Educate a Girl, Educate a Nation - Sierra Leone

Holstina is nine years old and has three sisters.  Her father Amidu is a mason / building contractor. Her mother, Winifred  is a petty trader, selling assorted food items. The family lives in a single-bedroom apartment with no running water or electricity. Sometimes, Holstina is sent to stay with relatives to ease the financial burden on her family and for her own safety, as one of her uncles is mentally ill. When this happens, Holstina misses out on much-needed parental love. 

Despite her circumstances, however, Holstina is a very promising young girl, is very friendly, and is respectful. She likes to read and is also interested in public speaking. She is in Class 5 and her favorite subject is Mathematics. Her best game is a local game called balance ball. When she grows up, Holstina would like to be a banker.

Your donations play a key role - helping to keep future Banker - Holstina in school. As UNICEF reports, Girls access to education is improving in Sierra Leone. Parity is almost observed in primary school, but retention and completion of education remain a challenge with high drop out rate for girls and low enrolment in secondary school.

Hearing news like this troubles us.  In this day and age of increasing educational opportunities, no one should be denied education because of any reason. Recently, people all around the world united in revolt against the girls captured at school in Nigeria. In a rare show of unity, we all shared photos and tweeted saying #BringBackOurGirls.  We united together because we passionately protested for the right of the girls to be free and to attend school.

What we are doing together - supporting the education of girls is vitally needed - on an ongoing basis - to ensure that girls like Holstina do not drop out of school.  Thank YOU so much for putting your voice into action by supporting this project.  You have done so much more than protest.  You have taken action and helped to ensure that Holstina and other girls stay in school.  You are making a real difference in our Educate Girls movement.  On behalf of Holstina and all the other girls that YOU have helped keep in school, we say a HUGE Thank You.

This Wednesday June 25th is Bonus Day and YOUR donation of any amount - up to $1000 - will be matched dollar for dollar by Microsoft YouthSpark, YOU can help us continue to keep promising girls like Holstina in school. 

Beginning Wednesday at NOON (EDT) until funds run out or June 26th at 11:59 AM, your donation will be DOUBLED allowing for an even bigger impact together!  Thank you helping us to secure the matching funds that will make a huge difference in the lives of our girls!  Your donation of $20.00 will provide a school uniform.

Please forward this to your friends and invite them to help us Keep Our Girls In School - #KeepOurGirlsInSchool.