When a She Is Safe Group for teen girls started in India a year ago, only two of the 12 girls were enrolled in school. The leader who facilitates the group taught them the importance of education and encouraged the girls to enroll in school. The girls were excited that this could be a possibility for them! They wanted to continue their education so they could have better futures. However, some of the girls did not have their parents’ support to go back to school because the parents preferred for them to work in the home. The girls asked their group leader to talk with their parents. She met with each of their parents and explained to them why girls need to be educated; families and communities benefit from sending their girls to school!
According to Global Vision International (GVI), girls’ education ensures future access to jobs and affordable healthcare, and “for each additional year of education a girl completes, the chance of adolescent pregnancy is lowered by 10%”. Furthering girls’ education also “helps to alleviate economic strain on lower-income households, as households have higher incomes when women earn more” (GVI, 2022). Therefore, education improves girls’ health and well-being.
After talking with the group leader, every parent agreed to send their girls back to school! All of the girls in this group are now continuing their education. Because of this one group, 10 more girls are in school which will benefit hundreds of people in the long run.
