On Sept. 28, Ellen Schreder, an attorney and member of the Brooklyn Center Rotary Club, shared her goal to obtain a Rotary Foundation Global Project Grant. She is seeking the grant to support her efforts in providing employment for Haitian women, who, as part of their job sew feminine hygiene products. Sanitary napkins made from fabric means they can be washed and reused. Non-governmental organizations in Haiti and elsewhere buy these products to distribute.This earns money for the seamstresses.
Ellen’s dedicated work began in Haiti 12 years ago when she traveled to the island with her daughter on a mission project. She saw that for women in Haiti, like many developing countries, have no sanitary method to deal with their menstrual cycles. As soon as a girl reaches the age for menstrual cycles, she spends a week every month out of school and many end up dropping out. Ellen and family have devoted many weeks and a substantial financial investment to help the women of Haiti with health and their education. Ellen and her team have taught the Haitian women to sew and pay them per item each month which has created an active local business. Her Rotary Grant goal is to provide equipment and materials that will enable an existing business to become sustainable and expandable. She is looking for donations of older sewing machines that are easier to maintain and financial support to obtain the Rotary Foundation’s matching grant funds.
For more information on this project: www.helpingaitiwork.org/blog. “Days For Girls” is a partner in Ellen’s goals and is an international–level organization, www.daysforgirls.org. “Days for Girls” provides sustainable feminine hygiene solutions and health education. When girls and women have health, education, and opportunity, communities and our world are stronger.
