Mothers Without Borders

Our New CEO

mwbmedia — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 23:06:06 +0000

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

We are pleased to announce the new CEO of Mothers Without Borders, Jackie Skinner. Jackie is a dynamic leader who brings impressive experience and passion to our mission of protecting the vulnerable and empowering the marginalized.

She joins us with 17 years of leadership in the nonprofit sector. Her dedication and deep commitment to creating positive change worldwide make her an ideal fit to lead us into the future. With a background in nonprofit management, international development, and corporate social responsibility, Jackie has already demonstrated an ability to fundraise, drive innovation, foster collaboration, and inspire transformative growth.

JACKIE SKINNER: CEO

Jackie has spent most of her career working with vulnerable populations in different parts of the world. She has led global corporate philanthropy and social responsibility for billion-dollar companies, worked for USAID in the Foreign Disaster Assistance and Food for Peace office, led sports diplomacy projects with the US State Department, and co-founded a global girls leadership development organization. She has implemented impact projects in Uganda, Ethiopia, South Africa, Peru, Ecuador, Nepal, India, Mexico, Tajikistan and the United States.

Jackie received her BA from Brigham Young University and will graduate from the University of Utah with a Master of Public Administration in March 2024. She received professional certificates from Cornell and Stanford in Nonprofit Financial Success and Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence.

Please join us in welcoming Jackie!

Mothers Without Borders Board of Directors

Empowering Women to Change the World

mwbmedia — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 02:41:14 +0000

I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because
I deserve to be.

– Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Women are capable of amazing things, especially if they are able to flourish and grow. Our mission is to enable women to become the change agents of their communities. We are committed to the well-being of women in vulnerable communities and know that they have a powerful potential to become advocates for generational change.

Over the last several years, we have seen that while empowerment and educational success are intertwined for an individual, that same individual can empower their friends, family, and community. This is evident in our Women’s Empowerment clubs, a place where women can go to receive business skills training, literacy classes, access to microloans, and access to a strong social circle of engaged, empowered women.

We are excited to announce the expansion of our Women’s Empowerment clubs. In the last few months, we have opened new clubs, bringing us to a total of six women’s empowerment clubs. This initiative will enable even more women to become self-reliant and allow them to nurture their entrepreneurial skills. We hope to be able to bring this initiative to seventeen more communities, expanding our ability to empower women to grow and develop and be the change makers in their communities.

THE PROBLEM: WOMEN IN CRISIS

At the center of vulnerable communities are the women who are disproportionately affected by the issues their communities face. Gender inequality in Zambia is one of the leading factors of cyclical poverty. As a result, women face a number of barriers that prevent them from being able to find success and to in turn empower their children to find success. These challenges keep generations of women right where their mothers were: illiterate, uneducated, unempowered, and unable to create a better situation for them and their families.

One of the major ways gender inequality in Zambia exacerbates poverty is by limiting the economic opportunities available to women and girls. Marginalization of girls and women in access to education, healthcare, and job opportunities limits their earning potential and hinders their ability to break the cycle of poverty. In Zambia, only 31% of girls complete primary school and only 8% complete secondary school. This lack of access to education restricts their ability to seek future employment and stifles self-determination and confidence.

42% of girls in rural communities in Zambia are married by age 18, making Zambia the country with the 16th highest rate of child marriage in the world. Cultural norms and traditions dictate that women are responsible for domestic work and childcare, which means they have less time to engage in income-generating activities and often can only do so with the permission of their husbands. These patriarchal norms force women to abandon their own hopes and dreams in order to focus on the needs of men.

Empowering women is essential for the cycle of poverty to be broken. As a woman becomes more empowered, she can begin to shift from focusing on survival to moving forward through development and growth. When a woman believes in herself and in her dreams, her children are empowered to believe in themselves too. As a woman becomes empowered, cycles of poverty can be broken in one generation.

THE SOLUTION: EMPOWER WOMEN

We believe that women in vulnerable circumstances can be empowered to create a better life for themselves and their families. Mothers Without Borders has established and operated Women’s Empowerment clubs in six different communities in Zambia. These clubs have a proven record of helping women learn in a safe setting, create individual businesses, and find empowerment.

Our Women’s Empowerment clubs are designed to address the root causes of gender inequality in ways that are catered to local needs. Each woman is supported through the unique way our clubs are designed:

Locally Led and Mothers Without Borders-Supported. Each empowerment club creates their own organizational structure with an elected Chairlady, Secretary, and Treasurer. We provide the training to help these clubs establish their structure, but leave the autonomy of how to function to their local leadership. Our staff visit these clubs on a regular basis to provide training, encouragement, and support.
Family-Centric Empowerment. We have found that when youth enrolled in our youth empowerment programs have a mother actively attending a Women’s Empowerment club, both the child and the mother are far more likely to succeed. Because of this, we intentionally place our clubs in communities where we also have youth programs.
Access to Microloans. We provide an initial fund for each club to loan out to their members in a setting where there is positive social pressure to repay. As loans are repaid with interest, the loan fund grows and over time the club is able to offer more significant loans. We have a proven track record of repayment of the loans because the fund is owned by the women of the community.
Business and Skills Training. Individual clubs decide which topics they would like to receive training on, including sewing, financial literacy, health, gender equity, and others. Each club’s members have autonomy in deciding their discussion and education topics, an important factor leading to empowerment.
Social Support. Members meet on a regular basis and celebrate each other’s successes. This support means they don’t have to go on their individual difficult journey alone, which is key to success. The club also gives them access to other women who act as role models and mentors. This community-based support allows women to find strength and empowerment in each other.

