Make Your Day Monday: Do What You CAN Do

For the past two years, 24-year-old Elsha Stockseth of South Weber, Utah, has used her tech-savvy talents to design and sell holiday cards to her friends and family.




All the proceeds from her sales are then donated to support a cause Elsha feels passionately about: clean water in Africa. While many of Elsha's peers share this passion, very few have gone to the lengths Elsha has gone to in creating each card. Below, Elsha tells her story....

I am writing to you about a project I did this year and last year to raise money for the African Well Fund (via Africare).

I am 24 years old but only weigh 34 pounds because I have muscular dystrophy. When I was in high school I was able to paint and draw, but in the past few years my arms quit working. My family was able to find a head mouse for me, which is a device that looks like a digital camera that hooks to the top of my notebook computer screen and picks up signal from a reflective dot that I wear on my forehead. I have been able to do my artwork using this device and the Photoshop software.

For the past two years I have designed Christmas cards and sold them to friends and family. Part of the proceeds I collect have been sent to the African Well Fund so I can help people who are less fortunate than me. I believe water is essential in sustaining life and everyone should have access to clean useable water.

I hope my small efforts will aid those who don't have water close by, in obtaining renewable sources of water to make their lives better.

Last year I sold about 1,000 cards and was able to contribute $105 to the African Well Fund. This year I did a little better and sold about 1,600 cards and will be contributing about $450 to the fund. When the printer who is making my cards this year found out about the purpose of my project, he helped by contributing to the cost of the cards and I was able to contribute more money.



— Elsha Stockseth
"The Biggest Little U2 Fan in the World"

From Africare helps Africa.



You can find more about Elsha's inspiring charity by visiting her web site.