September: The importance of education for girls

Plan USA eNews: September 2009

Plan in the news
Overseas spending by nonprofit a boost to U.S. security
Children poisoned picking tobacco
In pictures: Malawi child workers
Changing attitudes about girls in Uganda

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Letter from the editor
The reports are in — the facts clear and irrefutable: girls’ education is linked to improved health for themselves and their children, better opportunities for earning an income, and prevention against HIV and AIDS.

Despite the benefits of education, UNICEF found that 101 million children of primary school age were not in school in 2007 — of these, 58 million were girls.

Reasons include poverty, social class and caste, and early marriage. Other reasons are related to the overall quality and accessibility of the education provided. As Janella Nelson notes in her visit to Niger, something as simple as a lack of a girl’s bathroom can prevent girls from attending school.

The good news is that, with the support of organizations like Plan, girls’ education has been expanding around the world, with many countries closing the gender gap.

Plan's IMAGINE project, highlighted below, is an innovative girls' education program in Niger that addresses the most important factors in keeping girls in school: incentive programs, social protection, community school projects, improved sanitation, a relevant and appropriate quality curriculum that delivers, and education that fits their needs.

If more girls are to receive the education they need, more investment must go into keeping girls in school. Donate today.

Project of the month

IMAGINE: Better opportunities for their daughters
On edge of the Sahara desert in Niger, home to the last wild giraffes of West Africa, 7 in 10 girls never set foot in a classroom. Plan has created the IMAGINE project to bring more girls to school and to keep them coming back.
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Sponsorship news
Plan, I won't let you down
Nelvin may be only 12, but he's been helping Plan in his community in Bolivia for the past two years. In this interview, he talks about taking on responsibilities normally given to adults in his community.
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A wheelchair for Kofi
Kofi has been unable to walk since he was very young. Fortunately, Kofi's family, friends and neighbors decided they would not let his disability prevent him from getting an education. After doing a lot, they then asked Plan for a little.
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From the field
Building peace across Haiti's border
This video shows how Plan’s ground-breaking peace camps on the Haiti and Dominican Republic border are helping youngsters to move away from violence, tackle prejudice and foster trust.
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Update from Darfur
As one of the remaining agencies left to provide emergency aid in Darfur, and with the humanitarian response on the verge of breaking down completely, Plan’s continued efforts to assist those forced into camps is more needed than ever.
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