Despite the fact that the women in our clubs come from impoverished and vulnerable communities, we have observed positive impact in the following areas:

Confidence and self-advocacy. Over time, as women learn and find success through their club, they begin to speak up and advocate for themselves and their children more.
Gender norm beliefs change. The daughters of women in our Empowerment Programs attend school and stay in school longer than peers whose mothers are not in our Empowerment Programs. Youth empowerment has a greater effect when mothers are also being trained about the importance of education and receiving education of their own.
Children have a better opportunity at an empowered life. The children of women in our empowerment programs have greater academic performance than their peers who do not have a mother in a club. Educational performance is directly related to empowerment in the future, and merely having a mother in the program is enough to begin the process of eradicating cycles of poverty for future generations.
High microloan repayment rates. Because the microloan fund is owned collectively by the club, the repayment rates are extremely high. Receiving funds from your peers and local community members provides positive peer pressure and a sense of fulfillment when the loan has been repaid.

THE FUTURE: EXPANDING WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT CLUBS

For the women in our empowerment clubs, the club has been a lifeline allowing them access to the resources necessary to build a better life for themselves and their families. Women’s Empowerment clubs allow us to take a holistic approach to empowering women and youth and protecting the most vulnerable.

We have found that when youth enrolled in our Youth Empowerment Program have a parent actively attending a Women’s Empowerment club, both the child and the mother are far more likely to succeed. Over the past three years, we have expanded our youth empowerment programs to 23 communities, but only six of these communities have a Women’s Empowerment club.

In the near future, we hope to establish clubs in the 17 communities where we already have a presence, but not a women’s club. We have 498 youth in our youth empowerment programs – imagine the intergenerational change that would occur if we could reach all of the parents of these children.

With an average cost per woman of $126 and an average cost per club of $3,150, we are able to provide microloan seed money, entrepreneurial training, meeting space and supplies, and mentorship by experienced, successful women. Intergenerational change is possible, and it starts with the one.

Learn more about our programs serving women & youth and consider how you can become a part of this important work. Each woman we work with is a beacon of light and hope, a valuable person worthy of respect and honor. Together, we can change the world.

Mentorship That Drives Hope

mwbmedia — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 23:28:51 +0000

A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.

– Oprah Winfrey

Mentorship is a central part of our mission of bringing hope to people in developing communities. Everyone needs the wisdom and influence of kind, thoughtful mentors who have overcome challenges similar to the ones experienced by the mentee. We believe in the hope that comes from mentorship—in seeing the light, hope, and potential innately within those we serve and doing all we can to help them realize their potential.

Working with local community leaders to strengthen communities, empower women and youth, and care for the most vulnerable children, we prioritize building relationships that allow us to learn from and with each other while supporting individuals in their journeys to self-reliance.

MENTORSHIP AT MOTHERS WITHOUT BORDERS

Our local staff who run our programs in Africa meet regularly with community leaders and partner organizations to support their work, train them on gender issues, and continue to build friendships and alliances that allow for greater collaboration throughout communities. Our Africa Regional Programs Director, Josephine Mulenga Daka, takes the lessons of one-on-one, individualized mentoring and applies them to entire organizations and communities—sharing Mothers Without Borders’ 20+ years of experience, best practices, and proven strategies.

In 2022, Josephine began mentoring a small organization in Nairobi, Kenya called the Hope Care Center. We have been able to bring our decades of experience and expertise to their operations and programming. After Josephine traveled to Kenya in December of 2022 to visit the center, a Hope Care Center staff member reflected,

“Josephine is a ray of sunshine. She blessed us with her wisdom and skills on setting up a more functional system to work with and trained us on strategic planning for the year 2023. We gained more than what we had anticipated and her visit was nothing short of a blessing.”

In addition to working with communities to support and bolster their efforts, we run a number of programs to fill the gaps these communities can’t presently address. Within our own programs, we have focused on pairing the individuals we serve with empowering individuals who can support and encourage them on their individual journeys. Currently, 81 women are being mentored in business, sewing, and financial literacy workshops and over 500 young women and men are assigned mentors who they meet with monthly.

Mentorship always begins and ends with love. Josephine Mulenga Daka, our Africa Regional Programs Director, states,

“We stick with these kids for the long haul, and they have relationships strong enough that they will come ask for our help even after they’ve graduated. They believe in themselves and have real hope that they can have the future job they want.”

The youth in our programs are intentionally paired with mentors who have overcome similar challenges, can help them to develop a plan for their education and future, and empower them to develop self-confidence and self-awareness as they reach their goals. This can include helping them with homework, life skills training such as time management and budgeting, and encouraging them to participate in extracurricular activities. One girl in our Be That Girl program recently shared her experience with her mentor:

“My experience with Mentor Vera is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. I have been empowered and encouraged in personal development. Mentor Vera is someone who sees more ability in me and guides me on how I can reach my full potential. She has always shown me love.“

Individuals in our programs see and feel the immense value of mentorship and naturally mentor one another as well. The girls encourage each other to get to meetings, provide each other with encouragement and support, and help each other with their school work. One young woman in the Be That Girl program said,

“You know, you might be thinking like you’re the only person who is going through that. As we encourage each other, I know that there’s someone else out there going through my situation.”

So far in 2023…

83

women mentored in business and skills training clubs

728

individual youth empowerment mentor visits

259

small group youth mentoring sessions

MENTORSHIP: LOVING, LONG-TERM SUPPORT

The true power of mentorship comes from long-term relationships rooted in love. Read the story of one young woman whose life has changed because of her relationship with her mentor. (Note: names and pictures have been changed to protect the privacy and confidentiality of those we serve.)

