Empowering African girls to complete their education by providing economic resources and a network of social support utilizing an Afrocentric/African-centered paradigm; thus restoring hope for future African generations. Our Guiding Philosophy is to influence the integration of gender issues in education policies and plans in order to improve girls’ access, retention and performance, with special
emphasis on partnerships. We advocate for girls’ education and gender equity at community level by developing a new model to address emerging challenges in girls' education. We use African values such as unity of family, self determination, collective economics, creativity and faith as the foundation of all our programs. Organizational efforts are in honor of Empress Menen Asfaw and the many Violets of the world. Itegue Menen Asfaw advocated against childhood marriage, promoted peace, and believed in equal education for girls. Crowned as Empress of Ethiopia in 1930, she was the first Ethiopian Empress to be coronated immediately after her husband. She established the Empress Menen School for Girls and the schools for orphans and the blind. When the fascist forces of Italy attempted to invade Ethiopia in 1935, it was Empress Menen who addressed the World Women’s Association promoting peace and speaking against war. As a philanthropist she gave to monies and land to churches, schools, and the less fortunate. Violet struggled as a teenage mother of African descent living in America. She later married having three more children and divorced after experiencing physical abuse from her spouse. She later remarried again and also returned back to school. She fulfilled her dream of becoming a licensed nurse practitioner in the 1970s. As a nurse, she supported healthy outcomes for all people. Yet, in her second marriage she also suffered as a victim of domestic violence. She filed for divorce, but was brutally murdered by her spouse in the 1980s before the divorce was finalized. Violet could be anyone of us……
