circle of sisterhood |
In the spring of 2015, Sonoma State’s Panhellenic Executive Council adopted the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation as their philanthropic focus. Circle of Sisterhood was founded in 2010 by a group of sorority women after reading the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. Upon learning of the everyday cruelties and injustices of girls and women around the world, the group decided it was not only their want but their responsibility to help end the oppressive brutality against girls and women internationally by uplifting them from poverty through education.
Over 160 years ago, sororities were founded as an avenue of support for women who were fighting for the right to attend college, paving the way for countless women – including you and me - to receive higher education. Now, in the 21st century, a mere 7% of the world’s population is college educated. More than 60 million girls and women are out of school or completely uneducated making up 70% of out of school youth and 2/3 of illiterate adults in our world today. Education is an answer to many of the plights of the world including poverty, oppression, and misogyny. Studies have shown that schooling is the precursor to women being able to stand up for themselves and against injustices and to be able to contribute to their local economies.
As sorority women, we all have at least one thing in common – an education. Staying true to the legacy of our founders, Circle of Sisterhood has made it their mission to break down barriers to education for girls and women around the world by providing tuition, scholarships, uniforms, teachers, computers, and more. In the four years of their existence, Circle of Sisterhood, with the help of Panhellenic women across the nation, has had an impact in 18 countries on four continents, granting more than $220,000. Circle of Sisterhood has been able to fund and build two schools and is currently in the process of building three more.
Our sisters around the world will never have the opportunities we’ve had – and continue to have – unless we help them. To apply for the Sonoma State Panhellenic Circle of Sisterhood committee, please fill out this application: http://goo.gl/forms/aKnKQBRe2l. To learn more about the Circle of Sisterhood, please visit circleofsisterhood.org.