When Gift joined the Be That Girl program, she was paired with Charity as her mentor. Charity recently retired from more than 30 years of working as a top level nurse in Zambia. She is a powerful example of dedication, grace, and perseverance. Charity is a self-motivated nurse, Midwifery Specialist, and HIV Specialist who holds a Diploma in Nursing, Advanced Diploma in Registered Midwifery, Bachelors in Health Care Administration, and certificate in Nutrition.

These sorts of resumes are very rare in a country where only 8% of women have a 12th grade education. By having these inspiring women as mentors, we hope to inspire new generations of children and youth to transform their lives and communities and to give back in the same ways as these leaders.

Charity was selected as Gift’s mentor because they come from similar backgrounds and had similar educational and career goals. Charity said, “I first met Gift in 2020, and when she narrated her story, I was very touched and desired that she gets educational support.”

Gift was pursuing a diploma in Clinical Medicine when she had to drop out of college due to financial constraints. She continued working with her mentor, Charity, to find a way to continue pursuing her dreams. Charity’s strong educational and vocational background in health care helped Gift as she navigated the challenges of seeing her college friends complete their medical studies and graduate as she worked odd jobs to help with finances. With the help of the Be That Girl program and Charity’s mentorship, Gift was able to re-enroll in school and she completed her Diploma in Clinical Medicine in 2022.

Gift reflected,

“I am so grateful to Mentor Charity for the support, direction, and guidance she offered me through all of my mentorship journey. Mentor Charity has been a guide and mirror for me. I hope to continue learning from her. God bless her for me.”

Charity says,

“Mentoring Gift has been a great experience. I love the bond we have. We have built a friendship. She is a hard working, honest, and determined mentee who defeated all odds and completed her studies.”

Gift’s experience is one of hundreds highlighting the joy, confidence, and friendship that shapes the lives of those we serve by providing real-world, relatable examples of driven, self-motivated leaders who were once in similar circumstances as their mentees. As these youth and children grow up, they will become the next generation of leaders and mentors, contributing to their communities and offering solutions to the pressing problems of now.

Learn more about our programs serving women & youth and consider how you can become a part of this important work.

Successes & Lessons Learned from our Be That Girl Program in 2022

Alli — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 21:49:18 +0000

In 2017, the Zambia Department of Social Welfare asked Mothers Without Borders (MWB) to help address the child marriage rates throughout the country, and particularly in Lusaka East. Zambia is ranked 16th highest in the world for child marriages with an estimated 1.7 million child brides, 400,000 of which were married before age 15. By age 18, 42% of girls in Zambia are married.

Early marriage occurs when a family has significant financial burdens, and struggle to feed their children, let alone put them in school. When the decision is between putting a daughter or a son in school, the son’s school fees are covered. When a girl is married, a bride-price is paid by the groom’s family to the bride’s family. The money is enough to persuade the girl’s family to make that decision very early, as the income can mean life or death for the family.

Josephine Mulenga Daka (MWB Africa Regional Programs Director) conducted community assessments and identified 5 girls in Lusaka East who were at significant risk for child marriage due to the financial situation of their families. Josephine paid for their schooling, provided mentorship and counseling, and provided solutions to any other barriers for each individual girl that was preventing her from achieving her full potential.

Pictured from left to right – Kathy (Founder of Mothers Without Borders), Josephine (Africa Regional Programs Director), and Cornelia (Founder of the Be That Girl Foundation).

The “Be That Girl” program was created to help girls in the Greater Lusaka Area between the ages of 10-25 to avoid early marriage, gain an education and marketable skill, and create a self-determined life. From 2017 to 2019, the number of girls in this program increased from 5 to 63. In 2020, the Be That Girl Foundation became MWB’s anchor donor for this program to expand enrollment to a total of 266 girls. The program was renamed “Be That Girl” in connection with this partnership.

In 2022, there were 376 girls in the MWB “Be That Girl” program and we were proud to:

Admit 110 new girls in January and hire an additional 4 mentors
Hold the 2nd Annual Conference where 317 girls, 12 mentors, and 4 inspiring female leaders gathered for 2 days of joy, community, and empowerment
Celebrate the first 7 graduates of the program

These highlights are a big picture view of the year. The real power comes from focusing on the individual girls who have been empowered with self-determination. One of the 2022 graduates shared her story:

After grade 12, I was hoping life would get better but it became even worse as I had a fear of getting married and not seeing myself in college. I used to cry almost every day when I went to bed, because being a girl child I understood that education is very important. Looking at other friends that were suffering more in marriage, I understood what school can do for me and my family and even the entire community.

My hope of continuing with school was slowly going down till the day I received a call from Mothers Without Borders. It was as though I was dreaming. That call changed my life and instead of crying tears of pain, it was tears of joy.

This program graduate is now working full-time and exudes confidence and strength. The work done in this program is changing lives.

376

girls educated in 2022

137

bicycles distributed in 2022

861

sanitary towels distributed in 2022

3 SUCCESSES & LESSONS LEARNED IN 2022

Mothers Without Borders is committed to continually improving our programming based on the experiences and feedback of those we serve. In evaluating the “Be That Girl” program in 2022, 3 themes emerged which have informed improvements that are being implemented in 2023.

Josephine with a BTG Participant conducting a home visit.

1. A resilience & strengths-based approach is critical to empowering girls to overcome the physical, social, and emotional challenges they face.

