VirtuArte.com

Some of you are probably thinking she must have started writing this post last week and forgot to change the title. I know the Presidential Election was last week. Who could forget. This is not a reminder for that election; it is a request for you to vote in another kind of election.

At the end of October I received an e-mail from Aid to Artisans, a nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance to artisan groups around the world, asking me to vote for Viola Vaughn, a Top 10 CNN Hero and a candidate for CNN Hero of the Year. Before casting my vote I did some research as I would do for any election.

In February CNN launched its second annual global search for ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary deeds. The network received more than 3,700 nominations submitted by viewers in 75 countries. The Top 10 were selected by a panel made up of world leaders and luminaries recognized for their own dedication to public service. Each of this year's Top 10 CNN Heroes will receive $25,000 and will be honored at "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," airing on the 27th of November. The tribute will end with the announcement of the CNN Hero of the Year, selected by the public in an online poll. The CNN Hero of the Year will receive an additional $100,000. Voting continues through the 19th of November.

There are 10 very worthy candidates for CNN Hero of the Year. Go to www.cnn.com/heroes and read their stories.

My candidate for CNN Hero of the Year.

Viola Vaughn, a native of Detroit, Michigan, is founder of WHEPSA of "10,000 Girls," an educational NGO based in Kaolack, Senegal that helps young girls graduate from school and become successful entrepreneurs. In 2000 she and her husband moved to Senegal after the sudden death of their 26 year old daughter left them with five grandchildren to care for. Soon after their move, Viola's husband died of black lung. During this period of grief she began to home-school her grandchildren.

Word got out and within two weeks Viola had 20 girls, who were failing school, coming to her house and asking her to teach them. Viola learned that the regional pass rate for girls was low because it was rooted in the eonomic need of young girls to work at home. They begin missing classes, than failing exams, than ultimately failing or dropping out of school. In 2001 Viola turned her grandchildren's bedrooms into classrooms and began supplementing the girls' education.

The Girls' Desire Provides a Name

In two years the group of 20 had grown to 80 and they were succeeding in school. Originally Viola wanted to help 100 girls, but the girls in the program wanted to help 10,000 girls. To keep their "10,000 Girls" education program going, the girls ask Viola to teach them to bake. They began selling cookies and juice and from the proceeds were able to buy books and supplies. Soon after, they got their older sisters, aunts and cousins involved in baking and selling baked goods. The entrepreneurial element of the program was started.

Along with the bake sales, Viola launched an export business to sell handmade dolls created by the young women. In 2003 she sold 57 dolls and three years later Viola had increased the sales to 175 dolls. In 2007 Viola requested assistance from Aid to Artisans. With the incorporation of suggestions made by Aid to Artisans and changing their techniques and materials, Viola and the girls sold 500 dolls in 2007. They are planning to sell 2,000 dolls in 2009. More information about the assistance Viola's organization received from Aid to Artisans is available at www.aidtoartisans.org.

Today there are 1,500 young girls participating in Viola's "10,000 Girls" program in six locations and 1,000 more are waiting to join.

Eight More Days

The online poll is open for eight more days, however, I urge you to vote today. Go to www.cnn.com/heroes now. Your vote can help to make a difference in someone's life.