During spring of 2019, the Chapter initiated an effort to find a new meaningful community service project. During this time a Council of Women’s Organizations was formed and one of our Chapter members represents us in the organization. It was through this organization our Chapter Member learned about the plight of some of our young ladies attending public schools and who live in poverty. Once a month these young ladies often miss school because their parents cannot afford feminine hygiene products. Severe budgetary constraints prevent our public schools from having products available for young ladies even in the event of an emergency. Project Sottera was conceived by this women’s organization to address this need. Sottera is the Chamorro term primarily used to describe a girl who has reached puberty. At our August 2019 Chapter meeting our Members voted to become involved in Project Sottera and to adopt a high school and donate feminine hygiene products to it.
Like many communities, Guam has a growing number of children who live in poverty and a growing homeless population. This problem has been exacerbated by a US federal decision over 25 years ago to permit citizens from isolated islands associated with the US to freely migrate to the US for school and work without a Visa under the US Compacts of Free Association. Being the closest US soil to these impoverished Western Pacific islands, Compact citizens have been migrating to Guam and Hawaii in mass ever since. Many of the early arrivals are now a part of Guam’s social fabric. New arrivals continue to pour in daily and they are overwhelming Guam’s and Hawaii’s public resources. They live in poverty with limited or no job skills, no education, limited command of English and they have a different set of social mores. Unlike impoverished Guam residents who are US citizens, very limited federally subsidized public assistance is available to these Compact citizens. Over the past 25 year time span, Guam’s per capita income has dropped. It has dropped to the point that the federal government has determined every child who attends any of Guam’s public schools is eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch. At every Guam public school, the number of children who live in poverty far exceed those who do not. With so many families living in poverty and differences in social mores, many families cannot afford feminine hygiene products and instead they keep their girls home from school once a month.
The promotion of literacy is one of DAR’s cornerstones upon which it was founded. The loss of a single day due to illness sets a child back from learning important information and gaining knowledge. Our Chapter members know full well what it is like to keep their children’s studies up whenever they miss school due to illness and how fast their children can quickly fall behind. Children who live in poverty have enough working against them. For young ladies to miss an important day of school simply because they lack access to feminine hygiene products was found to be incomprehensible and unacceptable to our Chapter’s Members. It is for this reason, our members unanimously voted to become involved in Project Sottera and to adopt a school. Each semester the Chapter will be providing Tiyan High School’s nurse with feminine hygiene products that she will make available to young ladies in need. Chapter members are donating supplies as well as some Chapter funds have been set aside for their bulk purchase from a wholesaler who is providing them at cost to the Chapter.
Project Sottera is not a typical DAR community service project. It is a project that our DAR Members believe that we can help improve literacy among our young ladies who live in poverty and that we can ultimately improve their quality of life. We are very excited that we have joined with other organizations and that we are a part of Project Soterra.
On September 30th, Chapter Members made their first donation of feminine products to Tiyan High School’s nurse and Vice Principal. Members were told by the nurse that she and other school nurses purchase products from their personal funds. These products are then sold to girls for 60 cents. Many of the students who come to her can’t even afford to pay 60 cents for a pad. Now she will be able to give a pad at no cost to every student who comes to her. Feminine hygiene products are highly prized and desired. Students will be limited to one per visit otherwise they will take them home to other family members and the nurse’s supply will be quickly wiped out. Tiyan High School’s school nurse found the Chapter’s donation to be a god send. Both she and the Vice Principal were very appreciative of the Chapter’s adoption of their school and our first donation.
Like many communities, Guam has a growing number of children who live in poverty and a growing homeless population. This problem has been exacerbated by a US federal decision over 25 years ago to permit citizens from isolated islands associated with the US to freely migrate to the US for school and work without a Visa under the US Compacts of Free Association. Being the closest US soil to these impoverished Western Pacific islands, Compact citizens have been migrating to Guam and Hawaii in mass ever since. Many of the early arrivals are now a part of Guam’s social fabric. New arrivals continue to pour in daily and they are overwhelming Guam’s and Hawaii’s public resources. They live in poverty with limited or no job skills, no education, limited command of English and they have a different set of social mores. Unlike impoverished Guam residents who are US citizens, very limited federally subsidized public assistance is available to these Compact citizens. Over the past 25 year time span, Guam’s per capita income has dropped. It has dropped to the point that the federal government has determined every child who attends any of Guam’s public schools is eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch. At every Guam public school, the number of children who live in poverty far exceed those who do not. With so many families living in poverty and differences in social mores, many families cannot afford feminine hygiene products and instead they keep their girls home from school once a month.
The promotion of literacy is one of DAR’s cornerstones upon which it was founded. The loss of a single day due to illness sets a child back from learning important information and gaining knowledge. Our Chapter members know full well what it is like to keep their children’s studies up whenever they miss school due to illness and how fast their children can quickly fall behind. Children who live in poverty have enough working against them. For young ladies to miss an important day of school simply because they lack access to feminine hygiene products was found to be incomprehensible and unacceptable to our Chapter’s Members. It is for this reason, our members unanimously voted to become involved in Project Sottera and to adopt a school. Each semester the Chapter will be providing Tiyan High School’s nurse with feminine hygiene products that she will make available to young ladies in need. Chapter members are donating supplies as well as some Chapter funds have been set aside for their bulk purchase from a wholesaler who is providing them at cost to the Chapter.
Project Sottera is not a typical DAR community service project. It is a project that our DAR Members believe that we can help improve literacy among our young ladies who live in poverty and that we can ultimately improve their quality of life. We are very excited that we have joined with other organizations and that we are a part of Project Soterra.
On September 30th, Chapter Members made their first donation of feminine products to Tiyan High School’s nurse and Vice Principal. Members were told by the nurse that she and other school nurses purchase products from their personal funds. These products are then sold to girls for 60 cents. Many of the students who come to her can’t even afford to pay 60 cents for a pad. Now she will be able to give a pad at no cost to every student who comes to her. Feminine hygiene products are highly prized and desired. Students will be limited to one per visit otherwise they will take them home to other family members and the nurse’s supply will be quickly wiped out. Tiyan High School’s school nurse found the Chapter’s donation to be a god send. Both she and the Vice Principal were very appreciative of the Chapter’s adoption of their school and our first donation.