The girls in the BTG program come from situations of poverty, abuse, suppressive expectations, and limited access to basic resources. One mentor shared, “…she comes from a community where women and girls are disproportionately affected by poverty and many have little or no say in the decisions which affect their lives. They often get less food and are more affected by poor sanitation. They are dependent on others.” While participation in this program creates numerous opportunities for participants, each girl continues to face significant challenges every day. Foundational to the program’s structure is a focus on resilience building and using a strength-based approach for empowering each mentee. When asked about the possibilities their future could hold when given support and encouragement, the girls spoke of breaking cycles of poverty and challenging suppressive norms. Both mentors and girls have reported increased emotional regulation and a healthy locus of control in addition to increased confidence, help seeking behaviors, and self-efficacy—showing significant improvements in resilience and strength to pursue individual goals amidst continued challenges.

861

individual and group mentorship visits held

16

girls removed from dangerous living conditions

211

girls received psychosocial/trauma therapy

2. Creating a community of support for mentees provides them with love, encouragement, and confidence to pursue their dreams.

As participants continue to face physical and social barriers, both mentor/mentee and mentee/mentee relationships have been critical to program success. The girls see their mentors as teachers, confidants, and friends—with one girl reflecting that her mentor is like a “grandmother to me” and another referring to her mentor as “my inspiration.” Mentors reflected on the importance of open communication in creating a healthy relationship with mentees, highlighting the girls’ willingness to “communicate freely,” “share or discuss anything,” “trust,” and “open up and call me asking to meet.” One mentor shared that she “understands their needs as [she] also comes from humble beginnings, so [she] inspires them.”

The girls in each mentee group have also become strengths to one another as their group meetings and friendships created have reduced feelings of isolation and provided them a “family.” One mentee reflected, “You know, you might be thinking like you’re the only person who is going through that. As we encourage each other, I know that there’s someone else out there going through my situation.” Mentors proudly highlighted instances of girls “encouraging each other to get to meetings,” “providing [each other] with encouragement and support,” “helping with an assignment,” and“providing academic help.”

70

girls enrolled in primary education in 2022

271

girls enrolled in secondary education in 2022

35

girls enrolled in tertiary/skills education in 2022

3. Involvement and support from the girls’ families and community is critical to changing suppressive norms which continue to place girls at risk.

Family and community involvement is a significant protective factor, while the lack of this support is a risk factor for the girls. One graduate reflected, “Many women in our society are a victim of marginalization because of what society perceives them to be. In our African setup, we are taught to be submissive to men at all cost even when it becomes so detrimental.” Many participants come from communities with little support for female education and advancement and continued instances of abuse, neglect, discouragement, and female disrespect or degradation are reported as ongoing challenges. We have seen small, yet impactful shifts in these communities’ conversations toward increased support for female education and opportunity. These shifts were strongest in communities where MWB has led Women’s Empowerment initiatives. Specifically, the mentees and their mother/caregiver who were both enrolled in a MWB program both reported higher levels of encouragement and support, and showed signs of increased resilience and greater success in their education and/or skills training. While the girls’ mentee groups serve as a community of support, the young women ultimately go home to their families and communities. As we continue providing support to these girls, working in and with their families and communities remains a high priority.

2022 PROGRAM GRADUATES

The greatest evidence of success is the individuals who have completed the program and the transformation that has occurred in their lives as a result of the program.

This year 7 remarkable young women who each have overcome immense challenges and grown in their resilience to continue toward their dreams graduated from the “Be That Girl” program. At the Annual Be That Girl Conference in September, the graduates celebrated their accomplishment surrounded by their mentors and friends. The post-graduation activities of these 7 young women include three girls employed full-time as a nurse, hotel receptionist, and chef; three girls completing post-graduate internships in hospitality and computer development, and 1 girl currently awaiting a catering small-business loan placement.

Each of these girls has experienced immense challenges and barriers they have experienced throughout their lives. One graduate wrote:

“Life was a very big challenge for me and as it was only my mother to provide for the whole family’s basic needs. My sisters resorted to prostitution just to help provide us with the basic necessities. I had no hope that one day, I was even going to go to college.”

Each narrative emphasizes the significant shift in confidence, hope, and determination that came from the girls involvement in the BTG program. Another graduate reflected:

“I learnt a lot of things from my mentor such as having courage, having confidence in myself, respecting people despite their status, never looking down on myself, and to always aim high.”

2ND ANNUAL BE THAT GIRL CONFERENCE

At this year’s 2nd Annual Conference, 312 girls heard from inspiring Zambian women including Angela Nyirenda (one of most successful female musical artists in Zambian history), Mizinga Melu (accountant & bank executive), Jane Nakasamu (entrepreneur), and Thokozike Muwamba (aircraft pilot). This year’s theme “Dream Wildly” focused on helping the girls build confidence and resilience to continue toward their dreams.

One said, “As for me, I’ve always dreamt of becoming a lawyer. After hearing the speakers coming, today I am motivated I am going to be that lawyer I’ve always wanted to be and change my background. I really want to do that.”

A staff member reflected, “One of the girls shared that she wanted to be an astronaut but she did not have support from her family or her community. They would always say, ‘How do you think you will do that? How would you do that here in Zambia?’ She said that she has been feeling very sad and was about to give up on her dream. But then she came to the Be That Girl conference and saw that every shirt said ‘Dream Wildly’. She heard the speakers talk about the circumstances they had come from and she saw they had achieved their dreams by working hard. She said she will continue to work for her dream of becoming an astronaut. For the first time, she felt she had support for her dream. She felt that she could really do it.”

We are grateful for the lessons and successes of 2022 and look forward to another year of partnership with the Be That Girl Foundation in 2023 to help girls in Zambia overcome desperate situations and develop self-determination.

