Socially Distanced for 5 Years Emotionally Connected for Life

Communication Technology puts HEART into Social Distancing

Yes, being 9,000 miles apart, means you are definitely socially distanced.  But, Audrey Colle, Microsoft Partner Group Engineering Manager, Azure Global, and 1,800 women, in the Global Give Back Circle, never considered distance to be a barrier to helping to change the destiny of an at-risk girl in East Africa.

Before work-from-home became business-as-usual, these mentors have been leveraging communication technology to connect with their mentees on the other side of the globe.

Audrey and Elizabeth come from very different backgrounds.  Audrey was born in France, attended university and landed a fulfilling career at Microsoft.  Elizabeth was born into extreme poverty, in a marginalized community in Western Kenya, where girls are lucky to make it through primary school before becoming child brides.

Five years ago, when Audrey learned that Elizabeth not only completed primary school, but overcame huge challenges to graduate high school, she knew she could work with a girl with the level of grit and drive she saw evidenced in Elizabeth.  The two were socially distanced by 9,000 miles, but managed to connect at a human level almost immediately.  As their relationship deepened, the impact of their connection became life-changing on both sides.  Audrey and Elizabeth are emotionally connected for life.  In their words……

 “When I started my mentoring journey with Liz, I had no idea it was going to impact me in such a positive way. Throughout these five years, Liz has humbled me with her dedication to college and family. Despite all the challenges that life threw at her, Liz always stayed committed to her education and never gave up. She just graduated university this year and I am so proud of her. Through our discussions, I started understanding life, and it helped me realize that things we take for granted in life (a working phone, good connections, a speedy laptop) are not the norm everywhere in the world, and that we need to build technology that works for everyone, not just for the latest generation of hardware.” – Audrey Colle

 “There was a time when I thought my life had no purpose. I even resorted to brewing alcohol, with my mum, because I could not see a bright future in my path. The day I learned I was admitted to the Global Give Back Circle was one of the happiest days of my life! I was to be given a chance to partake in the 6-month Digital Skills & Entrepreneurship Program and become matched with a mentor who would not only walk with me on my new journey, but also sponsor my college education. 

My education journey was not an easy one. I had to repeat my final year of high school three times just to graduate with passing grades. Although I had completed high school, without further education and workforce skills, my future would have been that of brewing alcohol in my rural village and never knowing my true potential in life. 

Thanks to my mentor Audrey, I am now a secondary school teacher who graduated university with 2nd Class Honors. Audrey never lets me give up and she always reminds me about how far I have come. I try to pass on her ‘never give up’ coaching to those in my village who feel there is no hope. I share my story of hope and survival and focus on the power of resiliency. 

My passion is to help motivated students, who have been raised in poverty, reach their goals and dreams, too. Audrey has shown me how to feed this passion. Whenever I think of how helpful she has been, I cannot control my joy and pride. She has been like a mother, a sister and a true friend. She will always be my source of inspiration.” – Elizabeth Chesang

Mentoring brings out the best in girls. The Global Give Back Circle has set up a platform for long-distance mentoring, which supports the education, mentoring, and economic empowerment of at-risk girls in East Africa. You can make a huge difference in a girl’s life without ever leaving your computer. Consider joining our ‘Mentor Circle’ and giving back as a mentor.

CAT’s Eyes: Seeing the world through unbiased glasses

What can a Technical Architect at Microsoft learn from a Girl born to be a Child Bride?

This pandemic has opened our eyes to see people who were once invisible, enabling us to rediscover the unbiased lenses we were born with.  CAT Susch, a Technical Architect at Microsoft, learned how to see the world through unbiased glasses the day she started mentoring a girl in Kenya who was born to be a child bride.

Read more about CAT’s eyes and how the bond with her mentee Beatrice helped her become more inclusive and innovative in the way she designs solutions for customers.

Why is everyone smiling as Beatrice walks through her village, at the crack of dawn each day?  Because, most remember her as one of the little girls who religiously walked along their dirt roads for the daily collection of water and firewood, because that’s what girls do in certain rural communities in Kenya where girls are raised to become child brides.

But, today, it is clear that Beatrice took a different path, one which took courage and hard work.  Today, she walks with the confidence of a school teacher – a pillar in her community, a role model for other girls, and proof that educating Beatrice is producing the kind of ripple effect we hear about in news and documentaries that highlight why we should educate girls.

