Dear friends,

I don't know about you, but it's hard to not feel, well, helpless in the wake of recent sad events in the world. But I think I have found the antidote: Giving

Today it's #GivingTuesday, an international day of giving at the start of the holiday season. I will be heading out to London this weekend for a small fundraiser for Project Soar, the nonprofit organization I helped found a few years ago. Project Soar helps empower girls through art, sports and health education. We help keep girls in school, helping to break the cycle of child brides. It's such a worthy cause!

I would love to see you in London! Drinks, canapes and a mini pop up souk! Please leave a comment or email me at maryamATmmontague.com and I'll send you an invite.

If you are not in London, you can still help! We are running a small Crowdrising campaign to raise funds to expand Project Soar into new villages! More sites, more girls, more empowerment, more good. Your $10 or $25 can make a difference! Pls donate HERE and please spread the word. I'd be so grateful.

One of our recent initiatives at Project Soar is a great collaboration with ,BeGirl with the help of Kuwaiti friends, Huda and Mayada. Did you know that getting your period is 1 of the leading reasons why girls drop out of school in the developing world? Because they don't have supplies. So not cool because that's just a part of being a girl! That's why Project Soar has partnered with the nonprofit, BeGirl. We are the pilot program in the Muslim world to use this ingenious product. The products for Project Soar in a special blue made just for us, with all the instructions written in Arabic. Because being a girl shouldn't get you down! And all girls should have a chance to live with dignity.

Never doubt your ability to make a difference. You can! Join the Project Soar nation and help make the world a better place for its girls. In another life, these girls could be your own.

Love,

Maryam