Educating a girl is empowering her [] Midday Rotary

By Frederika Zystra

This beautiful quilt, valued at $20,000.00 pesos, was handmade by San Miguel de Allende Quilters, a group of thirteen women from many countries who hope to inspire and empower young women on the threshold of adulthood. Over the years, they have created dozens of beautiful quilts for deserving charities. It was professionally padded by Maribel Trejo, and would be exquisite as a bed quilt or to hang on the wall. What a beautiful Christmas gift for someone special!

The duvet, titled ‘¡Viva San Miguel!’, will be displayed at Geek & Coffee for at least 10 days prior to the selection of the winner. Raffle tickets can be purchased in person at Geek & Coffee, through SMA Quilters and Rotary Midday of SMA members: PayPal rotarysanmiguelmidday@gmail.com ‘raffle’ note or www.rotarysmamidday.org ‘donate’/Girls Empowerment Project/’raffle’. Shipping available.

About Wise Girls SMA:

Eight out of ten girls experience a loss of self-esteem when they reach puberty. In this culture, menstruation is often considered dirty and something that needs to be hidden. Because of this, many miss several days of school each month; in total almost 25 percent of the school year. Often, they are hopelessly backward and drop out of school altogether. Because they do not fully understand the changes in their developing bodies, many become pregnant too young and repeat the cycle.

Wise Girls provides education, opportunities, mentoring, and solutions for these young women, so that they instead celebrate and accept the miracle of becoming a woman. From practical matters such as managing their period, to promoting their confidence and dignity, they learn through biology classes, spiritual exercises, and culturally appropriate rituals to embrace their power, get to know their bodies, and develop self-confidence.

Many return as teachers in the program to give back while earning a salary. The Ministry of Public Education supports these teachers, providing them with credentials to affirm their contribution.

These young women represent a beautiful cultural history with an impressive work ethic. They will be our future leaders, teachers, entrepreneurs and community activists. Our goal is for them to carry the torch and passion of Mexican culture with pride and self-confidence. Help us support this necessary and invaluable program in San Miguel by purchasing raffle tickets!

Our theme for this quilt is EMPOWERMENT

The red centers symbolize love, first for oneself; life – celebrating our lives, bodies and spirit; and empowerment – to achieve our goals with pride and self-confidence. The 48 blocks are colorful and artistic, each as individual as the girls, and represent self-expression, joy, freedom and creativity. Padding is gold, which means wisdom, wealth and magic. Threads that connect all women young and old in the sacred sisterhood.

Thirteen women. Twenty-six hands.

Hours of love in every stitch in support of young women living in San Miguel de Allende on their way to adulthood.

Who We Are…