Where Women Are from Julia Gallagher on Vimeo.

What happens where women are? I believe where women are there is motivation.
The most influential women in my life are the ones who know how to get stuff done.
A mentor of mine who studied international development casually offered me the best definition of development I have heard yet. “Everyone figuring out their shit and meeting each other half way.”  This definition is so universal. Development can be read as international development, addressing poverty in countries with fewer resources and opportunities than your own. It can be development within organizations, cultivating relationships to ensure support of programs and sustainability. Or it can simply be personal development. We all can relate to this. Where are the gaps to a better livelihood in our own personal lives and how do we work to improve ourselves?

Mama Maji’s motto is that they work where women are.

I don’t know about you but I’m pretty sure women are just about everywhere. So Mama Maji works… everywhere? Here’s the link. Another core belief of Mama Maji is that development is development no matter where it occurs. Development occurs in New Orleans through professional skills trainings and in Kenya through creating solutions for access to clean water. In many countries, water is in the women’s domain. When creating solutions for access to clean water involves women, real change is inevitable. I believe where women are there is motivation to meet each other half way and find sustainable solutions.

What do you believe can happen where women are?

Mama Maji
Mama Maji is a registered 501c3 with the mission of empowering women to change their world through water. The co-founder of this organization traveled to Kenya through a fellowship and grew to love the women she worked with in Kenya, she wanted to find a way to connect the dreamers, movers & shakers in the United States, with the changemakers she interacted with there.

Since then Mama Maji has made significant impact. So far Mama Maji has improved the lives of 3,700 people by advancing the Chiga Community Water and Santitation Project and securing clean water for their community. As well, 147 women were trained in sustainable business development in Kenya and 398 people were trained in the United States in sustainable community development.

Me & Mama Maji
This summer I worked as the development intern for a local to New Orleans non-profit called Mama Maji. This meant searching for funding opportunities and building relationships. I sought out the possibility of reaching corporate sponsors, helped build foundation for personal fundraisers, and conducted research on  new platforms for fundraising and donor management.

Your Dollars & Mama Maji
The home stretch. That’s the status of the Kamrongo water kiosk. Your contribution will be a part of the $8,000 needed to finish a kiosk that allows a community of 3,300 people to have access to clean water. What is a water kiosk you ask? It is a location off of a larger water tower in which people can vend water.
The construction will engage both local artisans and youth groups for the piping. There will be 30 community members trained in water, health and sanitation who will then serve as advocates who can spread the knowledge to the rest of the community. Involvement of women will occur at every level and the lasting effects will be seen through the new found time that comes with living in a community with access to clean water.

Your impact towards my goal of $4,000 will truly help complete this project because this campaign will have gracious matching support from local to New Orleans area Rotary Clubs, up to $5,000.