A Non-Profit that Gets It: Girls + Education = Healthy Families
Well, okay. This awesome non-profit isn’t just concerned with the education and empowerment of 600 million adolescent girls who live in developing countries. It’s really focused on the education and empowerment of the communities where these girls live.
Yeah – GirlEffect.org’s mission is a big one – like, sit back, take a big breath and mutter to yourself kind of big – but it’s theory and plan of attack is simple:
“When you improve a girl’s life through education, health, safety, and opportunity, these changes have a ripple effect–– her brothers, sisters, parents, future children, and grandchildren all benefit. As an educated mother, an active, productive citizen and a prepared employee, she has the most influence and is therefore the most efficient and powerful force in her community to break the cycle of poverty. Today, less than two cents of every international development dollar go to girls, the very people who could do the most to end poverty! As long as girls remain invisible, the world misses out on a tremendous opportunity for change.”
When a young woman is given an education, she learns:
- about HIV prevention
- that she can choose who she wants to marry
- that she can make important family planning decisions
See? It’s not such an intimidating concept. And, yeah. The previous information is totally obvious, but in a lot of communities in developing countries, young women are not respected. Lack of respect leaves adolescent women in poverty, causing future generations of families vulnerable, and stuck in the cycle of poverty.
Three Big Years
Since 2008, Girl Effect has spread its theory and other organizations, such as the Nike Foundation, the NoVo Foundation, the United Nations Foundation and the Coalition for Adolescent girls, have recognized the importance of educating and empowering young women. And the non-profit gains more support everyday. Girl Effect is keen on social media and does a stellar job sharing its theory and young women’s stories via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Help girl Girl Effect by donating money or by spreading the word.
Inspired? There are a myriad of awesome organizations that need volunteers and donations.
image: maternal health