For me, this conference has given me more courage and more hope that I can achieve more. It just boosted my confidence that no, I can be it. I can become it. I can be ‘That Girl’. (Conference Attendee)

End of Year Letters from Kathy and Tanner

Alli — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 21:33:39 +0000

KATHY HEADLEE: FOUNDER

Dear Friend,

Browsing through my email inbox, this Cyber Monday morning a simple invitation captured my wandering attention. ‘Make the world a happier place.’ I admit to receiving this idea with an odd combination of cynicism, optimism, gratitude and curiosity. For three decades my journey has been one of sharing compassion, better understanding suffering, and creating meaningful change for the world’s most vulnerable. I’ve witnessed more than my share of the senseless and heartbreaking.

And yet, as my mind wanders over a myriad of memories that scan the globe and the entire range of human struggle, the presence of those who show up in compassion, hope, kindness, and generosity becomes a golden thread that runs through and connects every story. If you are reading this, you are most likely a part of that golden thread weaving happiness into the tapestry of our shared humanity, and our world. I give thanks for your desire to make the world a happier place. I am ever grateful for the role I’ve been privileged to play in building a bridge between those who care and those who most need our caring.

My journey in the creation and nurturing of Mothers Without Borders has been an offering of the heart, an ever-evolving witness to the power of love, and the resilience of the human spirit. I have been privileged to work with remarkable women and men around the world. For the past 2 ½ years, I have been actively planning and preparing for my succession, training my successor, and working closely with the Board of Directors and our local and international staff to secure a smooth transition.

After 32 years as CEO, I am excited to hand the reins of leadership to Tanner Crandall as of January 1, 2023. Tanner came to Mothers Without Borders seven years ago, and has demonstrated his ability to lead, vision, and create teams that will continue to grow Mothers Without Borders well into the future. He brings to the organization a passion for our mission, commitment to excellence, vision for growth, and deep compassion for the most vulnerable, making it easy for me to assume my new role as Founder, advisor, teacher, and happiness activist.

The needs and numbers of those we serve continue to grow, as does our need for you, our caring community. Under Tanner’s leadership and with your continued kindness, we will feed and educate more children, empower more women and youth, strengthen more families, rescue more children from abuse and neglect, and support meaningful solutions to alleviate poverty and suffering. Thank you for joining us in our commitment to make the world a happier place, today and every day.

Wishing you much love and joy,

Kathy

TANNER CRANDALL: CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Hi friends, Tanner here.

I’m so incredibly grateful to be writing this letter to you today. The past 7 years at Mothers Without Borders have been a remarkable journey for me. We’ve grown a lot, increasing revenue 4 fold, adding several programs, and expanding our community in many significant ways. More than anything else over the past 7 years, I have seen time and time again that our work is transforming lives.

One of these individuals is a 20 year old woman who began school at our primary school when she was a first grader. (This school serves over 700 students who come from similar vulnerable situations and can’t afford school otherwise.) After passing her grade 7 exam, she enrolled at a local secondary school. Going to school was a huge challenge for her because of the long distances she had to walk each day.

One day as she was walking home from school, a truck driver offered her a ride. The man enticed her with money and the promise of free rides every day. She naively fell into his trap and found herself pregnant after failing her grade 9 exams.

She heard of our girls empowerment program and using her last bit of hope for a brighter future, she applied. She was admitted and began pursuing a certificate in Hotel Management and Catering. While in school she received mentorship, and resources to overcome the barriers critical to her success. This year, she obtained her certificate in Hotel Management and Catering with a high score. In her words,

“I had a low self-esteem and that’s what led me to make that horrible mistake in the past but now I am able to speak out. My mentor was always there providing me with all the necessary skills, encouragement, and enthusiasm despite the past mistakes made. I really got inspired to work extra hard and to be determined no matter what life throws at you. This project has helped me identify my capabilities and strengths as an individual. I am grateful for this project and I will inspire many women out there who have gone through what I have.”

The sad truth is that this story is common. In rural communities in Zambia, 37% of girls have had their first child as a teen. Without the support of Mothers Without Borders, this woman’s life would look very different. She would not have received a primary education, mentorship, and had the ability to get a certificate in an employable skill. Perhaps more important than anything else, she believes in herself again. Her confidence, light, strength, and power will bring generational shift in her community.

This is what our work is about. The people we serve are not numbers. They are individuals with troubling stories and circumstances who need to be seen and loved in addition to the resources and services we provide. I’m proud to share that we have served 36,051 individuals in 2022. If you’ve ever given a penny towards our work, it is you that makes this possible. My invitation to you is to do what you can to help us continue this work. Whether that be a financial contribution, volunteering at our office in Utah, or coming on an Expedition with us next summer – we need you!

With love and gratitude,

Tanner Crandall

2nd Annual “Be That Girl” Conference: Dream Wildly

Alli — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 18:19:22 +0000

In early September 2022, 312 of the participants in our “Be that Girl” empowerment & education program gathered with their 13 mentors and 4 of Zambia’s most successful female leaders and performers for our 2nd annual program conference.

The conference theme, “Dream Wildly”, focused on empowering each girl to know that, despite her circumstances, she has the right to dream and pursue her dreams. These young women and their mentors traveled from across Zambia to join together in a 3-day celebration of community, love, growth, and empowerment.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

– Eleanor Roosevelt

For many of the girls, this event was their first opportunity to see the scope of our “Be That Girl” program and to know of the community who is supporting and advocating for them. Many of the girls shared how this opportunity to gather together gave them strength, courage, and excitement for the future.

