Support Educational Opportunities for 100 Girls

Dear Girls Education International Supporters,

First of all - Happy Holidays and very best wishes for the New Year!!

We would like to share some updates about our scholarship programs in Liberia, Pakistan and Tanzania.

In Liberia, a country devastated by the deadly Ebola outbreak, schools have closed until February. We can fortunately report that all of the girls in our program, and their families are healthy. Our in country partner, Liberia Now has been working tirelessly to make sure all the students and their families have home sanitation kits as well as access to medical clinics to ensure they are well.

A concern in Liberia is that the outbreak, and consequent disruption in schooling, may result in decreased opportunities for girls' education. Girls in Liberia have always been challenged when it comes to getting an education - for various reasons, including traditional expectations about the role of girls in the family and community. We feel confident that Liberia Now will ensure that the girls in our program are supported in making the transition back to school when it opens again in the new year. Sometimes, it just takes a little extra encouragement to keep working toward one's dreams!

In Tanzania, our first group of girls has finished their first year of secondary school. They faced many challenges in their transition from primary to secondary school. In the first place, they are now studying primarily in the English langauge, for which many of them were not prepared. In addition, the number of girls in secondary school, as compared with primary school, is reduced. However, when we met with them in August to find out how they were experiencing secondary school, they were all smiles! They said that while it's difficult for them, they are grateful for the opportunity and they know what a difference this education will make in their lives, and those of their loved ones.

In Pakistan, we recently celebrated the move to sustainability for girls' education in the first villages with which we have been working. In partnership with Bedari, we have been supporting girls in school for 5 years. We committed to do so until the families in the villages viewed girls' education as a priority - and they have. Inspired by the girls in our program, other girls began to attend school with their families' support.

Now, the families of all the girls in school have taken on the responsibility for their education, independent of external assistance. This was always the goal and we reached it! Happily, Girls Education International and Bedari have moved into 4 new villages - Maria, Thirchak, Chakki Rangpur, and Dharyala Kahoon - where we are supporting a new cohort of 60 girls!

Thank you for all of your support thus far! Without you, none of this would be possible or sustainable.

We would love your continued support. Here are some ideas for how you can help our pograms thrive:

1. You can share this report with the buttons below. Social Media is one of the biggest agents of change in the world today, so let's put it to good use. Sharing is caring!
2. You can create your own online fundraiser! Just select the green fundraiser button on our project page (scroll down below the second orange donate button). You can personalize it to go along with an event (e.g., wedding, holiday party, birthday) and invite your friends to give the gift of education.
3. And of course, you can simply donate. As the new year approaches, we hope that you will consider Girls Education International projects when planning your end of year giving! Our projects are small and therefore, you can be sure that your contribution goes right to the students in Liberia, Tanzania and Pakistan. 

Sincerely,

The Girls Education Team