The Big Picture

Making a difference...one girl at a time

In village after village where high school is a luxury available only to those who can pay for it, smart teens desperate for education are forced to drop out because their families cannot afford the very modest fee. In most developing countries, if a family must choose between educating a girl or a boy, the girl loses because of cultural norms and traditions.

Without education, opportunity withers. For any child, this is a tragedy, and for girls in particular, the tragedy extends beyond the individual to the family and to the community at large. Many studies over the past two decades have drawn direct correlation between girls' education and family income as well as other compelling benefits. According to these studies, when girls are educated:

• * They postpone childbirth, and have fewer but better-nourished children
• * They are less likely to die during childbirth, and their babies have a greater chance of surviving and staying healthy
• * Their children stay in school longer
• * They are less likely to be vulnerable to rape
• * HIV/AIDS growth diminishes
• * They are more likely to be employed and contribute to productivity for their employers and society

The Girls Education Mission (GEM) is a new project designed to give poverty stricken young women the power to stay in school while providing a direct, personal and immediate gateway for people who wish to make a difference in the world, one girl at a time.