Since partnering with the Be That Girl Foundation in 2020 to expand our girls empowerment initiatives, we have been privileged to provide education and mentorship to 376 young women in Zambia. At this year’s conference, we were proud to celebrate 7 girls who graduated from our “Be That Girl” program! It was a beautiful weekend of empowerment, growth, and love!

So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.

– Christopher Reeve

Read about our Director of Construction’s experience attending the conference in Zambia.

REFLECTIONS ON THE 2022 BE THAT GIRL CONFERENCE

Written by Phillip Miner

I was privileged to attend the Be That Girl Conference in 2022. I had heard last year’s conference was an amazing success and I could clearly see the excitement and anticipation of all around me as this year’s event drew near; but, I couldn’t possibly have imagined how truly great this conference would really be.

I can’t possibly over emphasize how impressive the event was. The quality of the speakers blew my mind!! What incredibly inspiring role models!! The guests included Angela Nyirenda (one of most successful female musical artists in Zambian history), Mizinga Melu (accountant & bank executive), Jane Nakasamu (entrepreneur), and Thokozike Muwamba (aircraft pilot). Each is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards some internationally some locally, all impressive and inspiring. These were women of the highest caliber.

They shared with such transparency and honesty that the packed convention hall felt like a private living room. There was a clear sense that these amazing women speakers understood the gravity of their message and the audience it was being offered to. Likewise, it was abundantly clear that the audience was equally aware of the opportunity they had been given to be there. Each individual in attendance seemed to be glued to every word that was spoken. This cooperation between speaker and audience elevated the experience to a point that could not have been achieved with any less from either party. It was incredibly humbling for me to be a witness to such synergy.

During the few brief intermissions, I witnessed the most dignified/intimidating of speakers in their professional dresses, and suites mingling with the girls. Accomplished professional women were looking these underprivileged girls in the eyes and speaking personal tid-bits that must surely stay with those girls for a lifetime. The girls responded exuberantly when, on at least five different occasions, the entire room broke out into a spontaneous dance party with mentors, girls, staff members, and speakers alike. No one was immune to the draw of the music and the energy in the room. The mentors and speakers were laughing with them, singing with them, and dancing with them shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart.

How many times have I been to conferences where I knew the speaker left the building immediately after having given his or her 20 minutes that they were contracted for? Well, not here. Each speaker stayed the full day. They listened and were themselves visibly inspired by their peers on the stage and by the audience members. There was a clear sense of being a part of something magical and life changing for all in attendance.

I want to thank all who made it possible. The speakers who spoke so openly about the difficulties and victories they faced along the road to their current level of success. The dreams they continue to hold for their own futures and those they inspired in all other attendees. Thanks to the mentors who love, push, and inspire the girls all year long. The staff members who worked so hard ensuring the logistics were taken care of, three different hotels were occupied, transportation was arranged from nearby compounds to remote villages hundreds of miles away. The list of details attended to would fill pages.

Thanks to the girls themselves. Not only did they have to work very hard all year to earn the privilege to attend this conference but while there, they were diligently attentive, joyfully playful, sincerely inquisitive, and utterly impressive.

There are truly no words to capture the magic that was shared there and that will be remembered by all who were in attendance for years to come. May this tradition of excellence continue for many years to come is my sincerest of prayers.

Celebrating The Zamtsogoro Project’s Launch

Alli — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 15:40:31 +0000

This month we are excited to celebrate the launch of a new program: The Zamtsogoro Project—a small business loan and mentorship program for future entrepreneurs in Zambia. An extension of our existing youth empowerment programs, this project bridges the gap between education and employment opportunities to prepare young professionals for their futures.

This project’s name, ‘Zamtsogoro’, means ‘for the future’ in the local language—reflecting our commitment to building programs that have each individual’s future in mind.

Throughout Zambia, unemployment rates remain high amidst ever changing world conditions and a struggling economy—a major barrier preventing the young adults in our programs from becoming self-reliant. Due to local economic instability that continues year-to-year, new professionals/graduates face the same competitive and limited employment prospects each year. This creates a large pool of capable, yet unemployed workers who struggle to find opportunity.

Additionally, those looking to pursue entrepreneurial ventures face challenges as loans are often inaccessible because of nation-wide financial instability. This leads to crippling interest rates and creates an insecure future for the borrower.

One of our mentors employed in our Be That Girl Program who recently retired from over 30 years as a top nurse in Zambia, told us that the 110,000 students who graduated from medical education programs this year were now seeking to fill only 6,000 positions that are available across the country for medical professionals

In the coming years, hundreds of the individuals MWB serves will graduate from university or skills training programs.

The vast majority of jobs that are available in Zambia are through the government and the process of obtaining work is also often very slow. Another education-focused mentor in the MWB Be That Girl Program received her teaching certificate 6 years ago. As all graduates with a teaching certificate are entered into a waitlist system upon graduation, she continues to wait for full-time employment as a teacher.

At the core of our work, Mothers Without Borders promotes individual development, self-reliance, and self-determination. Our staff continues to explore alternate routes to employment and self reliance to help those we serve combat these employment challenges.

This project will pair loan opportunities with mentorship to help prepare young professionals for their future—empowering them through early work experience to gain confidence, knowledge, and entrepreneurial skills.

All humans are born entrepreneurs.

– Muhammad Yunus

In late September, we began working with Robbie and Bill Lawler, long-term members of our community, to raise the $15,000 to initiate this program. In less than a month, the Lawlers rallied their friends and hosted an evening with Kathy Headlee, resulting in the raising of $16,000 for this project! With the generosity of these donors, we have launched this program and are moving forward with two initial loans!