Why is CAT smiling as she sits at her computer in Microsoft’s New York Technology Center, reading an interesting response from a young women she has been mentoring for the past four years?   Because the response is coming from Beatrice and CAT knows that responses from Beatrice always make her think about things differently, more deeply and with greater empathy.

CAT and Beatrice have never met, but communication technology has connected them in life-changing ways.  Through Microsoft’s strong ‘Give’ culture CAT has been supported to mentor Beatrice and enable her to graduate college.  Yes, college, something unprecedented in Beatrice’s rural village!

CAT’s thoughtful mentoring approach has transcended any / all cultural barriers and lifted Beatrice into a world of economic empowerment and limitless thinking about life’s opportunities.  Beatrice’s courage and resiliency have had an impact on the way CAT now thinks about things, and their relationship has provided CAT with a new lens on the world, one which helps her see things that went unnoticed before.   Together they are better.  Together, their worlds are better.

Beatrice and CAT articulate what ‘better’ feels like:

“My life would have been completely different if not for my mentor CAT.  Not only did CAT sponsor my education, she also helped me discover my passion for teaching.  She helped me focus, prioritize and sharpen my problem-solving skills while in college, because I had to work twice as hard as others to attain passing grades.”

“My mentor held my hand through the most difficult part of my transitioning from a low self-esteem adolescent girl to an empowered young woman.  Today, the sky is my limit.  CAT has motivated me to be the best I can be.” 

– Beatrice Teacher, St. Michael Academy

“It’s been an amazing experience for me to follow the journey of this young woman, who has studied hard and is now beginning her career as a teacher.  Although she is from a country I have never visited, Beatrice has touched my spirit of helping others as I observed how she was bettering herself for the sake of educating children in Kenya.”

“Through the course of my mentoring, I have been learning to ask questions – asking them to understand Beatrice’s challenges, experiences, goals and dreams. Through this exercise of empathy, I have grown better at not being quick to judge or quick to solution, with my decisions and designs for our customers.  Getting to know and understand other’s challenges and goals, helps us be inclusive and innovative in designing solutions.”

“Being a mentor to a girl like Beatrice makes you value yourself and your life.  Not only because you realize that you can actually help her, but because she helps you realize just how much you have to give.”

– CAT Susch Technical Architect, New York Microsoft Technology Center

Mentoring brings out the best in girls. The Global Give Back Circle has set up a platform for long-distance mentoring, which supports the education, mentoring, and economic empowerment of at-risk girls in East Africa. You can make a huge difference in a girl’s life without ever leaving your computer. Consider joining our ‘Mentor Circle’ and giving back as a mentor.

Your ‘Mentor Circle’ is over 1,200 Women Strong!

October was a special month for your ‘Mentor Circle’ as mentors from the USA traveled to Kenya to meet their mentees, meet your mentee and implemented on…

From At-Risk Girl to a Woman with Purpose!

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, We CELEBRATE You! Thank you for being a role model for the next generation of mentors. Your impact on some of…

International Women’s Day Feature

Because Purpose is our only real Capital in Life

Woman of Purpose Feature: Margo Day, Retired Microsoft VP, US Education

Because Margo Day is a woman of purpose, she is also a billionaire due to the capital she has mobilized over the years.

Eight years ago, Global Give Back Circle and a group of inspired women at Microsoft became involved in mentoring and educating at-risk girls in West Pokot, Kenya because of Margo’s personal connection to West Pokot and her passion and vision for a world where harmful cultural practices, which marginalize women and girls, no longer exists, and all girls are encouraged to dream big and find fulfillment and happiness in life.

Our ‘West Pokot Story’ continues to evolve, and to date, 512 girls from West Pokot have completed ‘HER Lab’, a 6-month Economic Empowerment Incubator, providing Digital Skills, Entrepreneurship Acumen and Workforce-Readiness Preparation. 333 girls have continued onto college, of which 151 have graduated and are entering the workforce. This is unprecedented in West Pokot, Kenya, and was made possible through Margo’s unstoppable drive for gender equity.

This International Women’s Day, we are paying tribute to our fellow mentor and change-maker, Margo Day. Margo’s mission to help the plight of girls in West Pokot was triggered when she met Lilian ten years ago. Margo shared with us how mentoring Lilian has impacted her life. Lilian shared some thoughts too. We selected the photo below because of its interesting backstory. Lilian was married in 2019 and Margo traveled to Lilian’s village to attend her wedding. The photo illuminates the love that connects the two of them. When Margo inquired about what kind of gift would be appropriate, she was told that gifting the couple with a cow would be the best gift of all. So, when Margo reached Kenya, she purchased a cow and she and the cow participated in the marriage procession walk through Lilian’s village.

