Save a Girl from Child Marriage with a Scholarship

“My father wanted me to stop my education,” says 15 year old Shefali.

This is the sad and terrible reality for many Bangladeshi girls Shefali’s age. In this country's remote villages, education has little value when compared to the desperation that poverty can place on a poor family. So girls like Shefali become child brides in exchange for short-term financial gain. And they're often married off to complete strangers.

Shefali desperately wanted to stay in school. She’s smart, articulate, determined, and one day hopes to become a lawyer;

“I want to remove the pain and suffering in my family,” she explains confidently.

Shefali’s father had different plans for his daughter. He is a poor mason and while Shefali’s mother was trying to keep her daughter in school, she simply couldn’t change his mind. The family just didn't have the money.

Child marriage is common in Shefali's village. She's already seen a number of her friends married off and was terribly afraid that the would suffer the same fate. Even her mother was married at a heartbreaking 12 years-old.

So against her will, Shefali was being prepared for early marriage and forced to give up on her life, and her dream of helping others. All hope seemed lost.

But your generous gift saved Shefali from child marriage and completely changed her life! 

Because of your scholarship gift, Shefali no longer has to fear getting married. You’ve helped to keep her in school, where she can now concentrate on her studies and chase her dreams without worry or concern. 

Your gift has also dramatically helped her family, easing some of the financial burden. But most of all, you've given Shefali the chance to learn her way out of poverty and live her life the way she wants to.