How this story came to be:
One Christmas, Nana decided that she would like to do a little more than just buy presents for Daniela and Leandra so as well she gave some money (a donation) to an organization called the International Rescue Committee so that two girls would be able to go to school for a year. She put a photo of two girls (found on their website) into a frame and gave it to her own two girls.
Of course, Daniela and Leandra liked the idea, but they had questions:
“Are those the two girls we are helping?” ask Daniela quite reasonably. “Can we write to them?”
So Nana had to explain that supporting this organization in this way didn’t mean that we would know where these girls would live or anything about them at all really.
Daniela and Leandra were a bit disappointed.
“I tell you what,” said Nana, “Why don’t we make them real? We could tell a story about who they are, where they live, what are their dreams? It could be fun!”
And all agreed it WAS fun. We began with questions: WHO were they? WHERE did they live? WHAT did they like to do, and HOW did they spend their days? WHY did they want to change their lives? WHY did they want to go to school? WHO gave them that opportunity? HOW did they meet?
And this is the story we told… We hope you enjoy it.*
(*If you do, please will you consider making a donation yourself? Maybe you too can send some girls to school, or pay for their books, or give where the money can best be put to use. Here is the website for the organization. All royalties from this book will go towards this organization, and it is our hope – Daniela and me – that, with your help, we will be able to send many more girls, like Sonya and Estrella Fugaz, to school.
Somewhere, someone will love you for it…)
https://www.rescue.org/outcome/ucation
