2020-09-02
Dear Project of the Month Club Member,
We hope your September is off to a happy and healthy start! We are in awe of you and the 597 other club members that came together to give $26,717 last month to Whispering Seed and its project MyanmarYouth Sustainability Training Centre, which works to bridge the traditions of sustainability and holistic education through innovative programs while drawing on rich local wisdom and traditional cultures.
This September, your generous contribution will support our nonprofit partner Zindagi Trust and its project Art for 3200 School girls in Pakistan.
Zindagi Trust's mission is to reform Pakistan's state schools by helping the government implement a holistic curriculum that lets students thrive. Through Art for 3,200 Schoolgirls in Pakistan, Zindagi Trust leaders will implement a modern art program at two government schools in Pakistan's biggest city, Karachi, so young girls can express themselves creatively - a skill that is overlooked by the current education model. Through these integrated programs, students will naturally connect their studies to the outside world, whether it's on a trip to the local museum or a visit to a mural painted by a local artist. This method of connecting students to the world around them through art not only improves school attendance and learning outcomes, but it also encourages students to explore their interests and passions later in life.
Despite the lockdown, Zindagi Trust has continued to support 2,300 students channel their creative spirits at home. Care packages bursting with activities that promote mindfulness, gratitude, reflection, and fun were distributed to the children to help them cope in isolation - a powerful reminder that art is more than just another extra-curricular.
Head of Special Programs and Advocacy Sana Kazmi expresses her thanks to you and other Project of the Month Club members for supporting their mission:
"I am thrilled and deeply touched to hear this news! Funding for continuing learning and reopening schools is scarce given the competing priorities brought about by the pandemic. We were afraid we may have to scale down our art program despite knowing that it is needed now more than ever. After spending almost six months in isolation, our school children need to feel the joy and connection of creative pursuit as well as the emotional outlet and release that their art classes provide. Thank you so much for helping us find a way to make this possible!"
Sana went on share plans for how your generosity will power their efforts this year:
"Your contribution will enable us to create unique, local art experiences for 3,100 students. After a gap of more than six months, we will be able to continue our weekly art classes. Thanks to your generosity, we can buy enough art supplies so all children can create art safely without having to share supplies, as we return to on-campus classes with post-COVID-19 safety measures. We will now also be able to put out teaching resources, art lessons, and DIY tutorials for children beyond our schools, as your gift helps us support our faculty of seven art teachers across two large under-resourced government schools. Finally, our art teachers, who have been recently empowered through extensive training on Mental Health First Aid, will be helping our students make the transition back to school easier. They will be making check-in calls leading up to school re-opening and providing guided care as lay counselors at a time when the mental well-being of children is more important than ever for their success at school.
Keep up with Zindagi Trust's work by checking out their most recent updates from the field.
We are so grateful for your commitment to support community-led change. I can't wait to share where your generosity is headed in October!
Stay safe and well,
Alix Guerrier
GlobalGiving CEO
