On Feb. 1, Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority member Caroline Roth '08 sent an e-mail to her fellow sorority members, begging them to help her save a girl's life. Roth is spending her off term in Tanzania volunteering for Kilimanjaro Women Development Association.
That's when she met 17-year-old Clementina, whose father recently died of AIDS. Upon befriending her, Roth learned that Clementina "is in a very desperate situation," as she said in her message.
In her e-mail, Roth recounted Clementina's plight. After her father's death, Clementina's uncle beat her mother nearly to death, placing her in the hospital, where she has remained for three months and may never leave. Clementina and her three younger siblings were sent to live with their aunt, who, Roth wrote, "is a notoriously bad woman."
"She believes in genital mutilation," Roth continued, "and wants to force Clementina to have a female circumcision, after which [she] plans to force Clementina into prostitution in order that she earn money for the family."
Roth added that the situation is particularly dire given the area's high rate of sexually transmitted disease infection.
"If she becomes a prostitute in this area of Tanzania, she will undoubtedly contract HIV/AIDS," Roth said. In an effort to prevent such a fate, Roth -- with the help of KIWODEA head Mama Tesha -- convinced Clementina's aunt to let them enroll the girl at Msinga. Msinga is a co-educational "Folk Developmental" college for youth that aims to help teens become self-sustainable individuals. Tanzania currently boasts 58 Folk Developmental colleges, outreach schools that teach students practical skills like agriculture, masonry and cooking.
"Her aunt was happy to have her out of the house because she would be one less mouth to feed," Roth said about Clementina in an interview. "She was pleased to have her in school because [with an education, Clementina] has the hope of making more money than as a prostitute."
The only catch to this plan is that in order to keep Clementina in school, Roth must pay the headmaster $1,800 within two months. The deadline is March 1.
In her message, which begins, "Dear friends at Dartmouth, can you help?" Roth asks her classmates to help raise the money to save Clementina's life.
"At this school she could have a good life," Roth said. "The school would house her, feed her and educate her for two years for this price. Once she graduates from this school she will be able to get a job and then provide for and take care of her three younger siblings."
Kappa member Sandra Beutler '07 immediately responded to the challenge by founding the Clementina Rescue Committee. With the help of Susie Fox '07, she has recruited more than 20 women to help host a potluck fund raiser at Kappa for $5 a person this Sunday.
Later, the group plans to host a fundraising show, a $5 per person potluck in Collis Common Ground with the Rockappellas and others. Prizes will be awarded for donations of $15 to $20, with top donation prizes including jewelry. The date has not yet been set.
"Anyone can blitz me to get involved," Beutler said. "We need the help. I know people tire of hearing about these causes, but here's a chance to see exactly where our money is going. Five dollars keeps someone on food and healthy for five days where Clementina is. If we raise extra money, we can use it to save her two younger sisters and to help the school."
Beutler also defended the cause and assured possible donors that it is legitimate.
"We know that this is not a scam, because we are donating this money through legitimate accounts and with receipts," she said. "I just really believe that this is something each of us can do. It's so personal, so wonderful, but it's also so doable."
