Ginette and her husband, Brian Ambrosio, have long been supporters of the “School of St Jude” in Tanzania. They both have visited and volunteered at this very special school. The School of St Jude, founded in 2002, is a charity funded school that provides a free, high-quality primary and secondary education to over 1,900 of the poorest and brightest children in the region of Arusha, Tanzania.
The School of St Jude aims to fight poverty through education. By developing professional skills and knowledge, students are enable to aim high and achieve their dreams previously out of reach. With a St Jude’s education, students have a chance to escape the cycle of poverty and help their families and communities.
Ginette was pleased to have the opportunity to bring the PurpleLily Girls programme to this school. It was established that the focus should be on Form 6 girls who are aged between 18 – 20 years and would graduate at the end of the academic year. This was a voluntary programme and 70 girls enrolled. We were pleased with this level of interest. After a few workshops, the participants were really enthusiastic and felt that other girls in the schools should also be expose to the PurpleLily workshops. After some discussion, we decided to form a PurpleLily Club.
The PurpleLily Club’s objective would be to inspire and empower the younger girls in the school by teaching the practical tools and techniques that PurpleLily offers. 26 Girls attended the first 2 meetings. The process is simple but effective. The girls in the PurpleLily Girls Club attend the workshops and then are trained to teach the younger girls how to use our tools and techniques. By doing this, the PurpleLily workshops can reach more girls and have a ripple effect through the school.
Ginette was surprised and pleased by the enthusiasm of the girls participating in the activities and how keen they were to improve themselves. This was evident in the workshops with many girls eager to answer questions and share their opinions. The girls were also very enthusiastic to learn the PurpleLily tools and techniques and put them into practice.
Ginette truly enjoyed the experience of working with these girls. The School of St Jude is clearly providing a good education and supporting the girls to reach their full potential.
The anecdotal feedback, attendance and the interest to start a PurpleLily Club demonstrated that the participants found the workshops beneficial and it was acknowledged by the girls that the tools can be implemented in their daily lives. This is reflective of the feedback from the girls.
Quotes from participants:
19 years old
I really enjoyed PurpleLily workshops, they helped me to be a strong and courageous girl. I have learned how to set my goals and now I’m going to work towards it. Quote of the day: “A goal without a plan is just a wish”.
Agnes
19 years old
This workshop was superb, it really helped me to find ways to learn how to deal with stress. Very helpful. Thank you.
Stella
20 years old
The programme is really helpful for girls. It makes us confident and positive about ourselves. It also helps us to be passionate and motivated to achieve our goals. It has really been beneficial for me.
Omega
20 years old
PurpleLily programme is just what I needed and I believe that so many girls who attended feel better about themselves now.
Magreth A
20 years old
The PurpleLily workshops have been very good for me because it helped me to improve my confidence. I have learned about body language and how to maintain a positive mind. Some of the tools like the Mantra really helps me to feel good about myself.
Karen
19 years old
