Why Are Girl Education Charities Important?
Girl education charities provide crucial help and opportunities to keep girls in school. Many girls will not regularly attend classes or finish school if they do not have the appropriate resources and support.
Education builds confidence in girls and offers them opportunities to learn, grow and hope. If girls can graduate from secondary school, that increases their chances of working jobs with better pay than their parents and even looking for better opportunities. Girls’ education increases their future income, prevents child marriage and decreases their mortality rate.1
It is necessary to fight for girls’ education because many girls encounter formidable barriers to receiving an education, such as the following:
- Poverty — Many impoverished families must choose between sending their children to school and paying rent or buying food. Girls are typically the first to be removed from school. Girls may leave school to work alongside their parents, complete household chores or care for their younger siblings.
- Marriage — UNICEF estimates that 12 million girls are victims of child marriage annually.2 Child marriage deprives girls of their childhood. Child brides may experience early pregnancy, abuse and isolation from their peers; they do not have autonomy. Girls married before 18 often leave school to take care of their homes and even children of their own.
- Menstruation — For many girls worldwide, the beginning of menstruation is the end of their schooling. Many schools do not educate girls about menstruation or provide appropriate facilities or sanitary products to manage their periods.
- Violence — Girls are at risk for many types of violence, including infanticide, honor killings and assault. The Global Women’s Institute estimates “approximately 60 million girls are sexually assaulted on their way to or at school every year.”3 Girls who experience violence such as physical or sexual assault or even bullying are less likely to attend school.
How do girl education charities impact individual families?
GFA World has long been part of the efforts to educate girls globally. Founded in 1979, the organization partners with pastors, missionaries and other workers in Asia and Africa to provide life-changing resources to impoverished communities. For example GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program offers support, encouragement and hope to thousands of boys and girls, including Atmaja.
Atmaja lived in a roadside hut with her parents and siblings in South Asia.4 Atmaja’s father inherited land, but he misused his money and resources and he could not farm the land. Without profit from crops, Atmaja’s family experienced dire poverty.
Atmaja’s father and mother worked difficult, laborious jobs, but they still could not provide for their family. Atmaja and her two siblings left school to work alongside their parents to earn enough money for food, clothes and other necessities. To make matters worse, Atmaja’s father would regularly beat his children when he was angry.
Atmaja was lonely and miserable because of her family’s situation. When Atmaja heard about Jesus Christ, it sparked her curiosity. She decided to secretly attend Sunday School to learn more about Christ and His love. She also returned to school. When Atmaja’s father found out, however, he ruthlessly beat her.
Atmaja was afraid to go to church and school, but, with her mother’s help, she persisted. Meanwhile, her father’s anger and poor choices trapped his family in a cycle of poverty, violence and fear.
One day, a GFA pastor visited Atmaja’s home and began to regularly meet with Atmaja’s father, sharing with him about Jesus and offering advice and support. The pastor also shared about GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program. Atmaja’s father’s behavior started to shift; he allowed the children to return to school and church. Atmaja and her siblings loved going to school!
Organizations such as GFA World that promote girls education and provide essential support greatly benefit girls like Atmaja who would otherwise be hindered from attending school. Atmaja’s story of hope would not be possible without support from donors who partner with GFA World.
Want to get involved? GFA World is promoting girls education through its programs, such as the child sponsorship program. Please consider supporting GFA World’s efforts to provide relief, hope and help to communities in Asia and Africa:
- Child sponsorship — For $35 per month, you can sponsor a girl in Asia or Africa. Your contribution can help girls, their families and their communities break the cycle of poverty through community-wide solutions, including opportunities for education, medical care, protection against malnutrition, clean water and more.
- Literacy classes — GFA missionaries conduct free literacy classes for women to learn reading, writing and basic math skills. In 2018, GFA missionaries taught 61,880 women to read and write.5 Literacy classes help empower women to find better work, navigate their daily lives and even read God’s Word.
- Sponsor female missionaries — For $30 per month, you can sponsor a female GFA missionary in Asia. GFA national missionaries know the culture and needs of their communities. Your faithful gifts give female missionaries opportunities to support their local communities through sharing the hope and love of God.
1 “Girl’s Education.” UNICEF. Accessed 13 February 2022. https://www.unicef.org/education/girls-education.
2 “Child Marriage.” UNICEF. Accessed January 2022. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/.
3 “Evidence Brief: School-Based Interventions to Prevent Violence Against Women & Girls.” Global Women’s Institute. Accessed 13 February 2022. https://globalwomensinstitute.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs1356/f/downloads/Evidence%20Brief-%20School-Based%20Interventions%20to%20Prevent%20Violence%20Against%20Women%20and%20Girls.pdf.
4 “Once Forbidden from School, Now a Successful Student.” GFA World. 5 April 2011. https://www.gfa.org/news/articles/once-forbidden-school-now-successful-student/.
5 “Women’s Literacy Program.” GFA World. Accessed 13 February 2022. https://www.gfa.org/women/literacy/.