Help Young Women Develop Confident Voices

The Cross Stitch Project’s mission is to use digital media and web technology to help young women develop confident voices and inspire them to change the world. It connects girls at the Atlanta Girls School to girls halfway around the world in India. More than just a pen pal project, the Cross Stitch Project allows needy girls in India the chance to practice their English, receive computer training and video camera operation skills, and learn how to create and edit presentations. Meanwhile, their friends in Atlanta gain global awareness and learn about poverty in the developing world.

The Cross Stitch Project was co-founded by Phoebe Brown and Elizabeth Strickler, both of whom have experience in education and helping young people become innovators using the Internet. Their experiences led them to found Cross Stitch Project together to increase young adults’ creative expression, as well as civic and global engagement.

Based on their current successes growing the Cross Stitch Project, Phoebe and Elizabeth need help taking their project to the next level. They have aspirational plans for the project—opening their own space in Atlanta, creating and launching a Digital Learning Hub in Kolkata, India, supporting the current programming in India, and increasing the number of girls they can reach.

Their tipping point goal to start out on the road to getting these projects underway is just $3,000. When they meet this tipping point goal—they’ve already raised $2,395 so far—they can continue to pay their staff in India and ensure the Kolkata Media Training Program will keep running through 2013. Funds raised beyond the tipping point will go to increasing trainings, supporting more girls, and taking a trip to India to work directly with the girls in the program. Consider becoming an essential part of this amazing project—become a campaign backer and share The Cross Stitch Project’s campaign with all your friends.

Callie Hammond

I am currently an MPA student at the University of Pennsylvania, with a focus on Nonprofit Administration. My experiences as a social worker and a teacher in the Philadelphia School District have not only made education reform my passion, but have also led me to create a start-up nonprofit organization, Library Build, which is dedicated to revitalizing and restocking public school libraries with books, technologies, and librarians. You can follow on my blog, The Start Up.