By Cassidy Herring
In an affluent community such as Naperville, it is easy to take advantage of the abundant resources and opportunities provided to us daily. It is almost impossible to fathom what people from a third world country deal with; the things we have come to expect would be their luxuries.
However, members of Local Girls 4 Global Change have broken the barrier and decided to begin a movement to provide funds for females in developing countries.
“Our mission statement is, ‘We are young women from Naperville striving to empower women and girls in developing nations through education and opportunity. We believe in the power of hope,’” said senior and member of Local Girls 4 Global Change Kirsten Cleary.
The young women of Local Girls 4 Global Change began in 2009 when the founding members read the novel “Half the Sky” by Nicholas Kristof and decided to take a step towards aiding the women of oppressed nations.
Since 2009, the group has continually grown; new members are recruited as the seniors graduate.
The females of Local Girls 4 Global Change are no strangers to the city of Naperville. These girls have held dinner events, bake sales, and a walk to acquire donations for their cause. Reaching an even wider audience, the group has been interviewed twice by Radio Disney. They hope that the various events and radio interviews will provide publicity for their cause.
Today, May 1, the Local Girls 4 Global Change members will be hosting Shop 4 Change at the Cress Creek Country Club from 6:30-9:30 pm. This is an event in which entrepreneurial women from Naperville can promote their businesses. Vendors will provide products and services that can be purchased by anyone who attends the event.
“The proceeds will be used to donate microloans to more women in developing nations so they can have the opportunity to establish their own businesses in order to be more capable of supporting themselves and their families,” said Cleary.
With twenty-eight vendors and a wide variety of products and services being sold, Cleary is hopeful for a great turnout.
The girls of Local Girls 4 Global Change encourage those who are interested in joining the group to contact any of the following members: Sofi Prorok, Rachel Prorok, Grace Culver, Kate Singer, Meghan Anderson, Taylor Field, Erin Collard, Maggie DeLacey, and Adrienne Jamieson.
Photo courtesy of Local Girls 4 Global Change
