Female Empowerment (FEM) club officers sold baked goods and root beer floats after school this week to fundraise for She’s the First, a non profit organization that aids girls’ education in developing countries.

She’s the First donates equipment and desks to schools or sponsors specific girls in their education in developing countries such as East Asia and Africa. Up to this year, the organization has sponsored more than 300 girls across 10 countries and has more than 80 chapters across the United States.

“[The people there] teach girls how to read and write, how to use technology, and other basic education. It’s basically to empower them to be able to enter the workforce and out of the cycle of poverty,” co-President Archana Podury (11) said. “It’s kind of like education and microfinance at the same time.”

The club sold chocolate-covered strawberries, cupcakes, homemade chocolate-chip cookies with Oreos, and root-beer floats. During long lunch on Wednesday, the club screened “Half the Sky,” a documentary about the abuses of women in six different countries, in Rachel Freed’s, the FEM club’s advisor, room.

Overall, the club’s goal is to raise awareness about women’s issues to the student body. Specifically, the club hopes to use the money it gained from the bake sales to invest in one girl and see that she receives at least a year of education. The club members emphasized the limited opportunities girls have in education and jobs in many parts of the world.

“There are a lot of girls around the world that don’t have the same opportunities that we do here in the Bay Area, so we’re working to make sure they have an equal opportunity in life,” club member Alex Thomas (11) said.

Students who visited the bake sales also fully supported the club’s cause.

“There are a lot of children, girls and women, in developing countries, who aren’t getting the education they need to grow up and be successful because of the gender differences,” Arthur Shau (12) said.

Other students, such as Marina Newman (9) agreed with this statement.

“I think it’s really great that there are clubs at Harker that are making so many charitable fundraisers like this,” Marina said, “[She’s the First] sounds like a really great charity.”

Overall, the club considers the fundraiser to be a success, though it feels that next year more interactive activities could be included to help bring more light to women’s issues.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Cindy Liu

Freshmen Aashish Jain and William Park choose baked goods to buy at the FEM bake sale on Friday. Members sold cookies, ice cream, soda, and lemonade after school, and students had the option of either paying in cash or charging to their student accounts.