Education is a valuable tool that can help a child achieve future success. However, in some developing nations, it is a scarce resource, particularly for girls. In Pakistan, for example, 56.4% of girls were not in education, employment or training of any kind in 2021. A lack of education for girls is also a significant issue in Guatemala, where 44.3% of girls were not in education, training or employment in 2022. While these figures demonstrate that a lack of education for girls in developing nations is a significant issue, organizations are working tirelessly to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to learn, regardless of their gender or nationality. Here are five organizations supporting education for girls.

Stand By Me

Stand by Me is a charity based in the United Kingdom (U.K.).  The organization focuses on saving and caring for vulnerable children. Its “Stand by a Girl” program has made a difference in the fight for education for girls across the world, supporting a total of 3,800 children. The charity collects sponsorship money from members of the public, which is used to pay for books, teachers and other necessities that enable girls to flourish.

The charity remains involved in the lives of the children for an extended period, making sure that their needs continue to be fulfilled as they grow instead of only providing one-off assistance.

Campaign for Female Education

Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) is another organization supporting education for girls. Based in Africa, it works in government-owned primary and secondary schools across developing nations like Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. CAMFED partners with communities across the continent to prevent any barriers to education girls may face. These barriers can include limited access to menstrual products and lack of money for school uniforms and other supplies.

The organization uses donations to pay for these items. Additionally, they provide girls with bikes and boarding to make it easier for them to travel to school or even remove the need to travel entirely. CAMFED has supported more than 9,000 primary and secondary schools and more than 500,000 students with secondary scholarships.

Malala Fund

Founded by Malala Yousafzai, the Malala Fund is making significant strides in ensuring that adolescent girls in developing countries, particularly in Bangladesh, have access to secondary school education. In 2022, the foundation initiated a groundbreaking project to secure 12 years of free education for girls in Bangladesh.

The Malala Fund is also doing important work in Turkey to improve school enrollment and retention rates for refugee children. It is estimated that around 40% of Syrian refugee children living in Turkey are not attending school.

WomenOne

WomenOne does valuable work in advocating for girls’ education. The organization raises awareness about the lack of educational opportunities for girls in marginalized groups. This also includes those with disabilities and young mothers. WomenOne also implements strategies to provide these girls with the chance to receive an education.

The organization has established a center in Kenya to support girls’ education, providing counseling, academic and emotional support and teaching life skills to help them thrive. WomenOne also empowers women and girls by working with advocacy organizations such as the Girls Not Brides Coalition, protecting women and girls’ right to learn and ensuring their voices are heard.

Girl Rising

Girl Rising supports education for girls in five countries, including Guatemala. The organization provides education for Indigenous girls in Guatemala by tackling educational barriers such as racism and misogyny. It works in collaboration with community organizations to help them learn to tackle these issues. In 2023, the initiative reached 340 adolescent girls in Guatemala.

Final Remark

While the fight for girls’ education in developing nations is not over, it is clear that many organizations are working hard to ensure that all girls have the chance to learn. From working with communities to break down barriers to raising money to provide resources that are desperately needed in developing nations. The contributions these organizations make are incredibly vital. They demonstrate that everybody has the power to change the world for the better.

– Sue-Joyce Headon

Sue-Joyce is based in Liverpool, UK and focuses on Good News and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr