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Dear Friends,
This newsletter brings to you the issue of the girl child. Girls in India have not fared well and this is repeatedly brought out through studies and statistics such as the sex ratio, school enrolment and drop out rates, child marriage etc. This is not due to any lack of intelligence or capability, but due to continuous discrimination that she faces right through childhood and beyond. A girl child born into a tribal or dalit family is doubly disadvantaged with additional layers of discrimination & oppression. Feticide, infanticide, child labor, lack of education and health opportunities, malnutrition constantly confront her.
CRY America believes that all children are equal. We believe that the girl child is a child first and that she too has a right to develop to her full potential and realize her dreams.
Read below about Jannabhai (Kalapandhari project, Maharashtra), a victim of gender oppression and child marriage herself, who raised her voice to stop child marriage in her village. She now says, "No one dare marry their daughters before 18 years". Anita Marande (SATHEE project, Jharkhand) was 13 years of age when she joined her friends, parents and village community to make education a reality for her village and for others in Godda district of Jharkhand. Anita is 16 years now, studying in Class 10 and she dreams of becoming a teacher. In Anita's own words to the Divisional Commissioner, "If children are given proper opportunities, we can do anything!"
In Maharashtra, Jharkhand and 10 other states across India, CRY America is witness to the incredible courage and sheer resilience of girls and women like Anita and Jannabhai. The financial support that donors provide helps bridge the immediate needs of children such as education, health, recreation and enables underprivileged communities address age old biases such as caste and gender discriminations which are deterrents to lasting change. The real value CRY America provides is in helping build awareness of their rights and in bolstering their confidence when the odds against them seem impossible.
Can we all take a moment to renew our commitment to saying NO to discrimination against the girl child? Do sign the girl child pledge and charter in solidarity. We rely on your continued support in restoring to thousands of girl children their rights and their childhood. In faith and good will,
Shefali Sunderlal
President,
CRY America
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[a] Anita Marande and the children’s group in Baikaria village succeeded in bringing education and facilities to their village, along with their parents and community through the process of community engagement and the child rights approach.
Read more about Anita and the efforts of SATHEE, (CRY America supported project) working in Godda district of Jharkhand.
[b] At 60, Jannabai is as old or perhaps, as young as free India itself. Bristling with energy, one can’t help but admire her eyes, that dreamt for a world of change. A victim of child marriage herself, she rose to become a leader and stop child marriage in her village.
Read about how Jannabhai chose to take on a mindset and succeeded
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The first Walk event was held in Bay Area on June 15, 2008 at the Shoreline Park in Mountain View. It was an exciting day with over 400 people attending the event. This event will run across 10 cities. Do join us for the next Walk and help us spread the word about the event with your family, friends and colleagues. Click here to know more about the Walk in your city.
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a. CRY America Connecticut Action Center presents Indian Ocean concert on August 9th, 2008.
b. Shangri-La Art Gallery & CRY America Houston Action Center presents Indian Ocean concert on August 29th, 2008
c. CRY America Seattle action Center presents Indian Ocean Concert on August 16, 2008
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Organized by CRY America Seattle Action Center, Uphaar 2008, sponsored by Anu and Naveen Jain and Intelius was attended by over 200 members of the western Washington community and helped us raise $155,000 with the support and encouragement of people in Seattle. Click here to Read about the highlights of Uphaar 2008
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CRY America team engaged with corporate employees at Google and CISCO last month. The team would like to further spread the child rights movement to many more corporate audiences, including yours. To invite us, write to support@cryamerica.org
To see the talk delivered at Google, click here
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The Lavender Fund 2 with the Community Foundation of Louisville has made a Challenge grant to CRY America for $50,000 which celebrates the power of individual giving. Every dollar raised by CRY America through individuals will be matched dollar for dollar upto $50,000 through this matching grant. Make a donation today - double the impact of your contribution and restore to children their basic rights to survival, development, protection and participation.
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For more information write to: P.O. Box 850948, Braintree, MA 02185-0948, Email: support@cryamerica.org CRY America Inc. is a 501(c)(3) registered organization. All donations to CRY America are tax-deductable. |
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