I'm off to America for the ONE #AYASummit

As you read this post I'll be on a plane heading towards Washington, D.C.  I've never been to America before so I am super excited but in truth I'm not sure how much of it I will get to see as this isn't a sightseeing holiday.  I arrive Monday night and then I have Tuesday and Wednesday daytime before my conference starts. I have no plans, I'll just play it by ear.

I'm staying with a beautiful family in Virgina and I'll happily take their recommendations of what I should get up to. I don't know if my time will be my own or if I'll get to visit the ONE head office in DC Where Jeannine (Senior Manager for Strategic Partnerships) works, the unknown is kinda fun though, it is so not my usual style.

The AYA summit itself will draw attention to issues facing girls and women in the developing world, it will showcase both the progress against and challenges of extreme poverty. The role that everyone must play if the bold goal of virtually eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 is to be met with be highligted. ONE believe that every voice and every hand is vital, whether it is the non-profit or faith communities, businesses, governments or even individuals like you and me.

When girls and women are given the necessary education and tools, they can be change-makers within their families and communities. Through a series of talks, panels, visuals, and demonstrations, The summit will explore what it means to be born female in Africa, and what ONE (and all its members), working together with our African partners, can do to make sure that all girls and women reach their potential. The summit will bring together leaders from the non-profit, government, private sector and celebrity arenas.

Photo Credit: ONE/ Karen Walrond

You'll see me tweeting, Instagrammng and sharing on Facebook this week using the hashtag #AYASummit and if you enjoy what you read then please do share or RT my posts. Any new people we can get signed up to ONE and joining the fight against extreme poverty will be a massive plus.

I'm looking forward to learning loads of new information about what is happening in Africa at the moment and I'll be thrilled to share what I learn with you all. I'm going to be sensible and live in the moment rather than breaking my back to blog each day whilst I'm in America so I expect to post Saturday 25th Onwards, although I'm on a plane most of that day so we will see!

I hope you have a great week whilst I'm away, I know I will.

Be blessed, Mich x

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It's more than just a job, it's a hope for a new future

Image Credit:s Karen Walrond

Last October I had the privilege to travel to Ethiopia with the ONE Campaign. During this stay we visited numerous wonderful businesses that had been set up to allow the Ethiopian people to become sustainable and to be able to help themselves. One of the very first visits we made was to FashionABLE.

All of us women were blown away by our visit to this amazing organisation, you can check out the full story on the FashionABLE site or have a look at my post from last year but in a nut shell FashionABLE offer former sex workers a way to learn a trade and be ABLE (see that word there) to feed their children, build a new life, have dignity, have peace in their life, be a leader and so much more.

This awe-inspiring business grew from one man and his wife living in Ethiopia and observing many women being pushed into poor choices to make enough money to live or feed their children. When they asked these women what they really wanted in life, they were told that they want the chance to earn their own fair wage, they didn't want charity. So that is what Barrett and his wife Rachel set about realising, a way for women to be rehabilitated back into regular life and feeling a sense of pride, community and dignity again. Take a look at this video it sums it up wonderfully in just under 2 minutes and is incredibly touching -



3rd birthday, 30% discount for 3 days!

It's FashionABLE's 3rd birthday this week and I want to be able to see them celebrating their 30th and 300th birthdays so they need to keep selling their wares and the more sales they make the more women that can be employed and become part of this bright future. In the last 3 years the workforce has grown from 3 to 30 making the beautiful hand-woven scarves and just recently a new partnership has been set up making leather goods and that helps another 40 women.

I count myself extremely blessed that Barrett choose to send me a leather clutch bag last week. I look at it and think it is almost too beautiful to use and then I remember that I must use it, as it is the labour from a woman who has worked very hard to make it (both the bag and to this point in her life).

Whilst FashionABLE is primarily about creating new opportunities for women in Ethiopia please don't be fooled into thinking that their products are average, they are not. The business is also focused on only sending out the very best products. They make beautiful scarves, I have about six of them and I will be ordering more and especially as gifts for people for Christmas. At the moment I am eyeing up a Anchinalu scarf in Burgundy and peach for myself. It normally retails at $40, and during the 30% off sale it will be $28 and that means just £17. And yes whilst that might be more than I could pay in Next, I love to know I helped a vulnerable women in the process.

Why don't you take a look online and see what you might like to order? 

If we were all to place just one order think of the knock-on effect that could have in terms of more women being offered the chance of a bright and dignified future.

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If you like what you have read and want to stay up-to-date then subscribe by email for free and receive blog posts directly to your in-box - just click the link Subscribe to Mummy From The Heart... by Email or perhaps you like to keep all your blog reading in one place, if that is the case you can follow me on BlogLovin too!