Beyond Words
“There is mystery behind that masked gray visage, and ancient life force, delicate and mighty, awesome and enchanted, commanding the silence ordinarily reserved for mountain peaks, great fires, and the sea.” -Peter Matthiessen
Those of us who have had the privilege of looking deep into the eyes of an elephant, feeling their low rumbles reverberate through to our very core, will attest to the fact that somewhere, buried deep in history, there is an ancient connection between man and elephant. It is more than the instinctual fear between hunter and hunted - rather a recognition of a kindred spirit.
In the past, humans believed that our empathy and conscience are what set us apart from other animals but the growing body of evidence, collected from across the world, proves just how very wrong we were.
The Mighty Heart of the Elephant is a story of wonder, woven together from a tapestry of eye-witness accounts and scientific proof of these gentle giants’ intelligence and undeniable emotional capacity that is far more powerful than we ever acknowledged.
It is a story not just about the love and compassion they feel towards members of their own species but also their ability to distinguish and trust the humans who prove they are deserving of it. Help us tell this story and make a tax exempt donation today!
The Heart of the Elephant: Thailand
If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.
– African Proverb
THINXBTWN for Rwandan Teens
The 1994 Rwandan Genocide took place in a matter of three months by which 1 million innocent men women and children were brutally murdered by Hutu Extremists. The destruction of infrastructure and severe depopulation crippled the economy, and has made Rwanda among Africa’s poorest countries.
JANJA, a village in Northern Rwanda, is still facing repercussions from the Genocide. The lives of these villagers has been greatly affected, causing many social scourges like ignorance, theft, kidnapping. Most of the adult villagers are orphans and were forced to raise themselves.They were unable to farm during the wars, which led to a widespread famine that shattered whatever hope the war torn community had.
Today, the remote village is densely populated. Caught in the midst of this recovering community are impoverished children and education is their only door to freedom.
My 21 year old sister Cheyenne and her best friend JoJo have been volunteering at a school in Janja, where they work to empower girls thru education.
The two main causes for lack of girls education in Rwanda is lack of sanitation supplies during mensuration, and fetching water...
The onset of menstruation is another key pressure point for girls’ schooling, especially in the developing world. A lack of gender separate bathrooms, no access to sanitary products, teasing from classmates, unsupportive teachers – all can disrupt a girl’s ability to participate in school.
“There is shame, there’s fear, there’s embarrassment..."
I raised enough money for the Akashinga all female anti-poaching unit to get enough THINX and sponsorship to get these women period panties to help them do their jobs better. These period-proof undies hold up to 2 tampons’ worth — yet they look and feel like regular underwear. They are washable and reusable.
Now THINX is offering period starter kits for girls, a way to combat Leak-Anxiety Shouldn't Stop Teens from Living Their Lives
Growing up can be challenging: changing bodies, new friends, busy schedules... and periods can add to that worry — for kids *and* parents.
This is a wonderful and renewable way for these Rwandan girls to ease into their flow, and keep up their education. Most girls don't go to school during their period as they have no way to protect themselves.
We have direct access to getting these teens a full pack of THINX BTWN to help them learn about period protection and keep them in school. Cheyenne and JoJo are going back and can teach the girls how to use the underwear and how important it is to keep up with their studies, that this time of the month should not hinder them.
