We continue to support 60 girls in Tehsil Talagang of the Chakwal Punjab district in Pakistan. This past year was challenging in many ways due to the pandemic. Across Pakistan, schools closed down and families faced difficult times. With girls out of school, families became concerned about what the girls would do while out of school; some were concerned about pressures to marry.
Read moreUplifting Updates from Tanzania
From our original cohort of 35 girls, we are currently supporting 26. Nine have recently completed their post-secondary education. Six have jobs – working as teachers with young learners! Sada and Sesilia are looking for teaching jobs, and Safi chose to focus on marriage and family for now. Last year was difficult for all of these young women due to Covid-19 and school closures, but thankfully, most of them were able to return to their gainful employment.
Read moreEdasta -- The First Girls Ed University Student!
One of our greatest highlights for 2020 is that we are celebrating the first university student from among our scholarship recipients! Edasta completed high school this year. She performed well on her national exams and applied to two university programs. She was accepted and reported to university in November 2020!
Read moreBreaking the Barriers on a Bicycle
I believe that I am no more an ordinary girl who is just restricted to the household chores, in fact I feel empowered like any other person in the society who can achieve anything irrespective of the gender discrimination.
Read moreReturning to School Amid a Pandemic
We are delighted to hear that there is no pressure from families or communities for girls to stop attending school and marry or find work. The families are completely on board as mentors and support their daughters and sisters in their educational endeavors.
Read moreHappy International Women's Day - a Pakistan Project Update
Nadia (alias) comes from the village of Dhulli in the District of Chakwal. Her family financially is not well off. She has seven sisters, none of whom were able to complete their education. Nadia loves to study and even though she was taken out of school in 8th grade, Girls Educational International is happy to say that she is back in school, now in 10th grade. GEI covers her transportation costs to and from school, which is approximately $70.00 a year.
Javeria (alias) is also from the same district, but a village a bit further out. She is 14 years old. Although she was set to get married, after expressing interest in her studies, we are happy to learn that her wedding was called off. She is currently in 9th grade. Girls Education International is delighted to cover the fees of enrolling her back in school. Because of her village's proximity, her transportation costs are about $100 a year.
These and similar stories are what keep our small team at Girls Education motivated and excited to have this opportunity in the first place, to reach young people in some of the most marginalized groups of society.
It is our pleasure on this International Day of Women to highlight our partnership with Pakistan organization Bedari that facilitates our support of 60 young women from five different villages. If we, together with your help, couldn't provide support with their transportation to and from school from their remote villages, these and other young women would possibly have very different paths in life, usually picked out for them and often against their will. So, thank you!
We wish you, our supporters, a beautiful Women's Day this year. We hope it is filled with smart, creative, interesting and beautiful women in your personal lives. Women that have a choice to make their own decisions, good and the bad ones. Enjoy them, support them and love them. And please remember that you have touched lives of other young women who also appreciate you and are forever grateful for your kindness and your understanding that supporting one girl, supports men, women and the entire community we all live in, this beautiful yet fragile planet that we all call home.