Miriam, a middle-school aged girl from Upper Egypt, is finally going to school.  She lives in a remote village south of Cairo.  She lives five hours away from the capital, but not the easiest five hours.  Taking the train is one way to reach her part of the country, but it’s not an easy journey.  Once the train gets to the nearest town, you still have to get across the Nile River by ferry.  You are lucky if you make it before dark and the ferry is still running for the day.   Needless to say, getting to school for Miriam wasn’t simple either. Unlike her three older brothers, Miriam was not able to go to elementary school.  She was needed at home to help her mother with the farm chores.  But that doesn’t mean that Miriam didn’t want to learn:  to read, to write, to know more about what’s happening in the world outside her small, overcrowded village.    Through the efforts of a local community-based organization, she was finally able to learn how to read and write and learn some basic math skills.  It took combined efforts to bring this about: The literacy coordinator and local teaching staff’s great efforts Leaders who had real-time access to Miriam’s story and could help the organization’s supporters understand more about Miriam’s life and situation. PlanWin contained the structure it took for the international NGO working with the coordinator to develop an effective plan to empower the local community through better education. Because of these improved connections, Miriam may realize her dream to get a basic education and someday even attend the local university, perhaps becoming a teacher in her own community. Miriam is now part of a larger community making a difference in the world. PlanWin can also help provide the structure your organization needs to be more effective in developing capacity, empowering people and making meaningful change for a better future. PlanWin Success: A story about connecting people Learn more about Integral Design Software, the makers of PlanWin | Contact Us | About Us Copyright © 2009 by Integral Design Software, LLC - All Rights Reserved Made with Xara User Stories Supporters and Donors Miriam’s Story PlanWin Success The Tree Structure provides flexibility to help you decide what makes sense for your organization.