Use Your Next Birthday to Make a Difference in Girls' Lives

In lieu of gifts, simply pledge your birthday as a fundraiser for GSGC . It's super easy:  You SIGN UP on our website We remind you when your birthday is near to start a campaign and send helpful suggestions You ask your friends and family to donate in support of your birthday pledge Everybody wins!

GSGC Community Members Reflect On Recent Club Visits

Erin West: It was so wonderful visiting with these beautiful girls that I've gotten to know over the years. Seeing them grow into confident, well-spoken young women only reinforces my commitment to the Giving Circle - I know that the work we do is important because I see the results in these young women! I can't wait to come back in September and visit them again!

Anne Larsen: On my recent GSGC trip to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Cape Town I was thrilled to finally connect in person with some of the girls in the GSGC clubs, the aunties, Smokey, Nyika, and the dancing/drumming groups near Cape Town. I heard from the girls how the clubs have impacted their lives and given them the confidence and strength to believe in themselves. The spirit, dedication and resilience I witnessed caused my heart to bubble over with joy. The GSGC model of supporting clubs to empower girls works!

Shawna Renga: Meeting the girls for the first time was so inspiring! I am astonished by the warm welcome and sense of family that the clubs offered to me. I learned on this trip that some things are universal - the pain of trauma, the power of recovery, and the incredible strength of women. I am moved by these young ladies; they have made me realize just how important it is to support girls through the Giving Circle, and I cannot wait to follow them on their journeys to become successful, happy, empowered adults!

Diane Letourneau: I’ve been to Africa several times but this was the first time I experienced the Giving Circle Girl’s Clubs. I have supported the Giving Circle for years because I believed, without seeing, in what Priscilla was doing to help young girls in Africa. But meeting the girls and aunties, listening to their stories, and hearing them talk about their dreams touched my heart more than I could have imagined. How the Giving Circle works with the local community to support these young girls and now young boys is truly amazing. 

Kale African Style

“We grow up with Kale in the backyard; we call it Chomolia. Each time you eat, there should be a vegetable. Chomolia is always there.” — Auntie Agness, Livingstone, Zambia

Chomolia (Zimbabwe)  2 Tbsp of sunflower or corn oil 2-3 Tbsp onion (chopped) ½ cup tomato sauce 1 tsp salt 4 cups kale (washed, dried, and chopped) Sauté onion in oil over high heat, stirring constantly until the onion is soft but not browned. Add tomato sauce. Add oil as needed and continue to stir. Add salt to taste, about 1 tsp. Add kale and stir well. Cook, stirring constantly, 5-6 minutes over high heat until soft. Be careful not to overcook - if it turns yellow, the kale is overdone.   Chomolia (Zambia)   2 onions (chopped) Salt and pepper 1 cup plain peanuts (unsalted) 4 cups kale (washed, dried, and chopped) 2 cans (14.5 oz) of stewed tomatoes (crushed or diced) 1 green pepper (chopped) Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add kale to boiling water, along with ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat, cover pot, and allow kale to cook until wilted, about 30 minutes. Using a sealed bag with a mallet, or a food processor, grind peanuts to a powdery consistency. When kale is wilted, drain enough water from the pot to keep kale covered. Add peanuts, onions, tomatoes, green pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover pot, and cook on low heat for one hour.

Hand Delivery Keeps Pen Pals Building Friendships As reported earlier this year, GSGC champion Emily Bronstein started a pen pal program between her friends in the US and her friends in Girls' Time, a GSGC-sponsored club in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Unreliable mail service in Zimbabwe makes consistency challenging; Emily hand-delivered the first set of letters last Spring, and long-time GSGC supporter, Paige Hasson, just delivered and gathered a new batch of letters earlier this month. If you're planning a Global Sojourns trip to Southern Africa, consider being a GSGC letter mule!

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