Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/13/2018
5:00 pm-8:00 pm
Categories
Girl Power Africa founder, Bulleh Bablitch-Norkeh, will be visiting The Green Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Saturday, October 13, as part of a local education and awareness tour. The Fellowship will be hosting a potluck dinner and meet and greet beginning at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, however reservations and donations are encouraged.
Girl Power Africa (http://girlpowerafrica.org) is a non-profit organization based out of Liberia, Africa. Its mission is to help women and children in the post Ebola countries of Africa who are in desperate need.
The founder, Bulleh Bablitch-Norkeh, was born in Africa and raised from late childhood in Oregon, WI, just south of Madison. In 2006, Liberia was under a new presidency with its first female president and the very large task of rebuilding a country ahead. Bulleh’s husband was called upon to help the new government get things set up. When the move seemed to be a more permanent one, Bulleh joined her husband in 2009. Once back in Liberia, she began to see challenges women and children faced daily and made it a priority to do something about it. “There comes a point that you must stand up and offer a hand to another woman in need.”
Liberia, West Africa has a population of about 4 million people. The official language is English – the name Liberia derives from “Liberty” meaning freedom. Liberia’s current president (and Nobel Laureate) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the first female head of state in Africa!
A 14-year brutal civil war has left the country in shambles, many children were orphaned and depend on relatives or strangers to take them in, entire families became homeless, many having to split up to go find work.
“Women are beaten, raped, abused by their men and often must prostitute to make ends meet.”
The children have suffered immeasurably from starvation, abandonment, and sickness with no education and no hope. The war destroyed over 80% of Liberia’s schools. The recent Ebola epidemic further weakened Liberia’s infrastructure and took many lives. Leaving many women alone, homeless and without resources to provide for their children.
According to GirlUp, more than 40% of Liberian girls ages 10-14 have never gone to school. Unfortunately, young girls fall victim to the most frequently reported crime in Liberia, rape or prostitution.
To attend this event or to make a donation, contact Karen Eckberg karenrweckberg@gmail.com by October 10. All donations will support the mission of Girl Power Africa.