2019
It was an awesome year for the Tali Fund and the Talia Agler Girls Shelter. There was more support from individuals and groups, which meant more funds for schooling, psycho-social counseling, vocational training, and facilities improvements. Some highlights are below.
Thank you one and all!
December 2, 2019
Here is a new video, direct from the Talia Agler Girls Shelter. In less than two-minutes, it tells the story of Blidge, a young woman who was reached and rescued, and is now in the process of being reintegrated into society through her own hard work—and that of TAGS. Thank you to one and all for supporting this life-saving work on Giving Tuesday!
Speaking of Giving Tuesday, on December 3, the One World Children’s Fund will be matching all contributions to CDTD-TAGS, up to $1000 through this link. Of course, you can always give directly to the Tali Fund right here as well.
Finally, did you know that you can follow TAGS on Twitter? @TAGS254 is where it happens!
As always, our deepest thanks to one and all.
May 23, 2019
The BBC profiles the work of the Talia Agler Girls Shelter—and More!
I know I've just written but this is big news. The work of the Talia Agler Girls Shelter, the Centre for Domestic Training and Development, and their founder and CEO Edith Murogo have just been featured in a documentary produced by the BBC in Africa. Here is the link.
The thirty-minute program, which aired for the first time this week, traces the stories of a few young women who, in their quest to escape poverty, become domestic workers. A number of the scenes were filmed at TAGS (the Protection Arm) and the CDTD, (the Training Arm) in Nairobi.
TAGS is referred to as "The Shelter" throughout the documentary. (Its full name is not used in order to guard the privacy of the girls who remain sought by abusive families and/or traffickers.) You can see Tali's picture in the sitting room at the Shelter, beginning after minute 16:25 and again after minute 17:10. If you have sharp eyes, you can also see her name near the top of the decorated water tank at 15:15.
The program profiles only a few of the much larger number of young women and girls whose lives have been saved, rescued, and given the chance for a better life through Edith's heroic efforts. We remain proud and honored to support this work through the Tali Fund and we trust that you do, too.
Once again, we—and more importantly the girls—thank you for journeying with us.
Edith Murogo in her Office (Tali's pic to the upper left). Centre for Domestic Training and Development, Nairobi, Kenya–April 2019
Thank you for considering making a contribution here. Even better, you can set up a monthly donation here!
———
May 9, 2019
Passover in Nairobi—part I
It was an extraordinary trip. First of all, the Shelter has been making incredible progress. Since its start-up in 2012, Edith Murogo, TAGS' founder and CEO, has been strengthening the program, upgrading the facilities, and broadening the base of support. The trajectories are as high as they have ever been. It was just great to see this.
Inasmuch as part of TAGS' mission is to rescue young women and girls who have been refugees, trafficked or otherwise abused, it occurred to me that conducting a model seder during Passover, given the holiday's theme of deliverance from slavery, would be more than fitting. Most of us can only imagine what escaping from bondage might be like. These girls have lived through it, literally. So we planned a celebration!
We were assisted, generously and graciously, by the local Jewish community in Nairobi. Participants included members of the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation (special thanks to Karen, Noga, and Ayelet!) and the award winning, Israeli-Kenyan singer Gilad Millo.
It turned out to be unlike any seder I have ever attended—and I daresay, unlike any you have ever attended, either. These pictures will only give a taste and we promise to post some phenomenal video soon. [Sept. 2019: Video now available for friends of the Tali Fund. Contact rich@talifund.org for PW.] But for now, let's walk through it.
Of course we performed traditional rituals and sampled traditional foods.
Candles, wine, matzah—ready to go.
The power of the simple hand washing ritual, which everyone got to experience personally, was extraordinary. It is meant to remind us that there is a higher, more spiritual level of cleanliness than simply being "dirt-free." For the Shelter's residents, it was a vital affirmation of their value as human beings—a message that has frequently been at variance with their life-experiences.
Bitter herbs, Kenyan-style. We bought some of these at a local supermarket. Looks like a sea cucumber. Tastes more like romaine lettuce than horseradish. (For which many were grateful. ;-)
My parents bought this Afikomen holder from an Ethiopian vendor in Israel a few decades ago. On one side, it portrays a Jewish village in Africa. On this side, a representation of the planes that airlifted the community to Israel in the 1980's and 1990's. The teaching that this was, and remains, the only time in recorded history that whites have transported a population of blacks out of Africa, not to be enslaved, but to be free, was, as you might imagine, impactful for this audience.
———
Next, in our own way, we tried to reenact the famous Passover teaching that each of us is commanded to see ourselves as if we personally came out of Egypt. So everyone had to "break through" from slavery to freedom, crash past the "guards," and out of the doorway.
Having "escaped," everyone joined in an African song of celebration. The plan was to follow it with a Jewish-style hora. But we never got there. Reminiscent of Miriam at the shore of the sea (Exodus 15:20), one group after another broke into song and dance—and there was no stopping it.
