Geography: Ghana
Founded: 2007
Address:1330 Prytania Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
About BaBa Blankets™
E. Aminata Brown founded BaBa Blankets in an effort to empower economically disadvantaged women in Ghana in 2006. The mission is to create inspiring cultural works that provide sustainable income and well-deserved development opportunities for African women & girls.
In 2007, BaBa Blankets™ began the Stay-In-School Tuition Assistance (SISTA) Program to help girls from Ghana's rural northern areas complete their secondary school education (high school). They found that an overwhelming number of these girls can't afford to attend beyond the junior secondary school level (middle school). Today, there are tens of thousands of these northern girls in Ghana's urban centers, searching for menial jobs such as load carrying. Without the opportunities that a formal education offers, the cycle of poverty is destined to continue for them and their families.
About SISTAWorks
In April 2011, BaBa Blankets™ established SISTAWorks, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. SISTAWorks' mission is to invest in women's entrepreneurship and girls' education to transform marginalized communities. As long as any women or girls remain on the margins, SISTAWorks believe that they are missing vital components of society. Educated girls will birth healthier communities. To this end, SISTAWorks is committed to furthering the SISTA Scholar program. Entrepreneurial exchange, cross-cultural connectedness and educational advancement are the cornerstones on which they base their work.
SISTAWorks select their SISTA Scholars based on the courageous academic drive and personal vision that inspires them to excel beyond their current circumstances. SISTAWorks believes that this educational support will help empower these amazing young women to manifest even more of their own greatness, as well as that within their own communities. Currently, there are 50 students in the SISTA Scholar program. Each of the scholars receive full tuition, supplies and dorm essentials required for Ghana's public boarding schools. Depending on their grade, school fees and supplies range from $215-$395 per year for each girl. SISTAWorks' goal is to increase our sponsorship to 100 students by 2013.