Introducing The Vertile Foundation…..

We are so thrilled to introduce you to The Vertile Foundation.  The Vertile Foundation supports 15 children in Carrefour, Haiti (right outside of Port-au-Prince).  Those 15 children live in The Vertile House where they are provided with a safe haven and access to education.  We are so happy to be providing all 15 children with uniforms!

 
More from The Vertile Foundation:

The Vertile Foundation was founded by Haitian national and Colorado resident, Rico Changeux, following the devastation of the 2010 earthquake. Named in honor of Rico's late mother, The Vertile House was built around the Changeux family home and is currently home and school for 15 children between the ages of 6 and 13, who may otherwise find themselves struggling to survive on the streets.

The Vertile House is a youth center in Carrefour, Haiti on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. The Vertile House provides a safe home, food, clothing, education, and vocational training for our children. By emphasizing personal growth and development, we hope to provide opportunities for these children where none existed. The Vertile Foundation is committed to teaching youth in this region to break the cycle of excruciating poverty, disease and illiteracy and become empowered individuals and leaders in their community. 

We were connected with The Vertile Foundation through a dear friend of Tailored for Education(THANK YOU MARY) and could not be more excited to work with an organization doing such amazing things for the children of Haiti.  As we move forward we will be sure to share our progress!  For all of you that made this partnership possible, THANK YOU!

xo,

Megan and Jess

La Vallée, Haiti Round 2: Complete!

Last August we funded our very first project; 200 students at Ecole Ste Therese De La Voute in La Vallée, Haiti.  This project will always have a very special place in our hearts and we are thrilled to announce that thanks to all of our amazing donors we were able to provide uniforms for all 200 students for the second year in a row.  Additionally, this year we provided 400 uniforms at Ecole Ste Therese De La Voute's sister schools IPEPH at Musac and Parish Church Ste Clair at Tuff.  As you can see each of the three schools have different uniforms and many of you will probably recognize the green ones!  

As we know from all of our partners in Haiti, the country is still suffering greatly from the earthquake in January of 2010.  However, it is wonderful to see these children, who have all been through so much, in their uniforms and receiving an education.  Their education is the first step to bring their families out of a life of poverty!  

THANK YOU to all of you who have helped make this project possible, for the second year in a row!

xo, Megan and Jess

Sneak Peek!

It has been a long week, but nothing inspires us more than these girls working hard in their new uniforms!  This is one of our most recent projects in Haiti and we can't wait to share all of the details and tons more pictures on the blog next week.  Until then, Happy Weekend!

xo, Megan and Jess

Heavy hearts…..

Like many in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Northeast, our focus has quickly turned from the Presidential election and Halloween, to hurricane Sandy.  Her path has devastated many, including killing 65 in Haiti and she is still 500 miles from the US, as of right now.  As I picked up bottled water and a few non-perishable food items (while keeping an eye on The Weather Channel) I was reminded how lucky we all are.  24 hour storm coverage.  Access to clean water, candles, batteries and flashlights.  All of this can be found right around the corner. And at every store, on every corner.  So many people have generators.  I thought of all those living in poverty stricken areas where such preparations are not an option and the devastation will continue long after the eye of the storm passes.

So tonight our hearts are with everyone affected by this super (scary) storm; those dealing with her devastation and those awaiting her arrival.  We hope you and all of your families stay safe!     

xo, Megan and Jess 

Week in Review

We are so excited about the premiere of Half Sky's documentary airing on Oct. 1st and 2nd on PBS.  I am halfway through the book and have never been more sad and inspired at the same time! 

A wonderful piece on the most critical time in a child's life, the first 1,000 days.  Proper nutrition and getting the into the classroom will have life long effects, not only on the child but the whole country. 

This week the UN pledged to new initiative to make education a global priority and put every child in school, Education First.  Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the UN wrote this compelling narrative on the right for every child to receive an education.  "The power of education to transform lives is universal. When you ask parents what they want for their children -- even in war zones and disaster areas -- they seek the same thing first: education. Parents want their children in school."

Haitian coaches go to Portland to learn how to use soccer to teach young people about healthy behaviors and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Barclay's new initiative helps empower Kenya's youth while Credit Suisse is supporting the Cambodian Children's Fund to help ensure that the children of Cambodia receive an education. 

More on the UN's Education First

Happy weekend everyone!  We will be busy preparing for two BIG annoucements over the next two weeks!

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

This week has been FULL of ups and downs.  Lots of lessons learned and lots of exciting things on the horizon.  Needless to say we are both thrilled Friday has finally arrived!  These smiling faces motivate us to keep going and stay on track!

