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This feature is unlike any of the other features that you have seen on All Tressed Up.  There will be no favorite products or 'who does your hair' questions for this one.  I was actually assisting this woman with some computer tasks and decided to check-up on an endeavor in which she is involved.  You see, this woman is a Queen in her own right.

Joanita, founder of Circle of Peace School in Makindye, Uganda, is a woman who truly cares about the future of the children in her homeland.  I remember the day I first learned about what Joanita did outside of the nine-to-five and this story touched my heart deeply.  On this particular day, I decided to inquire about the progress of the school expecting to hear wonderful praise reports about the students.  To the contrary, the report was a tad different:

"After 15 years of empowering students through education, the lower school land lease has expired. We see this as an opportunity to replace that obsolete facility with a new and better location to serve the growing needs of our students. The school is a community-driven organization and has relied on volunteer teaching and the proceeds from a chicken farm and crops grown on family land. The teachers and the students have accomplished much with these meager resources. However, construction of a new school facility will require much greater resources and can make a huge difference in the lives of these students.

The Circle of Peace School is in desperate need of donations to be able to make the last of three payments on the land to be used for the relocated school -  $5, $10 or $100, whatever you can afford would be great. The last payment of $18,000 is due by September 1^st 2010.  Please stand with us to support this cause. Help make a difference in a child’s life by giving the gift of education."

Several fund-raising exhibits are scheduled in an effort to generate funds for the new and improved facility:

Fundraising Exhibits
Friday, Aug. 27
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
S. Laurel Street
(804) 648-7980

Sept. 1 through Sept. 30
Artworks
320 Hull Street
(804) 291-1400

The children were asked what they would do if they received $50 USD.  The images drawn represent the answers to this inquiry.  These pieces will be sold at the exhibits.  You would be amazed at the drawing ability of these children!

For more details about Joanita, check out the recent article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch or join her on Facebook.  Please pass this on to anyone you know.  We are hoping that the right person reads this and make a huge difference for the sake of these children.  Feel free to repost, tweet - pass this article on in hopes that it reaches the right person and/or people.

All Tressed Up (Had to do it)

Call it what you want, but I could not resist asking this woman about her hair folks!  This is All Tressed Up and I cannot help myself sometimes.  She is sporting a Wave Nouveau.  Upon seeing this I was struck with curiosity.  You see, I can remember a client (of African descent) who got kinky twists because she wanted here hair to grow for the sake of getting a Wave Nouveau.  I asked Joanita about this and asked what the Wave Nouveu means to women of African descent.

One would assume that the women of Mother Africa would be adorned in intricate braids and natural styles, right? Apparently in eastern and western Africa; those countries with a primarily black population, this style is extremely popular.  It represents wealth, high status and of course beauty.  I found this to be extremely interesting.   She began to explain how women who recently break up with their men would get a Wave Nouveau and send pictures to the ex as a way of saying 'look at me now'.  I love culture!

So the next time you see a native African sporting the 'curl', know it is equivalent to wealth, high status and beauty.  Stay tuned because Joanita just might be going natural...

Image Credits: Circle of Peace School