EGG Celebration Chapel

And this week, we celebrated its higher purpose in Chapel.

This year, St Margaret’s has raised $14,500 through events like EGGstravaganza. In addition, students and staff have given countless volunteer hours, for example, baking and making lunches for Full Bellies. These efforts demonstrate the remarkable power of young women rallying behind a cause they believe in, proof that small actions, multiplied across a community, can change the world.

The Committee’s fundraising efforts in 2025 are directed toward five organisations making a tangible impact:

CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): Operating in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Malawi, CAMFED has supported more than 760,000 girls in Malawi alone to attend school. Its programmes provide everything from school fees and uniforms to mentorship and post-school opportunities, ensuring girls are not just educated, but empowered to become leaders in their communities.
 

Christchurch Aunties: A network of more than 6,500 individuals across Canterbury, the Aunties provide essential support for women and children affected by family violence. By stabilising home environments, they give children, including girls, the security they need to focus on their education.
 

Full Bellies: A grassroots Christchurch charity delivering 1,200 nutritious lunch bags to schools each week, supported by 150 volunteers through our parentship with the Fife Foundation. Full Bellies has helped improve attendance rates by 9% for students receiving food bags, tackling food insecurity head-on so children can concentrate on learning.
 

Tepesua Community Based Organisation: Founded in 2015 by Ms Hellen Nkuraiya in Kenya, Tepesua champions education and women’s empowerment through schools, eco-camps, and community initiatives. Women and girls are supported through beadwork, farming, sewing, and entrepreneurship, ensuring education is backed by sustainable livelihoods.
 

The Tanzania Project: Focused on strengthening educational infrastructure, this initiative funds school rehabilitation, scholarship schemes, and lunch programmes and is supported by St Margaret’s through our partnership with The Fife Foundation. The Tanzania Project’s work breaks down barriers to learning and promotes gender equality in Tanzanian schools.
 

The 2025 EGG Committee continues to show us that advocacy, service, and a little creativity go a long way in building brighter futures for girls everywhere, continuing the legacy of the founders of EGG, alumnae Gussie Cohen and Lucy Tothill.