 

Health care made accessible to families in rural Malawi

Qatar gives $12mm to help rebuild Haiti

Amazing story about how two women from Kentucky are ensuring that more Kenyan girls can attend school

Tackling malaria in Cambodia through the use of cell phones- amazing idea

We all know that in times of economic crisis, non-profits always take a huge hit, but foreign aid is down $167 billion in the last year

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

Students all over the world are now back in school; except for 39 million girls

The teacher strike in Kenya is threatening 2012 exams

Microsoft employees help train teachers in Malawi

A touching account of how education can help Haiti

Hand in Hand soap is one of my FAVORITE gifts and now with the introduction of new scents I can give them over again!  For each bar of soap purchased Hand in Hand will donate a bar of soap, this will prevent the spread of disease and save countless lives.  Healthy children in school = better future for all!  I can not wait to get a bar (or three) of the lavender!

It has been a great week! I am so grateful to have this girl back and by my side every day. We have been getting back into the swing of things, making BIG plans and getting used to the fashion industry all while laughing A LOT. I am so thankful to have such a fabulous business partner and friend!

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

The picture above is of the sweet girls at The Children of Haiti Project in Port-au-Prince.  Our students, partners and their families are in our thoughts and prayers as they brace themselves for Tropical Storm Isaac to hit tonight

Always a constant champion for Haiti, actress Olivia Wilde is the co-founder of the country's first free secondary school the Academy of Peace and Justice

One of Port-au-Price's neighborhoods becomes a success story after being rebuilt

New York based teachers help improve literacy skills of Malawi residents

Winner of the Do Something grant, Katia Gomez promotes education in Honduras by helping children finish elementary school

The Kenyan government is attempting to ensure that all children are in school by proposing a fine on parents whose children are not in school

80% of the people living in rural Cambodia do not have access to proper sanitation facilities, this will soon change because The Gates Foundation has just committed $11 million for sanitation and hygiene education in Vietnam and Cambodia

xo, Megan and Jess

What a Difference a Year Makes!

A year ago we were writing our first check for uniforms in Haiti!  The year has flown by and the uniforms have flown out the door.  Over the next two months we hope to cross the 6,000 mark!

Our first check to Haiti....

Sent in this lovely "packaging"(torn out of a notebook on the fly at the bank)

A year later we are sending uniforms to the same school in La Vallee, Haiti so that ALL of those children can attend school again this year.  Additionally, we were able to also provide uniforms for two more schools in La Vallee for a total of 600 children!  As you can see we have grown-up a little since our first distribution!  I distinctly remember the feelings of excitement and anxiety we had sending our the funds for our first project, but all that seems to fade away when we see the smiling faces of children attending school, ready to learn and ready to change the future!

I cannot wait to see where we will be in a year AND where the children we have helped get to school will be.  If that isn't inspiration for a Monday I don't know what is!

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

High-five for Friday! 

Since the gang truce in March, El Salvador has seen a 60% drop in violence.  Hopefully this peace can continue. 

This beautiful poem by a young Haitian boy perfectly describes the need and desire for education in developing countries! 

The Cambodian Ministry of Health has made a new push for education through increased monitoring of hand, foot and mouth disease.  A few weeks ago schools were shut in an effort to keep the disease from spreading.

Local female leaders in Kenya make strides for women's education. 

It is no secret that we love FEED projects, but the new FEED India line is AMAZING. These patterns make my heart skip a beat and are perfect for the beach! 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 
xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

Last weekend my cousin Clayton and I searched London high and low for a great blazer.  Unfortunately all we could found were shoulder pads, cropped in the front long in the back (?!) or illfitting blazers.  So I was thrilled when Erin of Elements of Style (one of my favorite blogs) featured her newest project with friend Marie Whitney: Two Penny Blue, fabulous blazers in fabulous colors!  My excitement went to a new level when I saw that for every blazer sold they will donate one uniform to girl in Africa! Needless to say, I am smitten! 

We love the idea of "donating your birthday," but Unik Ernest takes it to another level to raise money for Haiti. 

Sad commentary on the education system in Cambodia

Great steps are being made to teach elders in Kenya the dangers women and girls face, the hope is the changes would encourage girls to stay in school!

Students at St Peter's Catholic College Tuggerah to build homes in Cambodia

Happy Summer Weekend!
xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

In honor of Price William's 30th Birthday yesterday, let's celebrate what an amazing philanthropist he is

50% of girls in Malawi are forced into marriage too early, but Thomas Mayo is trying to change that!

The largest school in Haiti is in the process of being built

The Haitian government has promised 320 million gourdes ($7.21 million USD) to hold official examinations in a few weeks

Giving refugee girls a chance across the world

Happy Weekend everyone!

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

In honor of Griffin's arrival this week I've been thinking a lot about baby gifts that help children in need.  Give is one of our favorite one for one companies; for each baby blanket sold they give one to a child in need! 

High schoolers in Charlotte are helping orphans in Haiti from their own back yard.  They are creating an aquaponics system to grow vegetables and fish, which they hope to implement in the project in Haiti. 

Another group of students holds a gala to raise fund to build schools in Haiti. 

An inspiring story about breaking the barriers to education foster children face.  Sadly, only 3% of foster children in the US go onto higher education and 50% never graduate from college. 

How textile production in developing countries can help alleviate poverty.  At Tailored for Education we are doing our part to continue this "sewing success."  All of the uniforms we provide are made as close to the school as possible!   

