Dear Desert Flower Family,
Dear Supporters!
Christmas is the time of hope. But it is also the time to take stock. Exactly one year ago I was in Sierra Leone in West Africa to lay the foundation stone for our great educational initiative with my Desert Flower Foundation. And I can assure you that we have achieved a great deal in the last 12 months thanks to your help.
Today I know that it was the right decision to focus on education in the fight against the horrible practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). I am convinced that education is the only effective tool to end FGM in Africa. It is about giving girls access to school education so that they can later lead a more self-determined life and not have to submit to the constraints of a community or clan.
In Sierra Leone, where the illiteracy rate is 70 percent, everything is lacking. Even schools. That is why I am so happy that in Sierra Leone in 2019:
- We have built the first three "Desert Flower Schools" for 1,200 children.
- We will soon open the first "Desert Flower Library" in the country with an attached computer centre.
- We have achieved a huge success with the distribution of 10,000 Desert Flower educational boxes with reading and exercise booklet, crayons, sharpeners, wooden ruler and school backpack to schools.
Of course, this was only made possible by your financial support. For this I would like to thank you, dear donors, with all my heart. Please continue to support us so generously. I and my team from the Desert Flower Foundation will continue to keep you informed about our projects in the future.
I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas!
Love & Peace,
Waris Dirie