These women are from a nearby nation and were intercepted by the Kenyan government while traffickers were in the process of sending them to Saudi Arabia last month. They would have been powerless there, with their travel documents confiscated by the traffickers. We can only imagine what their fate would have been. They are now awaiting repatriation and at the request of the government, TAGS is serving as their temporary safe house. In light of all this, their spirit was even more amazing.
Once again, it was a Passover celebration to remember. We are in the process of clearing additional photos and video for distribution. For the safety of the girls, many of their faces cannot be shown. Thank you for understanding—but more is on the way!
———
One of TAGS' signature accomplishments is that most of the girls are now qualified to receive formal schooling off-campus. This is, of course, life-changing. As a result, school fees have become a pressing need. Public education in Kenya is often of poor quality, with as many as 50-60 students in a single classroom. For the chance of a decent education, and the opportunity for the decent life it affords, the private route is the way to go.
Fortunately, private school in Kenya is relatively affordable, especially by Western standards. The cost for one term of secondary school: tuition, room, board, everything, is approximately $230 USD per term. (There are three terms in the school year.) Local primary school costs about $100 USD per term. When the needs of the nearly fifty girls in residence are taken into account, it is a significant sum.
We are grateful that the Tali Fund is not alone in providing for the educational and other needs of the girls at the Shelter. Institutional donors currently supporting TAGS and its parent organization, the Centre for Domestic Training and Development, are the Novo Foundation (Warren Buffett's--currently $50k/year for 3 years), the Global Fund for Women ($25k/yr for 2 years), The One World Children's Foundation ($25k this year), and Chemonics, Inc. (where Tali worked, $5k this year).
Local supporters include the Lotus Seva Healing Group ($10k in school fees during the past year) and the Rotary Club of Nairobi—Muthaiga-North district. (Rotoract, the youth arm of this Rotary Club, has already raised funds for a new water tank at TAGS. It is going to be installed this week.) All of this is a tribute to Edith and her staff and the track record they have established.
———
Needless to say, ANY contribution makes a meaningful difference. We invite you to click here to donate online. It is our collective blessing to be able to help fulfill the Tali Fund's mission of
Saving the World, One Life at a Time
Thank you again for journeying with us. We’ll be back soon with "Part II."
All photos in this post by Noga Lewenstein of the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation. Thank you!
march 13, 2019
The centrality of education in Kenya
This NYT article, which describes the horrific aftermath of the Ethiopian Airlines 737-Max 8 crash, highlights, among other things, the importance of education for those who are striving to break out of poverty, and worse, in Kenya. It reinforces, for us, the importance of the work we are doing with the Talia Agler Girls Shelter, where 46 of the current 53 students are now studying at boarding schools.
March 7, 2019
Tags and cdtd in kenya’s leading Newspaper
The Talia Agler Girls Shelter, its parent organization the Centre for Domestic Training and Development, and their founder, Edith Murogo, were prominently featured in Kenya’s leading newspaper, the Daily Nation, in advance of International Women’s Day, March 8. You can read the story here.
We remain honored to do this work and, along with the girls, are more than grateful for your continuing support.
february 2019
Conscious Threads, LLC travels to TAGS
We're excited to share with you the attached report from the Talia Agler Girls Shelter detailing the program conducted there in December by Carmen Webber of New York. Carmen is the Founder of Conscious Threads, LLC and she came to TAGS through our cousins, Alan and Ilise Harris of Dobbs Ferry, NY. Carmen volunteered to travel to Kenya and led three weeks of sessions on Women's Empowerment for the girls at the Shelter.
It was an extraordinary experience for one and all. Considering their histories of trauma, abuse, trafficking, and the like, the individual care and tutoring they received from an engaged and committed professional was priceless.
When you look at the report, ask yourself if you might know anyone out there, with skills and time, who might be willing to offer something similar. If so, by all means, let us know!
Even if you don't, there are other ways to support this extraordinary program. Most of the girls at TAGS are now eligible to attend boarding school. Unlike in the West, boarding school in Kenya is a mainstream, and relatively affordable, path to education. Tuition for a three-month term (and there are three terms each year) averages about $100 USD per student. Just think, for $100, you can pay for a student's education for a full trimester! As we have been saying all along, well-stewarded US dollars can go very far in Africa. Any gift you make will have an outsized impact. Thank you so much for your consideration and support. You can click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Tali Fund. Thank you!
january 10, 2019
Chemonics International COntributes to the Tali Fund
From Susanna Mudge—President and CEO
Talia and her commitment to the CDTD and international development were so admired and appreciated. I remember Talia and the tragic incident as if it was yesterday, as I imagine you do as well, but was encouraged to read of the progress that is being made to support the Centre and Talia’s Fund.
We would like to make a one-time corporate donation in the amount of $5,000 to both honor Talia’s legacy and support the critically important work of CDTD. Their work, and Talia’s memory, are critical to helping make the world a better place for all, something that is important in today’s world. Thank you for all you are doing, and I look forward to hearing about the progress of the shelter, the Centre and the Fund in the future.
Please let me know if there are any special instructions regarding the donation, otherwise we will send it to Talia’s Fund.
I hope 2019 is a good year for you and your family. All my best, Susi.
Chemonics International, 1717 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20006