Hello friends,
I hope you all are doing amazing! I’m so thrilled to meet you in your inbox today because we have such good news to share! I can’t wait to show you the very real and direct global impact behind your purchases last year. As many of you may know, 700 Rivers’ candles are hand-poured in Raleigh and each purchase supports funding scholarships for girls in Bangladesh to continue their education without the risk of financial barriers.
Based on the candles you purchased last year, we were able to finance a full year of school and care for Khushi. Khushi is 5 years old and dreams of becoming a teacher. She lives in Habiganj in the Sylhet district of Bangladesh with her parents and younger sister. Your purchases have been able to fund one full year's worth of school tuition, all her school supplies, nutritious food, and regular healthcare. Fun fact – Khushi translates to “happy” in English! This is fitting because we are so incredibly happy to support this scholarship for her!
Receiving an education is one of the most impactful opportunities to help a family break out of the cycle of poverty. This is incredibly important and personal to me because I feel like I am a living example of this. My parents came to America with nothing but a dream for a better life for their daughters. Through every hurdle my family has overcome, my parents always reminded us that education was our top priority and that our education would help set us free. At one point, my father worked three jobs at once to support the education of his three daughters. Because of my parents' hard work and sacrifice, I was able to be among the first women in my family to get my college degree. It is an incredible full-circle moment that all our work together is now able to help another young Bangladeshi girl have the potential to dream bigger than she could have before directly because of the opportunity to receive her education.
Friends, you made this happen. You could have purchased candles anywhere, but you chose products with purpose. Thank you for putting your dollars towards a greater global impact. Thank you for changing lives. I am excited to dream bigger with you this year and continue working with you to positively impact lives all over the world.
With gratitude,
Cathy