Support Girls Leading Change in Honduras

Dear Friends,

It's been several months since we've checked in. So much has changed, and at the same time so much remains the same. One thing that continues to grow each day is our gratitude for our community. We never would have gotten through 2020 without you.

Over the past several months, and really over the past year, we have been so inspired by the bravery, strength and resilience of our young people, their families and our broader community as we continue to be deeply affected by the pandemic and recover from two devastating hurricanes that hit Honduras last November. Amidst all this loss and chaos, our young people persisted and stepped up for their community.

Here are a couple highlights from recent months that we wanted to share with you:

• 20 young women scholarship students graduated from high school, of which 13 took and passed their university entrance exams. They will be starting university classes this May, pursuing studies in economics, mathematics, finance, psychology, and law, to name a few. This is something to be proud of any year, but especially in 2020 when so many of our scholarship students were studying from home with just their cell phones, a mobile data connection and so much persistence.

• Adolescent girl leaders of Las Niñas Lideran launched an online petition to continue to push for the passing of a local public policy on comprehensive sex education, which has been shelved for the duration of the pandemic. After the hurricanes, they visited several provisional shelters for displaced to talk about girls' rights and distribute personal hygiene kits to girls and women.

• OYE welcomed 19 new girl and young women scholarship students in January, in addition to our returning scholarship students who will be continuing their education in 2021. This is always one of the most exciting times of the year and we can't wait to accompany them in their educational journeys this year and beyond.

Thanks for continuing on this journey with us. Your generosity keeps us hopeful as we navigate these challenging times.

In appreciation,
Amanda