Keeping girls in education.

Become a changemaker and support thousands of girls to improve their lives through education in South Asia.

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Support our vital work of keeping girls in education

Education of children remains essential to our mission to empower women and children in South Asia. Yet, millions of children continue to face huge obstacles that keep them out of school. In rural communities, gendered discrimination still prioritizes child marriage over girls' education, while systemic discrimination drives already marginalized boys out of school and into child labor. Only 1 in 100 girls from the poorest communities complete their education up to the equivalent of a high school diploma, while 5.4 million child laborers are boys under the age of 14.

Your support has helped us make huge strides towards providing education to all – but there is still more work to do. We want thousands more children to overcome inequality and become the changemakers of their own future – and we need your help to do that.

"Why do girls drop out?"

“Why do girls drop out?” Girls' education is rarely seen as a priority in South Asia. Among historically marginalized people, most girls remain at risk of being taken out of school and forced into illegal child marriages. In fact, over half are taken out of school to be married off before the age of 18, with a third married before age 13. Too often, this will mean a lifetime of household servitude, where domestic and sexual violence is commonplace. Without ownership of their choices and access to education, millions of young women remain bound to a future they don’t choose - one lived in isolation and silence. And, as long as these preconceptions remain unchallenged, young men will continue to grow up with and enforce these oppressive gender roles.

Meet a changemaker - Kavi's Story

Working together

We know that, to make a difference, we need the collaboration of the entire community. That’s why, to meet the complex problem of discrimination, we have developed a holistic and multi-faceted approach.

Our girl’s groups give young women training on their rights, legislation and leadership. They are given avenues to report and protect themselves against harassment and given resources and support to complete their education. We also work with boys to learn about their right to education, boosting their confidence and drive, whilst offering them financial support to complete their schooling and mitigate the risk of child labor. Our support groups with boys and men raise awareness about gender inequality and encourage their help to end child marriage/labor.

Meanwhile, our Bal Panchayats, or child parliaments, encourage inclusion by giving children a space to talk and discuss the problems they face, across different communities that are excluded from society. They can develop leadership skills by working with local councils to improve nearby resources and reduce discriminatory practices. The most at-risk children also receive supplementary education support to give them extra-curricular tutoring, as well as career counselling.

We also work with parents to encourage prioritizing and valuing children's education. We provide livelihood training to build entrepreneurial skills, allowing those parents to lessen the financial impact of making their child’s education a priority. By providing resources (education materials, transport, and mobiles for online learning), we can help to lessen the financial burden.