Press Release

For Immediate Release 7/25/07

Contact: Rose McDowell

Email: hrmcd@kingwoodcable.com

Phone: 281 359-2499

UCG Women in Houston area join with LifeNets to start
Girls Scholarship Program in Kenya

Concerned with the lack of educational and training opportunities for young girls attending scattered United Church of God (UCG) congregations in Kenya, women attending UCG/Houston area have started a scholarship fund with LifeNets Developing Nations Scholarship Program to address the problem.

Young girls attending UCG in Kenya are poor or even worse, live in poverty. The Kenyan government pays for Primary School, which are the first eight grades. After that, the family must pay for Secondary School, which means that there are young girls attending UCG who get no further education after Primary School.

Additionally, special training for skill development and small business project funding for older girls and women will be considered on a project-by-project basis.

The six-member team spearheading this program in the Houston area includes Judy Servidio, Rose McDowell and Martha Sappington from UCG Houston North, Helen Casey and Jan Williams of UCG Huntsville; and Susan Scott Smith of UCG Houston South.

John Owak, UCG Kenyan deacon, is working with the project as facilitator in Kenya. He reports that the Kenyan culture dictates that if a family has funds for education, boys must be educated first. Yet education remains the key to liberation from poverty for women.

All donations (which are tax-deductible) should be sent directly to LifeNets Kenya Girls Project. The funds will be administered through LifeNets’ Developing Nations Scholarship Program.  Donations can be sent to

    LifeNets Kenya Girls Project
    3707 Turfway Ct.

    Indianapolis, IN 46228

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