Endowment for the Girls of the World

There was an oft quoted poem in my childhood of the 1950s: “What are little boys made of? Snips and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails. What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice.” According to Wikipedia, the poem dates back to 1820, to English poet (1774–1843). It still resonated in the 1950s. I hated this poem. “Nice” meant “be quiet and don’t complain”, and be “ladylike”, cute, happy”. Later I was told a good education meant smart conversations with a good husband. Nothing in this expectation was about discovering myself or how I might have my own value.

In that time, a not unheard of sentiment from a parent of a girl was “You were born a mistake”. That’s how I felt. My younger brother could do no wrong, while I could do no right. Thankfully, I slid into the first wave of Women’s Liberation and pursued more than one male-dominated profession. Within that, I still had to discover how I was specially gifted as a woman in this man’s world, not deficient in some way, but gifted differently. That process yet unfolds. As women, we are the bearers of life and nurturance and all we choose to pursue is influenced by this in one way or another. We need to honor that in ourselves, whether or not we become mothers.

This endowment is created for the girls (and a few boys), who are hereby given the opportunity to develop self-respect, empowerment and cooperation through the development of their unique talents and gifts as girls and women.

I support the trailblazers of today and of generations to come, as they will be the ones to bring creative balance and peace back to this world, not in subordination or competition with their men, but in balance and cooperation. No matter what circumstances girls and women find themselves in, their empowerment as women is key to the change that we need in the world at large. May this endowment help to bring about vitality and peace to the world through the good work of Mona Foundation.

Marnie Jones-Koenig, Industrial designer, Spiritual Guide, Healer, recording Artist, Wife, mother.