much they looked forward to our return. Had we really driven all that way for nothing? We walked back down the road in silence until Grandpa explained that the woman we waited for was the Province Counsel member (we were thinking High School Counselor) and her approval was very important. We walked the long road back and climbed into the car off and on. Now we were headed to the school.
    They didn't know we were coming. And they were excited about what we brought. Okay, NOW we teach the 50. Nope. There were 120! We gave the reproductive health and empowerment talk and then asked what to o as we had only brought supplies for 50 and so the Head Teacher chose some to learn how to sew the kits with a plan to return tore turn in a week or so with supplies for the rest. It was heartbreaking to watch the girls sent away huddling around the doorway to watch after we had just told them that they were treasures that deserved to be safe and well.  Now the chaos began, we went from girl to girl as there were not enough of us (the car was small and we found that the plan Linda had enacted to form groups of ten to each trainer could not be enacted as we were busy setting up for a few more.  Not our favorite moment, but did we ever learn a lot to apply elsewhere.  By 4:30 PM we were exhausted and we had to start back in order to be well on our way before dark.  We waved good bye and set off down the road... And got a phone call. Where were we? There were 150 women waiting for us at the health clinic and they had been waiting all day long! Only, as in all else that had happened that day, we had not been informed. Though we wanted to return, we had no choice, we had to press on and travel back to Linda's house to be ready for a full day of meetings in Bulawayo.  That drive was in silence as we were all tired and disappointed by the course of the day, though important permissions had been granted for the Province efforts to continue. Argh! What a day!  Thank goodness that every storm cloud has a silver lining. We learned a lot for days to come.

The next day was AWESOME!

Next: The Mayor, The Castle and the King's School