Words that Compel Us to Action

Reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaleb Husseini stirred emotions that ranged from rage to powerlessness. This novel's realistic and riveting depiction of the hardships and courage of the women in war-torn Afghanistan left me at a loss for words and moved me to the core.

These women's struggle to be mothers, friends, daughters and wives forced me to not only appreciate my live in this amazing free country of ours, but to also pay more attention to what my sisters around the world endure.

I kept thinking, what can I, a suburban mom in New York do to help?

Thus, the motivation to start a fundraiser to support the education of women and girls in Afghanistan.

I decided to donate 10% of the sales of Jardines Studio and also a percentage of the sales at http://www.jardinesgiftsandbooks.com/ starting in January of this year.

My friends and customers helped me donate over $200.00 to the Afghan Girls Fund to help educate girls in Afghanistan.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/donate/afghan-childrens-fund.html

Remember this girl's face (above)? She appeared on the cover of National Geographic in 1985 and her hounting green eyes inspired the world to help Afghan Women. Her name is Sharbat Gula and when she was found, 17 years later, her face like that of so many women in her country, showed the devastation and hardships of living in refugee camps for years.

Sharbat Gula's greatest wish was to give her daughters the education that she was denied by war and an oppressive regime. Thus, National Geographic established the Afghan Girls Fund to aide in the education of Afghan girls.

For more information on how the Afghan Girls Fund has changed the lives of thousands of girls and perhaps helped change the future of an entire nation go to:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/donate/afghan-childrens-fund.html












My good friend, Jill (left) and I at our book discussion meeting.





June and Maria with two of our favorite books. This was our first meeting and the beginning of something very powerful. A bunch of moms, in the suburbs of New York using literature as inspiration to do good--even if just in a a small way. Great books are more than just beautiful words. How true this is!!