A Is For Aids, is the title of a primary reader. It’s part of the New Progressive Primary English (NPPE) course in Kenya. It’s targeted at elementary school children. It is self-described as a “reading scheme that offers the modern pupil an excellent mix of graded stories all packed with many exciting things. Now the pupil has fun that’s built to last.”

I took screen shots of a few of the pages. The page to the right reads, “O is for orphans. Mother went first. Father followed fast. AIDS is not a curse, we’ll win at last.” I am wholly unfamiliar with what being a child in extreme poverty in Kenya, especially an orphaned child, must be like. But I’m going to come back to this post any time I’m having doubts about the veracity of what MFFO is doing.

We’re helping orphaned girls become powerful women. Educating girls is a key to breaking the cycle of poverty and preventing the spread of AIDS.

This is the Mount Kenya Room. We’re figuring out where to put all the beds!

Passing out supplies for school to ALL the girls! We will need sponsors!!

MFFO and Sisters Arise Project cheering the accomplishment.

Thank you ALL for your continued support!

I was on Skype with Rocky when she told me that the girls had no concept of what a slumber party was. That’s certainly no surprise. It’s a cultural thing. So when I saw this first tweet, I was prepared.

[tweeted]http://twitter.com/headmutha/status/12958923946[/tweeted]

Rocky uses the same tactic when our family stays somewhere that can’t really fit our six kids properly. Beds on the floor = a slumber party. In this case, the beds in the new home are not put together yet and this is their first night in the new home. Then the next tweet came a short while later:

[tweeted]http://twitter.com/headmutha/status/12959535813[/tweeted]

To be sure, knowing every detail of the trials encountered to get to this point, and even from this great distance, witnessing what has transpired is indeed a miracle. I can hear the joy in her written words and I can tell she is in her happy place. And I still kept it together. But the next tweet sent me over the edge and I couldn’t hold back the tears of joy.

[tweeted]http://twitter.com/headmutha/status/12960397589[/tweeted]

The new home is indeed beautiful, but what makes it special is that it will be a home, not an orphanage run inside an old motel. There will be laughter and love and respect. And there will be discipline and struggles and tears, all handled with respect and love. They way they are supposed to be handled. If we are to help orphaned girls become powerful women, we must give them more than just a formal education. We must strive to provide for them a living example of what is possible in the homes they will create for themselves and their children.

This is day one of their journey. I’m looking forward to taking it with them.

This is why we’re taking action in Kenya by creating a new home for 34 girls. We believe that part of the education process is teaching girls that they DESERVE to be treated with respect. Combine an education with a healthy sense of self-worth, and you’ve powerfully changed a life. And changing the life of a girl is important. Here are some facts provided by The Girl Effect.

1. When a girl in a developing country receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later, and has 2.2 fewer children.
2. Educated girls grow into educated women, who – research shows – have healthier babies and are more likely to educate their children.
3. When girls and women earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man.
4. An extra year of primary school boosts girls’ future wages by 10 to 20 percent.
5. An extra year of secondary school boosts girls’ future wages by 15 to 25 percent.

At Mothers Fighting For Others, our mission is to help orphaned girls become powerful women. And there’s a lot of work to be done. If you’d like to help, please let us know.