FAQ

What is 60 million girls? We are a public foundation established in February 2006 by Wanda Bedard. We are a group of passionate women determined to support education for girls in developing countries with the greatest gender disparity in school enrolment. 60 million girls is entirely volunteer-run and, since its creation, has raised almost $2 million to support 19 projects.

What is your charity’s registration number? Our charitable registration number is 80334 2344 RR0001.

What are your administrative costs? Less than 1%. We are committed to ensuring that as much of your donation dollar as possible goes to fund our educational projects. How do we do this? Our Foundation is entirely run by volunteers. There is no office, we have no paid employees and all services are donated.

Where do you get your funding? 60 million girls benefits from a grassroots network of donors who believe, as passionately as we do, that supporting education for girls will have a profound impact on each girl as well as her family and her community. We do not receive government funding or corporate sponsorships. Our donors are predominantly individuals as well as a number of associations and other foundations. Each year, 60 million girls holds a conference to raise funds for our projects and to promote public awareness of the vital importance of girls’ education for a more just and peaceful world.

Source: Change for Children

What kinds of projects do you fund? We support several major educational projects annually. These projects take many forms:

- school construction
- bursaries or scholarships
- female teacher training
- supplies, fees or equipment
- water and sanitation projects
- food, nutrition, health support
- daycares
- community support programs
- parent-teacher associations, mother clubs, micro-finance projects for mothers
- capacity building support
- leadership, mentoring and role model programs

In essence, we support sustainable projects that have the greatest positive impact in a community to ensure that girls have access to a quality basic education.

Where has the Foundation funded projects? We have funded projects in Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Who are your partners? We have partnered with the Stephen Lewis Foundation, We Charity (Free The Children), WUSC (World University Services Canada), UNICEF, ACCESO International, AMREF Canada, Save the Children, CAUSE Canada, War Child Canada, Handicap International, Right To Play, Change for Children, CODE and Crossroads International.

How do you choose your projects? The process for choosing our projects is very rigorous and is based on a number of criteria that reflect the mission and values of the Foundation. Those submitting projects for consideration must be:

- Canadian registered charitable organizations that support educational initiatives in developing countries;
- Organizations that have a good track record of viable and sustainable projects in the countries in which they work.

For more information, refer to PROJECT SELECTION.

How do you follow up on the projects you have funded? Organizations that receive funding from the Foundation must produce project updates so that we can follow and assess the progress of the project. Our president, Wanda Bedard, visits one or more of our projects every two years, at her expense. Other members of our executive committee visit some of our projects, at their expense, during their holidays or as part of a sabbatical.

How can we submit a project for funding? Canadian charitable foundations that wish to submit a project for funding may contact the Foundation at info@60millionsdefilles.org.

How can I make a donation? You can make a donation in two ways:

- A donation by cheque, made out to 60 million girls, is the most cost-effective way to support our projects, as this will avoid any credit card transaction fees. You may mail your cheque to:
  60 million girls
  5745 Place Turcot
  Montreal, QC H4C 1W1
  Please be sure to include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail in case we need to contact you. An income tax receipt will be issued for all donations of $25 or more.
- You can make an online donation by credit card by clicking on DONATE NOW on our website.

Can I make a donation in honour/memory of someone? Can a card be sent? You can request that your donation be made in honour or memory of someone and a card will be sent whether you pay by cheque or online. If you wish to pay by cheque, please indicate that you would like a card to be sent. For online donations, through WWW.CANADAHELPS.ORG, please indicate the same. In either case, the Foundation will ensure that your wishes are followed. Please be sure to provide the recipient’s name and full address.

How can I help? People of all ages from across Canada have helped us by organizing their own fundraisers and by volunteering their time and talents to the Foundation. Please contact us at info@60millionsdefilles.org to share your ideas with us!

What are some ways in which people have supported the Foundation?

- One young mother organizes a charity bike tour every two years in her hometown in Manitoba;
- An event planner from Alberta supported us by participating in a survival adventure on a remote island of the South Pacific;
- A school in Ottawa held yearlong fundraising events to support us;
- A twelve-year-old girl requested that her relatives make donations to the Foundation in lieu of gifts for her birthday.

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