Help fight child marriage - WHOLE Girl Fund

See what five special girls around the world are wishing for this holiday season…

“All I want is an education to know how to read, to give back to my community and to be something more.”  Nourhan is a 15-year-old girl from Egypt, and she has never been to school.  She goes to work to earn money to pay for her dowry.  But the Because I am a Girl program in Egypt is launching this year in Nourhan’s hometown, providing the opportunity for girls who have never been to school to receive alternative education. 

“I want to become a French teacher so that I can make money to buy clothes and food for my family and for old people in the village.”  Florence, from Burkina Faso, is 15 years old, and almost didn’t go to school.  She was often sick as a child, and her parents were forced to choose between healthcare and an education for her.  But thanks to your support of the Because I am a Girl program, Florence received a scholarship and is now excelling in secondary school. 

“I wish I could tell girls everywhere, ‘We’re not less!  Sometimes men look down on women, but we have to stand up and be confident.  We’re worth it!’”  Johana is a teenager in El Salvador, one of the most dangerous countries in the world.  Girls and women are often casualties of the gang violence that rages across the country, and they face harassment and the threat of sexual abuse every day.  The Because I am a Girl program in Johana’s community created safe spaces for girls to gather and support one another, and to learn about preventing and reporting violence.  Johana has taken on a leadership role, and often counsels younger girls at her home who are facing difficult situations. 

“I’ve seen a lot of violence against girls, but I realized the school was trying to change that.  I want to be a part of that change.”  At age 14, Mestawet is just finishing primary school in Ethiopia.  In her hometown on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, schools do exist, but they are not friendly places for girls.  The Because I am a Girl program is working in her school and 7 others to ensure that they have clean water, safe toilets, school materials, and teachers who are trained in nonviolent classroom management.  Mestawet is a Girl Ambassador at her school, and she helps the project staff give extra support to girls who are very vulnerable.     

“I’m dreaming of a better life for my son Tuan.  I borrowed $25 to buy a piglet, and soon I will sell it for twice as much as I paid.  I’ve never in my life had that much money!”  19-year-old Giao is a member of the Because I am a Girl Village Savings and Loan program in Vietnam.  The Savings Groups give young women the chance to save and borrow money, to manage their finances, and to invest in their own businesses to plan for the future. 

THANK YOU for making a difference in the lives of girls around the world and giving them something to hope for this holiday season.  Happy Holidays from Plan International USA!

Links:

• Because I am a Girl