In 2009, recent college grab Tammy Tibbetts thought up (and bought up the URL for) She’s the First, inspired by her work with Donate My Dress and a college final. The organization — which sponsors girls’ education in developing nations to give them the chance to become the first in their families to graduate from secondary school — launched with a video PSA in 2009, and has grown leaps and bounds since.
College and high school chapters starting popping up across the States after a student at the University of Notre Dame held a tie-dye cupcake bake sale, raising $900 for She’s the First to send 3 girls to school in Nepal. These {Campus} chapters of She’s the First grew, and helped bring Yapp into the picture.
For their 2012 campus leaders conference, She’s the First put together an app as a digital and mobile version of their program, with the ability to interact. They loved the Yapp so much that this year, they ended up replacing their printed programs, which wouldn’t be ready in time for the summit, with the app. Leaders from 83 high schools, colleges and universities gathered to learn, reflect, and amp up, with all the info and updates they needed in the palm of their hands.
The awesome mission of She’s the First is supported by fundraising events from these college and high school chapters. They’ve solidified the “social selling” model with a twist. Similar to charity: water, they want people to use their own creativity and passions to raise money and awareness for an incredible cause. By jumping in with young college and high school chapters, She’s the First is leading the pack in turning social selling into social giving.
The bake sale has become the staple fundraiser for She’s the First, but any creative campaigns are welcome — think marathon sponsorships, painting parties, birthday donations. All the money raised at fundraisers goes directly to the girls; it costs around $300 to sponsor a girl’s education for a year, including uniforms, food, mentorship, and the awesome support of the organization.
So far, the ladies (and gents!) behind She’s the First have sponsored 615 years of education for girls in 11 underdeveloped countries. There are 289 She’s the First scholars, and they wear their sponsorship like a badge of honor.
If you want to host a fundraiser or donate to She’s the First, check out their site and join the mission. If you’re in school and want to start a chapter, take a peek at their apps below to see what’s in store! Once your plans are in action, put together a Yapp so the She’s the First founders and your community can stay in the loop. Show off what you’re baking and of course, include info about She’s the First.
