FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mary Ann Tarantula
Governor, Zonta International District 3
201-387-1536
marymac43@verizon.net

ZONTA AND THE “ONCE A MONTH”CAMPAIGN

The “Once a Month Campaign” is an effort to provide rural Zambian girls with sanitary products so that they can continue their education.  The Bureau of African Affairs, Office of Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State, learned from Zambian NGO representatives that the onset of puberty contributed to a high drop-out rate among Zambian girls.

Pictured above are Karen Nicodemus, first-vice president of the Zonta Club of Northern Valley, and her daughter Amy Nicodemus, the Rwanda Desk Officer.  As one can see, they were delivering 100 packages of sanitary pads for girls in Zambia.  Amy learned from Nicole Moore Peacock, Public Affairs/Outreach Coordinator, Bureau of African Affairs, that Zambian girls drop out of school once they reach puberty because when they reach school they have no water and they have no sanitary pads so they just stay home from then on.  Once Amy passed that information on to her mother Karen, it was no time until the Zonta Club of Northern Valley provided the money and Karen and Amy provided the vehicle for delivery to the U.S. Dept. of State.

This is the second service project the club has done in conjunction with the U.S. Dept of State.  The first was the result of a video conference with Liberian teachers and NGOs which focused on education in Monrovia.  When it was learned that the girls needed English dictionaries, the members of the Northern Valley Club came to the rescue sending dozens of dictionaries.  The cost of one dictionary in Liberia is about $75.00 U.S.

Although the need for dictionaries has been satisfied for the present, the need for sanitary products is still critical.  If your club wishes to donate, products may be delivered to Nicole Moore, 2121 Virginia Ave. NW, Washington, DC (across from State Dept.).  The U.S. State Department will ship the products to Zambia.  Nicole’s phone number is 202-663-0519.  It should be noted that the Zambian NGOs have stated that monetary donations are not what they are looking for.  If the families are given money, they will not spend it on sanitary products for the girls.

If your club is not close to Washington, DC but would like to take part in this worthwhile project, perhaps you could join with another club and combine efforts.  If you need further information, please call me (201-387-1536) or email, marymac43@verizon.net

For information from the U.S. State Department:
Visit Zambia Outreach: "Once A Month Campaign"