From Kenya with Love
This summer I had the honor of traveling to Kenya with Her Future Coalition. An organization working tirelessly to support girls affected by child marriage, trafficking and gender based violence. As a jewelry designer my hope was to share not just techniques but also creativity as a tool for healing and empowerment.
Walking into the building at the Samburu Girls Shelter, I knew immediately that they would be the ones teaching me. I was right. I left a bit of my heart there. I have never seen such resilience, joy and strength in the face of hardship. The girls' families live in extreme poverty as subsistence farmers, moving their cattle from place to place. Girls are typically cut and married at 11 or 12, but some are as young as 7. Our girls are forging a new path for themselves and their families and community.
HFC has two projects in Kenya: a rescue shelter serving girls in Samburu County, and an education and peer leadership program serving children and mothers in Narok County. Both projects have a strong focus on developing girls' leadership and giving them skills to counsel and advocate for others. Both projects serve girls from nomadic ethnic groups like the Maasai and Samburu.
What struck me the most was how quickly song, laughter and sisterhood filled the space. They had never heard of Taylor Swift, but had so much fun learning and dancing. We made friendship bracelets and it was so fun to watch them swap bracelets mid-design and swoon like we do when we try on something new. I have never been more proud and I have never cried so many happy tears.
We visited three different schools one of which, with the help of your donations, we were able to secure lunch for 750 students for a whole year. Many of these students would often go days without food. The school did not have the capacity or funds to provide lunch. It was so painful to see, but now the students can focus, thrive and become less vulnerable.
I left a piece of my heart in Kenya and cannot wait to go back. If you would like to support this work, please consider learning more about Her Future Coalition. They are celebrating 20 years of work this year and I am so grateful that they allowed me to part of their work and mission.
Xo! Dee
