So often, when we think of the Girl Scouts, particularly in the United States, we think of–well, cookies. And our favorite flavors. But the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global organization that reaches 10.8 million girls and young women in 153 countries across five regions. So it’s certainly about more than cookies, and goes deeper into what the organization is raising money for.
Remezcla talked to Claudia Menchaca, the CEO of the Greater South Texas Council, to discuss what the organization’s members do with the money raised and what the organization’s core values are.
Menchaca explained, “I think the public doesn’t realize the major impact that they have when supporting our young entrepreneurs,” adding that, for example, in the United States, the cookie proceeds do stay local with the council that the girls are in and then with the troops as well.”
How exactly they are used depends on each troop. For example, Laredo Girl Scout Troop 07052 is turning cookie sales into community action by donating a portion of its proceeds to a local animal shelter. And as Menchaca explained, through cookie sales, “the troops can fund experiences and opportunities for the girls. Some may use it to purchase uniforms, badges, or patches, renew the girls’ membership, or for community service projects.”
This is true across the entire Western Hemisphere, which is the region the Girl Scouts of the USA are part of. The region encompasses 35 national Girl Guide and Girl Scout organisations in 35 countries and reaches more than 2.7 million young people—a significant part in Latin America. The organization focuses on a range of topics, including girls’ rights, education, environmental issues, and many more, through non-formal education, leadership, and advocacy programmes.
Menchaca explained a little bit of the ins and outs, sharing that each troop will set an annual goal, which will vary among troops and typically focus on community needs. “For example, one Girl Scout who earned a gold award made head wraps for cancer patients, using some of her proceeds to buy the necessary materials. There’s always a wide range of local food banks involved as well.”
In other countries, the Girl Scouts in Mexico (Guías de México) have helped with earthquake relief, while in Chile the Girl Scouts staged a flashmob on the streets of Santiago to demand laws to eradicate street harassment and in Paraguay, members of the Asociación Guías Scouts del Paraguay created a video to highlight how serious an issue bad management of waste is.
This goes to the heart of what Menchaca shared, which is that Girl Scouts is about more than just the cookies, specific moments, and particular goals associated with this initiative. “We are the largest girl-led organization in the world, and our mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. In general, I would say that most of our girls come for the leadership opportunities and to get involved in the community. However, what truly keeps them engaged in Girl Scouts is not just the amazing skills they learn and experience, but the sisterhood fostered by our program.”
She went on to explain that for each of their girls, “they’re meeting different girls from different backgrounds, making new connections. And you also see it with the adults. A lot of our volunteers who are involved are also able to build that sisterhood with other volunteers within their local area and within our local council.”
Consider this, there are only 5 countries in the world that do not currently have a Girl Scouts chapter: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Andorra. Everywhere else, you can find Girl Scouts.
And yes, it means something to have an organization for women and young girls to come together, Menchaca said. “I definitely believe that the organization is here for the young girls and the women and investing in their futures and really showing that when women come together and young girls come together, we are able to make a greater impact in the community and also able to discuss issues that are directly impacting women that some people may not speak about.”
She even had a very specific example. “One of our girls recently did her Gold Award project on period poverty and not having the correct tools or not even knowing what they are. So I think bringing awareness to issues like that, which are so important to young girls that some may take for granted, which some might not realize everyone isn’t fully educated on this is exactly why we do what we do, why the why the girls try to empower each other as a at a young age, but then also as they become women.”
And that’s certainly much more important than what flavor of cookie is your favorite.
