Hello First name / friend,

 

We have some great and exciting news! While we’ve never been able to receive packages before, that has all changed now, due to expansion of postal service in the rural areas of Senegal. 

 

This was perfect timing, as Layla Ibessaine–who is a Freshman at Robert Louis Stevenson School, in Pebble Beach Ca. (the same area where our Founder, Jill Diallo is from)–has committed to helping the Senegal Health Institute for the next 4 years, as her community service project. 

This has become so much more than just a community service project for Layla; she gathered a group of girls from her school and they spent a few months collecting items for 60 menstrual kits, for the girls in our Adolescent Girls’ Program. 

This past Saturday, we were able to give the kits out to the girls. It was a very special day, full of so much joy and happiness. Our girls felt so important to be receiving such wonderful gifts, from girls all across the world that care about them so much.

Each girl received a beautiful heart-felt menstrual kit, with a handwritten note; several reusable menstrual pads; under wear; a little mirror; and some writing pens. 

The smiles, the giggles, and their curiosity to know about the girls from afar who sent them such beautiful gifts, brought tears to our eyes.

 

They were able to see who all of these girls were, because we showed them a sideshow of the girls preparing the kits for them. We have also sent photos and videos back to Layla and her friends. Soon, we will be spending an afternoon with the girls from our program, to send Thank You notes back to California.

We are happy to say that Layla and her friends will be sending school supplies come August and they are also going to be putting together Mother-Baby gift bags, as another project for our birth center next year. 

A special Thank You to Layla and her friends–Claire, Gabi, Nora, Emma, Ava, Ella, Katie, Phoebe, and Raina–who worked so hard on this project; it was such a labor of love!