Rachel's Service Trip to Malawi
Donation protected
Hi everyone!
My close friend Avery and I have been working for the past 8 months to plan a service trip to Malawi, Africa through the non-profit organization Go! Malawi. We were approached by the directors of the group last spring with an idea: what if, together, we create a social environment of sorts for the women in the village of M'Pamilla (in the rural district of Ntchisi) that would allow them to express themselves freely away from the misogynistic norm of the society that they live in? This fall, Avery and I began an independent study course titled Empowering African Women Through Art in which we have both continued to create art and discuss the wants and needs of these women in order to create an environment for them to blossom. Our idea: host a 3 week long art camp in which the women of M'Pamilla can explore artistic mediums such as photography, painting, basket-making, sculpture, etc. whilst enjoying the company of other women. When women are together in these rural villages, they are able to empower each other, and their strength is immeasurable. Together, Avery and I have researched, planned, and applied for grants that will help us to fund the camp itself. However, the cost to travel to Malawi (plane tickets, lodging, and food) is roughly $5,000 for each of us. We must each come up with this money by May of this year. The nature of my life at Hebron Academy – rigorous classes with large workloads, two varsity sports, member of the yearbook commitee, membership to both the school chorus and the a cappella group “The Hebegeebee’s,” and member of the student council – leaves little time to acquire extra money through a job, so I am posting this page today in hopes that you, my friends, family, and even complete strangers, might be willing to help me get to Africa! I do not expect to fund my entire trip through this page, but any amount of money would greatly increase the likelihood that I am able to afford this once in a lifetime experience, and that means the absolute world to me.
Thank you in advance!
Rachel Brouwer
My close friend Avery and I have been working for the past 8 months to plan a service trip to Malawi, Africa through the non-profit organization Go! Malawi. We were approached by the directors of the group last spring with an idea: what if, together, we create a social environment of sorts for the women in the village of M'Pamilla (in the rural district of Ntchisi) that would allow them to express themselves freely away from the misogynistic norm of the society that they live in? This fall, Avery and I began an independent study course titled Empowering African Women Through Art in which we have both continued to create art and discuss the wants and needs of these women in order to create an environment for them to blossom. Our idea: host a 3 week long art camp in which the women of M'Pamilla can explore artistic mediums such as photography, painting, basket-making, sculpture, etc. whilst enjoying the company of other women. When women are together in these rural villages, they are able to empower each other, and their strength is immeasurable. Together, Avery and I have researched, planned, and applied for grants that will help us to fund the camp itself. However, the cost to travel to Malawi (plane tickets, lodging, and food) is roughly $5,000 for each of us. We must each come up with this money by May of this year. The nature of my life at Hebron Academy – rigorous classes with large workloads, two varsity sports, member of the yearbook commitee, membership to both the school chorus and the a cappella group “The Hebegeebee’s,” and member of the student council – leaves little time to acquire extra money through a job, so I am posting this page today in hopes that you, my friends, family, and even complete strangers, might be willing to help me get to Africa! I do not expect to fund my entire trip through this page, but any amount of money would greatly increase the likelihood that I am able to afford this once in a lifetime experience, and that means the absolute world to me.
Thank you in advance!
Rachel Brouwer
Organizer and beneficiary
Rachel Brouwer
Organizer
Hebron, ME
Katherine Rideout
Beneficiary