Text Box: FACT SHEET     East African Center                     Did you know…..  §         We are located in the rural community of Takaungu, Kenya. §         Most of the people in the community we serve live on less than $1 per day. §         Only about 15% of the women in our community can read. §         Most children in our area, especially girls, do not finish school.  §         In the local state-run primary school, there are typically around 200 children in a single small classroom. §         It is not uncommon for girls as young as 10 and 12 to be married because their families cannot afford to care for them. §         Agricultural production is low, and farmers often cannot grow enough food to feed their families.  §         Medical services are far away and expensive for local residents, and most people cannot access vital medical care. §         Children often suffer from diseases that are highly preventable and easy to treat. §         Malaria and AIDS are taking their toll on the local population. §         Women typically don’t have access to prenatal and childbirth services, and death during childbirth is not uncommon.    We believe that there is no place for extreme poverty in this world and that women and families deserve better!  We are doing something about it right now, and you can help us!  This is what we are doing…. We run a multi-faceted community empowerment center in Takaungu, Kenya. We teach women to read, and educate them on basic math and business skills. We have a nursery school for 90 children, where children learn reading and math and know that they are valued!  We encourage families to value the education of girls and to keep them in school. We have a library, where children and families can read books and get after school tutoring.  We offer a sewing club where participants learn tailoring skills, earn money, and can save to start their own business. We run a farming school that teaches how to increase crop yields and use environmentally sustainable practices. We connect our participants with local micro-credit organizations to help them start their own businesses. We offer health education to women; providing information on maternal and child health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS.  We involve local residents in the planning and implementation of all aspects of our work. We provide our community with tools and hope, and let them know that they matter to the rest of the world. And we want to do more!  With your financial and volunteer support, we will: Build a new school for 360 more children.  Start a health clinic to serve the local population.  Build new centers in new communities, empower more people, eradicate poverty, and improve lives!    How to help: Write a check today.  Make checks payable to EAC. Send a donation to East African Center,  6040 Hardwick Place, Falls Church, VA 22041 Volunteer with us in the U.S. or in Kenya.  Host your own fundraising event.  We provide a fundraiser-in-a-box to make it fun and easy! For more information, please contact Theresa Wilson, EAC President, at 703-845-0208 or email at twilson@eastafricancenter.org.  or visit our website at www.eastafricancenter.org