PLAN: Because I am a Girl

Exodus Supports "Because I am a Girl"

Because I am a Girl is Plan’s global campaign to transform the lives of girls living in some of the world’s poorest communities. Girls and young women continue to represent some of the world’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable people:

Why help girls?

• An estimated 100 million women are ‘missing' in the developing world because they are killed before or after birth.
• Girls are more likely to be malnourished as their brothers are often fed first.
• The majority of out-of-school primary children are female (62 million worldwide).

Educated and empowered girls can play a vital role in their community, improving their own lives and the lives of those around them. Girls who receive a full and relevant education will marry later and have fewer, healthier and better-educated children. An extra year of primary school boosts a girl’s eventual wages by 10-20 percent and an extra year at secondary school by 15-25 percent.

The challenge:

In Nepal only 48% of girls go to primary school and 46% go to secondary school. Poverty is the major barrier to enrolment and attendance for many girls. Parents simply can’t afford to pay the school fees and for the equipment that girls need to bring to school such as books, bags and stationery.

The Government of Nepal has committed to providing small scholarships for girls from low income families in order to increase the number of girls in schools, but they do not have the resources to reach every girl.

What is being done?

From 2007 through to 2015, Plan is publishing a series of reports on the State of the World’s girls. Each report highlights the devastating impact of discrimination on the lives of girls around the globe.

To ensure that girls realise their potential and benefit from the same opportunities as boys, Plan is lobbying the UK government.

Exodus Supports Girls’ Fund in Nepal

Exodus is supporting a girl’s education project in the Morang and Makwanpur Districs of Nepal, with an initial donation of £1,000. This will enable 213 more girls to access an education and lead themselves and their families out of poverty.

All money raised for the ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign will be allocated to projects which benefit girls in the world’s poorest countries.

Keeya’s story (Togo):

In Keeya’s village, Plan began a school project, highlighting the importance of educating girls, and tackling the practical reasons why girls weren’t going to school.

Keeya explains, "When I started school, my father was not interested in my studies. He said he would not profit from them. Many people were reluctant to educate girls. Also, there were no toilets at school so we had to go into the bush, despite the dangers. Now almost all the girls in my situation are proud to go to school. There are toilets and a water tap, and my father has been persuaded to change his mind too. We girls go to school with pleasure."

Daria’s story (India):
When their father fell ill, Daria and her sister Rubi were forced to drop out of school, while their brother didn’t have to. But they heard about a ‘learning programme’ for teenagers supported by Plan and persuaded their father to let them enrol.

The programme enables children to resume their studies and complete high school. The sisters then joined a college computing course, which they passed with distinction. Daria quickly secured a job and has become a role model. Other girls from her village are restarting school, and even following Daria and Rubi to college.

“My parents are now very proud of me and my sister”, says Daria.