This #GivingTuesday, find out how Children Believe is helping change the future for females from vulnerable communities
Gender equality and education are more closely related than many people realize, especially in the countries where we work in Africa, Asia and the Americas. So, as the world unites this #GivingTuesday to make change together, did you know early marriages and teen pregnancies are among the highest in the world in Central America, according to the Pan American Health Organization.
Many girls who become young brides or young mothers have no choice but to quit school, continuing the cycle of poverty.
Josselyn (pictured) knows that all too well. A mother at just 16, it was difficult to continue high school, until she was given a distance learning opportunity as part of a Children Believe project. “I would not have been able to graduate under other conditions … without that financial support. This made a huge difference in my life,” she says.
Breaking barriers to education is not always easy. For some, it takes changing mindsets and gender-equality training. In Nicaragua, Xóchitl, a young mother received support through Children Believe to return to school following gender-based training with her family.
“When I got pregnant, (my partner) told me studies were no longer for me,” she explains. “Now I am in my fourth year of high school. I also got a job; I work as a pre-school teacher in my community. She adds: “I feel free.”
Send a girl to school through our gift catalogue, and you’ll give her…
- a scholarship
- skills-training
- gender-related leadership training benefiting her family and community
This #GivingTuesday, you can be part of something big by joining with our supporters to help girls and young women go to school. And, thanks to our giving partners, your gift will be multiplied 5X.
UPDATE: A big thank you to all our supporters who helped us surpass our goal of sending 200 girls to school this #GivingTuesday.