Plan International is proud to support girls’ education and empowerment through partnerships that help them learn, lead, decide and thrive every day of the year. This story was first shared as part of a campaign for International Women’s Day, a moment we use to spotlight the year-round work that’s changing girls’ lives.
Muta’s day starts long before dawn, when it’s still dark outside.
“I wake up at 4 a.m., clean the pans, wash the dishes and then walk to school,” Muta shares.
Her school is nearly five miles from the remote farming village in Cambodia where she lives with her parents and two younger brothers.
After school, Muta starts the long walk back to her village, where she cares for her baby brother and collects cashew nuts and cassava for her parents to sell. Then she starts cooking the family dinner, while her parents are still working. With hardly any time for homework, it’s a challenge for Muta to keep up with her studies.
Girls like Muta in Cambodia need your support to stay in school. | ©Plan International
Millions of girls around the world face similar daily obstacles that stand between them and the quality education they deserve. Roughly 129 million girls aren’t enrolled in school. They are held back by barriers like cost, distance, household obligations, early marriage and cultural stigmas around educating girls.
Girls like Muta shoulder hours of unpaid household work — cooking, cleaning, caring for siblings — while their male peers have time to study. This burden often forces them to choose between their education and family obligations.
But things are changing for Muta. Thanks to support from people like you, we are working with local partners in Cambodia to help girls stay in school. Our education programs provide accelerated learning classes, financial scholarships and bicycles.
Muta now rides the bike she received from Plan back and forth to school, which makes the journey much easier. And, thanks to the catch-up classes, her reading and writing have improved, and she is doing better in math class.
“My teacher is very nice,” Muta says. “She spends a lot of her time teaching me. My results are getting better, and I am now 13 among 20 children in my class.”
For families struggling financially, educating daughters can feel like a luxury they can’t afford. When resources are scarce, boys’ education is frequently prioritized.
Plan is also supporting Muta with a scholarship and helping her family earn a stable income through livestock rearing and vegetable gardening. And we’re raising funds to build a school closer to her village.
Muta (second from the left) with her friends at school. | ©Plan International
Every child’s fundamental right to a quality education drives our work. That’s why we recently partnered with Paramount to champion girls’ access to education.
Through this partnership, Paramount funded the distribution of backpacks filled with school supplies for children in Cambodia, Mexico, Nepal, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.
Peak, an 11-year-old girl from Cambodia, is one of 1,047 students who received a backpack.
“It motivates me to come to school even more with my friends,” Peak says. “I will continue to study hard to get a good grade.”
From Cambodia to Zimbabwe, school supplies are opening doors to education. Today, we’re going beyond the backpack with Paramount to explore five ways education can reshape girls’ futures and strengthen entire communities.
Plan staff distribute backpacks and school supplies to children in Mexico. | ©Plan International
Breaking the cycle
Education gives girls the knowledge and confidence to recognize their rights and make informed choices about their futures. This means they’re less likely to experience harmful practices like early marriage or trafficking. Young women become champions of change and role models for girls in their communities.
Girls in Zimbabwe proudly display their new backpacks. | ©Plan International
Building financial security
Education is the key that unlocks economic opportunities. Women who complete high school earn nearly 50% more than those who don’t. When educated women earn more, they invest in their families’ health, education and wellbeing.
Children in Ukraine receive backpacks filled with school supplies. Girls in crisis settings are nearly 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than those living in countries not in crisis. | ©Plan International
Growing the global economy
Research shows that if every girl received 12 years of quality education, women’s lifetime earnings worldwide could increase from $15 trillion to $30 trillion. This isn’t just an impressive number — it represents millions of girls reaching their full potential and building a more prosperous world for all of us.
Two girls in Nepal are all smiles as they wear their new purple backpacks. Education gives girls the confidence and knowledge to shape their futures, protect their rights and strengthen their communities. | ©Plan International
Unlocking her potential
Educated girls become powerful advocates for positive change. In classrooms and communities, they develop critical thinking skills, confidence and leadership abilities. These girls grow into women who challenge harmful practices, advocate for equal rights and create more just societies. Most importantly, they show other girls that their dreams are achievable and their voices matter.
Your support helps to provide girls in Cambodia — and around the world — with the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond. | ©Plan International
Creating a world where we are all equal
When we ensure girls can learn, we build a world where everyone has a fair chance to succeed. Educated women demonstrate what’s possible when barriers are removed. They work to make their communities better for all by advocating for equal access to resources, opportunities and decision-making power. Through education, we create a ripple effect of positive change that benefits everyone.
This International Women’s Day, we’re teaming up with Paramount to share an important message: Empowering girls starts with giving them the right tools for success.
Explore how you can help to ensure every girl has the chance to learn, lead, decide and thrive — because her future starts now.