Our founder, Kathy Headlee, named her organization ‘Mothers Without Borders’ because she believes in committing to the holistic and long term needs of each individual. This name has become a reminder of the power of love in a work that can be heavy and daunting and of our commitment that, amidst uncertainty, sorrow, and despair, we will continue to show up and fight for those we serve.

How is the program structured?

The Zamtsogoro Project is designed for young adults who have recently completed their university or skills training programs to provide our most promising and hard working graduates with business mentorship and access to loan opportunities. Applicants will either matriculate into a group loan initiative through a MWB-run small business or apply for a personal loan to continue in their business venture.

Those joining the group loan initiative will have individualized contracts that allow them employment in our MWB small business. Participants will gain experience managing cash flows, sales, and bringing a product or service to the market while taking home a portion of the profits. As young adults fulfill their individual contract and pursue other employment, they leave open a position for another recent graduate from our programs to continue in their place. This model allows more employment opportunities and supports the growth of the loan fund. Those who have the hard skills and experience to forgo the group initiative can apply directly for a loan.

For both individual and group loans, mentorship is an integral part of this program. Current Zambian mentors from our youth empowerment programs who have experience in entrepreneurial ventures will be assigned to help these young professionals navigate this journey. The young professionals, with the support of their mentors, will develop a business model and loan request. Together they will determine the structure of the loan, repayment plan, and mentorship route that will best support the new entrepreneur. A reasonable, low interest rate will be established for each recipient to ensure the loan pool continues to grow to provide this opportunity to others. Mentorship will continue until the loan is paid off. In a country where unemployment continues to be a barrier, this project is critical to bridging the gap between education and employment for those we have committed to serve.

Who will benefit from this program?

Our staff has identified one individual and one group of five young women to be the first recipients of this program. Two mentors from our local staff have been selected to oversee and support the individuals in these two loans. This year, the focus will remain on these two loans to allow us to assess and improve the structure of this pilot program. Designed as a continuation of our current youth education and empowerment programs, future recipients of loans will be selected by our local staff based on performance and potential for entrepreneurial success. To learn more about our youth empowerment programs, click here.

The Chicken Project

Alli — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:42:09 +0000

As we continue to work in communities devastated by drought and poverty, creating sustainable solutions is of the utmost importance. We are grateful for kind-hearted, committed members of our community who continue to help us work toward our mission of strengthening communities, empowering women & youth, and caring for the most vulnerable for more than 30 years.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.

– Desmond Tutu

Over the past three years, the communities we serve in Zambia have been devastated by drought and disease amidst ever changing world conditions. Surrounded by darkness, this project once again demonstrated the hope that comes from joining together in community to better the lives of others—reminding us of these words by Desmond Tutu.

In alignment with our commitment to create sustainable, locally-led programs, our staff in Zambia saw the immense toll of food insecurity and malnutrition among those we serve and placed an increased focus on food relief. After hearing of the immense need for this program, Melissa & Joel Gardner came together with their family and friends to be a force for change—allowing us to implement the chicken project to ensure a consistent, protein-dense source of food for hundreds of children in these communities.

In the first seven months of operation from January–July 2022, we have gathered 22,713 eggs from our 230 chickens. This has allowed us to provide each of our 52 children living at the Children’s Resource Center with an egg each week—with those who are HIV+ receiving eggs daily. Additionally, we are using the eggs each month in school lunches for the 714 students at the Carol Zulu Primary School. It is efforts, like the chicken project, that shine light in the face of darkness and emphasize the presence of hope and power of love.

In September 2021, construction began on a chicken coop that will be able to house up to 1,000 chickens! This facility is split into two coops to allow us to expand the project and to ensure space to separate any chickens that become ill to protect the rest of the chickens from disease.

In January 2022, the building was completed and we purchased 260 chickens to pilot the project.

MEET RICHARD

As the manager of the chicken project, Richard has impressed us with his diligence in gaining knowledge to ensure the project’s success.

One day another staff member, Lord, asked if he could go inside the coop to see the chickens. Richard expressed that the only way Lord would be allowed to go inside was if he changed into Richard’s clothes.

Richard had learned that the chickens’ egg production is highly correlated with maintaining a consistent environment, even down to the smell of Richard’s clothes.

We are grateful for Richard’s dedication to the quality and success of our programs!

Of the 22,713 eggs that have been collected from January–July 2022, about 32% of the eggs are used in meals for the children in our orphan transition center and primary school.

The remaining 68% are sold to local vendors—generating income that is invested back into the chicken project to ensure a self-sustaining operating model. Our staff is continually monitoring the project’s progress and will run a cost-benefit analysis in December 2022 to review the impact and future of the project.

230

chickens

22,713

eggs collected

714

children fed monthly

When used for school lunch, the eggs are either boiled or prepared as an “egg relish”—scrambled eggs with onions and peppers—which the kids love!

With the introduction of this project, hundreds of children now have a consistent source of protein in their diet.

At Mothers Without Borders we believe that we belong to each other, so we take care of each other. The completion of this project is a very physical manifestation of love and compassion! The power of love truly connects us across continents, time, and circumstances. We are grateful to Melissa & Joel Gardner, Joan Wright, Robert Goldberg, Dave Boland, Douglas Wood, and their friends and family for their generosity and commitment to bettering the lives of those we serve in Zambia.

We love being a part of the Mothers Without Borders Family. Joel and I had been looking for a way to help strengthen the community we’ve grown to know and love in a sustainable way and, at the same time, meet one of the essential basic needs: food. If you are hungry, other things don’t matter much. The Chicken Project fits all of the criteria we’d been hoping for.

