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Purpose

Giving Back is the Only Way Forward

In recognition of International Day of the Girl, this October we speak with three girls who have been directly supported by the work of our not-for-profit organization, The Armadillo Foundation. The Armadillo Foundation aims to inspire and empower underprivileged communities, providing self-supporting tools and infrastructure so that children can have the best start in life. We are proud of the Foundation’s mission to enhance and improve the lives of girls, allowing them an opportunity for further education.

image supplied by girls inc.

Girls Inc.
The Armadillo Foundation supports both the Los Angeles and New York chapters of Girls Inc. Girls Inc. is a national non-profit founded in 1864 with the goal to inspire girls to grow up strong, smart, and bold.

Serving girls between the ages of 5-18+, the evidence-based program is delivered by trained professionals who focus on the development of the whole girl. This October, we sat down with Kiara Walters to discuss what being part of Girls Inc. program has meant to her.

Name
Kiara Walters

Age
18

Location 
Bronx, New York, United States

Time in the Girls Inc Program
3 years with the Girls Inc. of New York City

What impact has the Girls Inc program had on your life? 
Being able to fully recognise my educational potential. I’m currently a freshman attending Howard University, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Dance.

What is your dream job? 
To become a dance therapist for the youth. I plan to create a program that will empower, encourage, and uplift young individuals by combining mental wellness and creative arts to help express and utilize a creative platform. This is my vision of giving back to my community.

What is your proudest achievement? 
Being accepted into my dream school Howard University. I am proud to be part of one of the historically Black universities in the United States. My hard work and dedication to my education is what helped me get to University.

@girlsincnyc
@chocolate_kikii

Kantil Vidya Mandir (KVM) School
Armadillo is a longstanding sponsor of the KVM School, a co-ed institution that educates many of our artisan’s children. Each year, four students are awarded a scholarship to further their education, providing total funding for each child to attend a local English-medium school, covering school fees, bicycles for transportation and all the essential textbooks and uniforms. We had the opportunity to spotlight one of our wonderful scholarship students, Kajal Bind, on the impact school has had on their life.

Name
Kajal Bind

Age
13

Time at KVM School
2014-2019

How has the KVM School affected your life? 
School education has helped me to learn all the basics that I need to achieve my future goals.

What is your dream job? 
To become a Bank Officer.

What is your proudest achievement? 
My proudest achievement was when I was one of four students selected for the Armadillo Foundation Scholarship program. This program has given me educational opportunities and all the essentials to attend school.

Image supplied by AFLW Gold Coast Suns

Stars Foundation
In late 2021, The Armadillo Foundation expanded their remit to partner with the Stars Foundation in Australia. The Stars Foundation was established in 2015 to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls nationwide, attend school, complete year 12 and transition to tertiary study or the workforce.

Name
Ashanti Bush, Stars Graduate

Time in Stars
2018 – 2020 at Casuarina Senior College, Darwin

What impact did Stars Foundation have on your life?
Stars helped me a lot during my schooling and out of schooling. The program helped me get through a lot of things; they have been a big part of my life. They were always there for me and the support they gave me was unbelievable. I would like to thank Stars for everything they have done for me. They helped me get to where I am today.

What are you doing now that you’ve graduated?
I am playing for the Gold Coast Suns in the AFLW.

Were you always interested in playing AFL?
I was interested, but I didn’t think I would be here right now at this level! My journey to AFLW was through doing some NT Thunder Academy camps and the NAB League Academy. After all that, I got named in the draft to start getting ready for the AFLW. Being part of the Gold Coast Suns Academy has helped me get through to where I am now as a player.

Who inspires you?
The people who inspire me most are my grandfather, my older sister, and my teammates. My Stars mentors have also inspired and helped me with everything during my schooling and are still inspiring and supporting me to this day.