The Color Orange

The countdown is on-the Néma Girls’ Mentoring Center will be open for business April 6th, inshallah! My new boss at the Women’s Ministry is highly motivated and is making my project a priority for her first few weeks on the job. With the aide of Hawa and another Mauritanian volunteer, Lalla Meriem (Lallyé), I think it will all come together. It’s exciting and scary, but mostly I’m reveling in having so much work. Keeps me out of trouble, smaat? (smaat=you with me? in Hass). So many of my friends and family members have been extremely generous to me and my site mates already, but that doesn’t keep me from asking for more!

All of the following are for the center:
Maps and posters of the world/culture/art
Craft items (colored pencils, markers, glitter, beads, yarn, thread, old magazines, scissors, pretty much anything!)
Science and Math textbooks, magazines, or activity books

I appreciate anything anyone chooses to send to help me, truly. Surprises are wonderful! But I can get by, while the kids here have so little in terms of school supplies and graphics. New, used, horribly out of date, I’m not picky!

And here’s a challenge anyone can meet: Shoot me an email with your name (first only is fine), city, state (or country), and the names of the most important women in your life and why you chose them. I have a world map and a map of the US to put up in the center so the girls can see where you’re writing from. I’ll post paper copies of your responses. English is fine (let me know if you object to me translating it into French) or French or Arabic if you got it! I want responses from men and women of all ages! Thanks in advance!