We reached out to a few of Joel’s colleagues to help fund the project and they were very excited. In just one month, the project was underway, and by January 2022, we were producing eggs! It feels fantastic to know that basic needs are being met, jobs have been created, and our community in Zambia will be healthier. Margaret Mead said it best, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

– Melissa & Joel Gardner

Finding Goodness in the Present

Alli — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 21:50:03 +0000

My time in Zambia changed me in a way that is hard to explain. I think it is one of those things you can’t fully understand until you experience it. And I consider myself so blessed to be one of those people who get to experience it. But because not everyone gets the privilege to walk on African soil in this life, I want to share some of what I learned during my experience.

During my time in Zambia, I realized that I have spent a lot of my life living in the past and thinking about what I should have done better, or living in the future, anxiously preparing for what is going to happen. Whether I am in the past or the future doesn’t matter as much as the fact that I am not in the present. There is so much goodness in the present moment that I do not want to miss because I am longing for something to change or wishing for something to be different. Time just goes by too fast. So as I stepped onto the precious Zambian soil, I turned off my phone and set the intention to be present in every moment.

As I was present, I was able to recognize and enjoy the good moments that I never wanted to end. As I sat on the floor of an orphanage and held a sleeping newborn baby, I longed to stay there forever and watch her grow up. As I finished reading a book to a teenage boy who lives on the streets, I immediately grabbed another book excited to keep reading. As a little hand grasped onto my fingers, I would have walked 100 more miles if that meant her hand wouldn’t leave mine. Being present in these moments was sweet and sacred to me.

There were other moments that were harder to be present in. Sitting on the ground next to a man who was sick and dying broke my heart. My ears could barely believe the truth that it had been days since he last ate. It was hard to look into the eyes of a child who was abused and taken advantage of. I wondered how anyone could ever hurt such a beautiful child. It was hard to wave goodbye as we drove away from a group of boys as they walked out onto the streets to find a place to spend the night. My heart ached during these moments so much so that it began to close to avoid the hurt. My mind tried to escape the present moment when the pain felt like too much to bear. I had to intentionally bring myself back to the present moment. I practiced holding the pain that I was feeling and the pain the person I was with was experiencing. Even though it hurt, it was in these moments that my heart grew. The growing pains are uncomfortable but if you will sit in the pain your ability to love will grow.

When it hurts and doesn’t make sense, try to find the good. And during those times when the good moments are hard to see, even those moments where they seem impossible to find, I will remember these experiences. The man who was so sick he couldn’t stand smiled, clapped, and hummed along as we sang him a song about the goodness of God. The little girl who was being abused at night danced and sang for us. She wrapped her little arms around my neck in the sweetest embrace. The street boys laughed and joked as they beat us in a game of soccer. They gave out high fives after every goal. They have touched my heart and have reminded me that no matter how hard the present moment is, there is always joy to be found.

A lot of what I saw and experienced was heartbreaking. I cried many tears during my time in Zambia, but I came back so full of love. I was able to open my heart not just to the Zambians but to myself. That may be the greatest gift of all. As I walked and hugged and talked to and danced with these people, I saw glimpses of myself in them. We aren’t that different after all. And if they are so easy to love, then why aren’t I? I spent so much time sitting with and listening to and loving others. I heard their stories and showed them compassion. As soon as I sat with myself, listened to my own story that I have neglected, and started showing that same compassion to myself, I felt whole and complete, something I haven’t felt in a long time.

It still doesn’t really make sense in my mind. How something so beautiful can come from something so horrific is unfathomable to me, but I’ve seen it happen. I believe it comes from the power of being present.

Since being home I have felt homesick for Zambia and my new friends I left behind there. I wasn’t there for very long. How can I miss it so much? I remember a quote I read while in Zambia: “Peace comes from being aligned with the present moment. Wherever you are, you feel that you are home—because you are home.” I learned to be present in Zambia, so it became my home. I think I got so swept up in my life the second I stepped off of the airplane in Utah that I have already forgotten to be present. While part of my heart misses Zambia, I think another part of it just misses being present. I’m clearly not perfect at it, but this present moment is a new opportunity to be present. And there will be many more moments in the future to kindly remind myself to be present. As I do so, I will bring a piece of Zambia with me wherever I go. I look forward to the day when I return to Zambia, but until then, as long as I am present, wherever I am will feel like home.

Written by Miriam Hyde

Children’s Resource Center Construction Gallery

Alli — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 18:34:38 +0000

BACKGROUND

Since its’ establishment in 2004, the Children’s Resource Center (CRC) has provided refuge to more than 338 children who have experienced abuse, abandonment, trafficking, or the death of parents. We provide for their holistic needs: safety, nutrition, education, medical care (including HIV treatment), grief counseling, access to caring adults, skills training, and love. We also monitor all family relationships and, wherever possible, work to reunite these children with their families.

In January of this year, we started construction on new facilities: a boys dormitory, a girls dormitory, and a dining hall. This will allow us to expand our capacity at the CRC from 50 to 100 children. We look forward to moving into the new facility in a few weeks!

Brick making & women working construction! (A rarity in Zambia)

Digging footings.

Making cement.

Pouring footings.

Walls starting to go up!

The construction site with multiple buildings in view.

Progress being made.

Window and door frames installed.

Aerial view of all three buildings.

Inspection before roof installation.

The team left to right: Arnold the inspector, Piers the contractor, Phillip the surveyor, and Josephine our Country Director.

Phillip staking out new construction projects, stay tuned…