Help fight child marriage - WHOLE Girl Fund

Jessica is the youngest of five children in a low-income family in El Salvador. She is motivated and a hard-worker but struggles to remain in school due to the family’s socio-economic situation.

For Jessica to pursue education past the sixth grade, she would have to leave her family for a different community where violence would pose a serious threat to her safety. Indeed, girls and young women throughout the country are frequently exposed to elevated levels of crime, gang violence, and instability leading to higher levels of marginalization and physical or emotional abuse. For girls to overcome these obstacles, they need male allies to become role models within their communities.

With the introduction of Plan International’s Champions of Change Project last year, girls and boys are given the opportunity to work together to examine behaviors in their families and communities that limit educational opportunities for girls. Through co-ed activities like the Champions of Change soccer leagues, participants become change agents and allies that challenge gender bias, sexual behaviors, and learn about non-violent conflict resolution strategies in a safe, inclusive, and fun environment. Together, young people throughout El Salvador are leveling the playing field by breaking the cycle of poverty and violence through community engagement, collaboration, and equal opportunities for girls.

With Champions of Change, Jessica is helping to build a community where she feels safe to express her opinions, gain self-esteem, and have the opportunities she needs to be successful and thrive.

From all of us here at Plan International USA, thank you for your continued support. Your generosity makes our work for children around the world possible.

-Plan International USA

When born into extreme poverty, a child is often given little to no opportunity for educational development and lacks access to health services. In Nepal, to make ends meet, a child may be married at a young age to a much older man, or may move to urban areas for work and face an increased risk of trafficking. As one of seven children, Riva had minimal support from her family to attend school regularly. At 14, Riva’s parents began searching for her groom as they believed her marriage will help support their family.

Exploring Better Options

In her community, Riva now participates in Plan’s BLOOM (Better Life Options and Opportunities Model) club where she learns about goal setting, reproductive health, child rights, hygiene, and has also gained the skills and confidence necessary to speak in large groups and advocate for herself and her peers. BLOOM clubs are providing vital information on health services and social networks for young women to give them the knowledge, resources, and support they need to be empowered to make informed decisions about their health and rights.

Taking what she learned from BLOOM, Riva is now discussing the disadvantages of child marriage with her parents directly. She can now defend herself and her right to education, and was eventually able to stop her own marriage. She continues to share her story with her community and speaks out against child marriage and on behalf of girls’ rights with Plan throughout Nepal.

“I would like to thank Plan International from the bottom of my heart for bringing a big change in my life.”