No alt text provided for this image

“When I started mentoring, my mindset was to help guide Lilian, and instill confidence in this young woman as she took steps to chart a new path for her life and blaze a trail for others. And while I’ve played that role, what I’ve learned is Lilian has an indomitable spirit and is excited about this uncharted adventure. She tries new experiences, meets people not of her tribe and values what she learns from them, and isn’t fearful to fail. She’s grounded with a deep faith in God, and her faith provides her with an assurance that God will make a way. So, I think I’ve learned much more from her about approaching life with an open mindset, than she from me!” – Margo Day

No alt text provided for this image

“Last year, something happened that I never thought possible. After over a decade of being forced into an early marriage, I married the man that I love and we have started a family together. My mentor, Margo, traveled to West Pokot, Kenya to participate in the wedding and presented us with a special wedding gift, a healthy cow. Margo has been a part of my life ever since 2009 when she visited Kenya and learned about us girls who were subjected to harmful cultural practices, but had the courage to stand up for our rights, escape our circumstances and seek protection and the right to an education by making our way to the Morpus Rescue Center, a safe house for at-risk girls. Thanks to my mentor’s guidance and support, I was able to acquire invaluable digital skills, attend college and even open a business and employ others. Today, I am capable of taking care of my needs and taking care of my family. As a woman with a bright future, I believe I need to continuously give back to my community by ensuring everyone is aware that girls require equal rights to education, and that circumcision for girls is harmful. My mentor has been my best friend. She is a voice of reason and a source of motivation for me. I hope to one day reach her level and help as many people as she has.” –Lilian

No alt text provided for this image

Mentoring brings out the best in girls. The Global Give Back Circle has set up a platform for long-distance mentoring, which supports the education, mentoring, and economic empowerment of at-risk girls in Africa and India. You can make a huge difference in a girl’s life without ever leaving your computer. Consider joining our ‘Mentor Circle’ and giving back as a mentor. Visit https://www.globalgivebackcircle.org/get-involved/ today to find out how.

 

Over 400 Microsoft Women discover their Innovation Essence while Mentoring Girls in the Global Give Back Circle

Robyn McKoy, Senior Technical Account Manager at Microsoft  

Robyn started mentoring Esther five years ago, just as Esther was reaching a critical point in her life – graduating high school and not having the skills to break out of the circle of poverty and find employment.  In addition to mentoring, Robyn sponsored Esther’s college education while also sponsoring her to attend a special 6-month program (HER Lab) where she learned priceless digital skills. Microsoft’s employee GIVE Program and Robyn’s compassion and ‘never-give-up ethos’ made this educational journey possible. Today, Esther is a Clinical Officer at AmpathPlus, a USAID / PEPFAR HIV/AIDS partner in Kenya.  And, she ‘just’ received a promotion to ‘Gender Violence Lead’ for West Pokot County, the county she comes from.

“Esther’s empathy has impacted my own. She gives of herself to help others who are in the situation that she was once in, before gaining an education. She is able to see herself in them and therefore she sees their potential. It has expanded my empathy just seeing her extend the same to others. It inspires me to extend that empathy in my personal life and in my work life. Having empathy with my co-workers and customers allows for more collaborative relationships. Having empathy in my community also allows for connections with new people, which allows me to learn about new and different perspectives.” – Robyn McKoy

“My greatest challenges in life were wondering how I was going to complete my education and wondering how I would forgive a father who abandoned us. My mentor, Robyn, helped me overcome both of these challenges through her wisdom, guidance, encouragement and college sponsorship. I am from a polygamous family. My mother had five children. I am the first in my family to graduate high school, so when I graduated college, my educational journey became even more remarkable, because I was a girl destined to partake in a forced early marriage, a fate from which I was fortunately rescued. Today, I am a Clinical Officer at AmpathPlus, one of USAID/PEPFAR’s HIV/AIDS partners in Kenya. This is my dream come true, and I want to be a role model in my community for girls to dream big and never give up. The digital skills that I acquired at HER Lab have equalized me with others. Being able to operate a computer and knowing how to leverage the Microsoft applications gave me an edge while in college and now in my professional life. My goal is to bring a clinic to my village someday–a safe place where everyone can get medical services, including girls who face the kinds of challenges I once faced. Robyn has played such a critical role in my life, by guiding me and boosting my self-esteem throughout. I will always remain grateful to her.” – Esther Cheboss, Clinical Officer, AmpathPlus Kenya