Carol Schillios. "Carol Schillios opened the Hèrè jè Center in March 2005 in response to her reaction to the poverty and living conditions in Mali, Africa. Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world with 70% of rural population below the poverty line. The Hèrè jè Center is a skills training, education and marketing cooperative. Here, begging girls ages 12-25 are helped off the streets and immediately receive a stipend of $20 a week to stabilize their food needs. This stipend ensures they don't have to beg during training as they learn skills to help them generate income and become micro-entrepreneurs. Our goal is to reach the girls before they are forced into prostitution because of extreme need (hunger). The first 10 girls graduated in July 2006 funded almost entirely by Carol Schillios. Twenty new girls have been recruited and we have begun the "Circle of Friends Giving Thanks" to give you and others a way to participate in changing the economic prospects for one woman in Africa."