The female riders say it offers them a secure way to commute, but they argue that the larger problem is male attitudes.
This week, Sevenly is highlighting the work of It’s a Girl’s grassroots partner, Invisible Girl Project (IGP)!
Specifically, every shirt that Sevenly sells this week will support the work of Invisible Girl Project’s partner in South India that has successfully rescued over 170 girls from being murdered, just
because they are girls (this is female infanticide). Through its partner, IGP has been able to have a significant impact in the lives of girls and women in the villages of South India
Through its partner, IGP has found it fundamentally important to first go out into the villages where infanticide is highest and form relationships with village families. IGP’s social workers determine those families that are at highest risk for committing infanticide. Knowing the cultural preference for sons, their social workers counsel the at-risk families, emphasizing the value and worth of daughters.
IGP also educates the mothers about healthy pregnancy, provides prenatal care, and helps create a bond between the mother and her unborn child. Due to the high numbers of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other such diseases, IGP provides medicine and necessary medical care for pregnant mothers who are infected.
When a baby is born, IGP’s social workers travel to be with the family. If the baby is a girl, they are there to prevent anyone from taking and murdering her.
After a baby girl is born, IGP will “register” the little girl’s birth with the local hospital and with the government. This not only legitimizes the baby girl’s birth, but it is also a deterrent to the families who may want to kill their daughters in the future. In the event IGP finds that a family has murdered their baby girl, IGP pursues justice for the baby girl and files a criminal case against the perpetrator. This is clearly the most dangerous and most culturally unpopular work IGP does.
In working to save and preserve a baby girl’s life, though, after a baby girl is born, IGP works with the family to ensure that the baby is growing and is healthy. The social workers meet with the family at least twice a week, regularly weighing the baby girl, and providing vitamin “tonics” for the baby.
IGP also helps single mothers whose husbands have abandoned them for having a daughter. IGP helps form coalitions for these mothers, so that the women are there to support each other emotionally and even financially. Through these groups, IGP has helped village women to save money, using micro-finance initiatives, and even to start small businesses (such as raising goats).
Finally, IGP’s “Child Sponsorship Program” helps support the little girls it has rescued and their families. IGP provides families with monthly food rations such as rice, lentils, and vegetables. IGP also opens an interest-bearing savings account in the baby girl's name, for her to use on expenses she has after the age of 18, (such as higher education, trade training, or wedding expenses—but not dowry).
Please help further this work! Your support allows IGP to go into 30 new villages this year and rescue even more baby girls.
Please go to www.sevenly.org/InvisibleGirlProject and purchase a shirt to help SAVE THE LIFE OF A LITTLE GIRL IN INDIA today! Visit IGP’s new website, www.InvisibleGirlProject.org for more info!
Specifically, every shirt that Sevenly sells this week will support the work of Invisible Girl Project’s partner in South India that has successfully rescued over 170 girls from being murdered, just
because they are girls (this is female infanticide). Through its partner, IGP has been able to have a significant impact in the lives of girls and women in the villages of South IndiaThrough its partner, IGP has found it fundamentally important to first go out into the villages where infanticide is highest and form relationships with village families. IGP’s social workers determine those families that are at highest risk for committing infanticide. Knowing the cultural preference for sons, their social workers counsel the at-risk families, emphasizing the value and worth of daughters.
IGP also educates the mothers about healthy pregnancy, provides prenatal care, and helps create a bond between the mother and her unborn child. Due to the high numbers of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other such diseases, IGP provides medicine and necessary medical care for pregnant mothers who are infected.
When a baby is born, IGP’s social workers travel to be with the family. If the baby is a girl, they are there to prevent anyone from taking and murdering her.
After a baby girl is born, IGP will “register” the little girl’s birth with the local hospital and with the government. This not only legitimizes the baby girl’s birth, but it is also a deterrent to the families who may want to kill their daughters in the future. In the event IGP finds that a family has murdered their baby girl, IGP pursues justice for the baby girl and files a criminal case against the perpetrator. This is clearly the most dangerous and most culturally unpopular work IGP does.
In working to save and preserve a baby girl’s life, though, after a baby girl is born, IGP works with the family to ensure that the baby is growing and is healthy. The social workers meet with the family at least twice a week, regularly weighing the baby girl, and providing vitamin “tonics” for the baby.
IGP also helps single mothers whose husbands have abandoned them for having a daughter. IGP helps form coalitions for these mothers, so that the women are there to support each other emotionally and even financially. Through these groups, IGP has helped village women to save money, using micro-finance initiatives, and even to start small businesses (such as raising goats).
Finally, IGP’s “Child Sponsorship Program” helps support the little girls it has rescued and their families. IGP provides families with monthly food rations such as rice, lentils, and vegetables. IGP also opens an interest-bearing savings account in the baby girl's name, for her to use on expenses she has after the age of 18, (such as higher education, trade training, or wedding expenses—but not dowry).
Please help further this work! Your support allows IGP to go into 30 new villages this year and rescue even more baby girls.
Please go to www.sevenly.org/InvisibleGirlProject and purchase a shirt to help SAVE THE LIFE OF A LITTLE GIRL IN INDIA today! Visit IGP’s new website, www.InvisibleGirlProject.org for more info!
