Celebrate International Women's Day for Girls!

These are some of the faces of the girls in Vietnam that we will meet.

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day (IWD).
"International Women's Day is the universal day that connects all women around the world and inspires them to achieve their full potential. IWD 2006 launches another year of working progressively for women's equality worldwide. It is an important day around the world because the collective power of women is witnessed by milions, and the brave achievements of women past, present and future are respectfully honoured." (www.internationalwomensday.com)

IWD is important to Catalyst Foundation because we work to improve the lives of young girls who have yet to achieve their potential...but worse who have not even dared to dream about it. For every young girl that we can send to school for a year there are thousands more like her. For every young girl that is offered a "job" in Cambodia, there are hundreds more at risk. For every young girl's family that we can provide a meal and a way to earn an income there are tens more desperately living in misery.

Our greatest fear is that there is an entire generation of children, and specifically girls in rural villages of Vietnam that will grow up without any chance - without any hope - without any safe choices - without an education. These girls must be given any and every opportunity to achieve their potential and grow up to be strong, confident, and educated women.

We are less than 10 days from the start of the 2006 Aid Expedition. Our goals were super ambitious...to affect as many children and lives as possible in the short amount of time our team will be there. As we got closer and closer, we adjusted our goals to make them more realistic and timely. Now, we are about $5,000 away from achieving ALL of our goals:

• Basic Medical and Dental Exams for 700 children in 3 days
  
• Renovation of 12 Homes and Building of 2 New Homes
• 50 New Bikes for girls living farthest away from school
• 20 kg each of Rice for 500 Families
• School Supplies and Meals for 1200 elementary students
• Spring Break Camp for 150 children on the beaches of Ha Tien
• Scholarships for the "My Vietnam" Art Contest Winners
  
  

Above, a picture of one of the homes where we will replace the roof so a family 9 can live safely.

We'd like to give this girl a new bike (and some new sandals too!)

We hope you will take a moment to donate what you can towards the 2006 Vietnam Aid Expedition to honor and celebrate the women and girls in your lives!

Thank you so much for your support!
Peace,
Caroline Ticarro-Parker
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Catalyst Foundation