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

Wednesday was World Malaria Day.  This amazing video illustrates how deadly the disease is and the impact it has on children.  Malaria kills 1500 children a day and is one of the top three killers of children in Africa. 

Dwight from "The Office" helps empower young Haitian girls.

Local project helps educate nursing faculty in Haiti. 

Two different groups bringing science and snow to children in Haiti.

This is a great slide show on 11 brands that give back.  Not to mention some very pretty things!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

Every year on Marathon Monday we find ourselves inspired especially by those running for such amazing causes. 

This article by actress Olivia Wilde paints a sad picture for the cholera epidemic in Haiti and how it originated.  The trailer for Baseball in the Time of Cholera (produced by Wilde) brought me to tears. 

Megan White Murkuria is certainly bringing hope to girls in Nairobi, Kenya. 

One of the big problems in Haiti is children being forced to work as domestic servants, known as "restaveks."  This group organized a day to focus on restaveks and the importance of children receiving an education. 

Ecole Jean Paul II in Haiti celebrates their 25th anniversary, reinforcing the importance of education for the children of Haiti. 

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

It has been a busy week around here!  We wired money for our newest project in Nairobi, (yay!) set up a some exciting meetings for next week, and made some good headway on a few upcoming projects!  We can't wait to tell you all about the project in Nairobi and the amazing organization we have been working with.  Until then......

Malawi's former President passed away last week from a heart attack.  Last weekend the country's new President Joyce Banda was sworn in making her the second female President in Africa.  This article gives a great picture of the landscape Joyce will face.   

The cholera outbreak has been ongoing in Haiti since October of 2010.  While many believe believe a cholera vaccine won't work in Haiti Partners in Health is doing their best to prove these skeptics wrong. They will be vaccinating 50,000 people in a rural area and you can follow their progress here.

There was good news from the World Bank this week as they announced that "the number of people living in 'extreme poverty' decreased by 100 million between 2005 and 2008."  This is has continued to 2010 but, how do we get those still living in poverty out?

Do you know where your taxes go?

I am headed to NYC this weekend and can't wait to check out Treasure and Bond!  This "charitable concept store" by Nordstroms gives 100% of after-cost proceeds to charities in NYC.  What an amazing idea! 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and GO SOX!

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

There are 1,000,000 children at risk of dying from malnutrition in Sahel.  UNICEF put out this video to help spread the word before it is too late.  Click here to learn more about how you can help.

Our hearts go out to those in Mathare who lost their loved ones this week.

For our supporters in New York, this run is helping get Haitian children to school.  Run through Central Park and help children be able to attend school?  Sounds like a great plan to us!

We are so inspired by Fr. José “Pepe” Moratalla's work in El Salvador to decrease rates of violence through education. 

I was so excited for my JADEtribe make-up bag from Histoire to arrive this week.  The packaging at Histoire says it all "created by hands.  packaged with conscience. making goodness happen."  So not only is my new JADEtribe make-up bag great looking it is handmade from organically dyed and recycled textiles by tribal women in Asia.  JADEtribe was started when designer Kimberly Hartman traveled to Southeast Asia and now she works with women in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.  Thanks to Histoire and JADEtribe every time I look at my new bag I will think about our upcoming project to provide 3,400 uniforms to children in Cambodia.

Hope you all have a wonderful long weekend!  We are looking forward to some much needed time with our families!

xo, Megan and Jess

Week in Review

The famine in Niger is heartbreaking, and the number of people at risk could reach 3.9mm in the next month.  To find out how you can help click here.     

You will hear more about our partnership with Partners in Health in the coming weeks, but after reading this article we are thrilled that we will be able to ensure that 1,500 children are in school in Malawi and not working on tabacco farms. 

Today brings Women's History Month to a close, in honor of women everywhere check out how technology was able to bring moms across the globe together.  Is this the start of a new generation of penpals?  Imagine how wonderful it would be if women around the world could learn from eachother?  Healthier women, healthier babies, stronger young women and a booming new generation! 

Our hearts go out to this family.  After adopting two children from Haiti they have been inspired to begin a mission in Haiti and be directors for Chances for Children’s long-term Children’s Center. 

After a fabulous trip to Drybar over the weekend I was reminded to order more hair ties from Emi- Jay.  These amazing 16 year old girls developed a great product AND they give a portion of their proceeds to multiple charities!  Hopefully one day we can join the list of charities they support.  Keep up the good work girls!   

Have a great weekend everyone!

xo, Megan and Jess

Sneak Peak

In between meetings today we found a wonderful suprise in our inboxes: Dominique at the Children of Haiti Project (COHP) in Port-au-Prince sent us pictures of new uniforms for the whole school mid-production!  Thanks Dominique! 

Needless to say we were so excited to catch a gilpse of the uniforms.  These pictures certainly provided us with some inspiration on this cold day! 

We can't wait to tell you about all of the wonderful things going on at the COHP school and show you pictures of the children in their finished uniforms!

xo, Megan and Jess