An educated girl can empower herself, lift her family, help her community, change her country.
– Girl Rising
When I first arrived on my small campus, joining a sorority was the last thing on my mind. This is true for most women, few of us go through high school dreaming of the formals we'll throw or the letters we'll wear. However, what drew me to recruitment was the work these women were doing for causes they were passionate about. Now as the VP of Philanthropic Service for my Panhellenic Council I get to raise money for a national philanthropy close to my heart.
The Circle of Sisterhood foundation exists to help girls across the globe better their lives through education. For many women an opportunity for quality education is limited or non-existent. Two-thirds of those who are illiterate around the world are women, and these same women are victims of poverty, hunger, oppression, sexual abuse, and brutality. However, education is the saving grace for many of these women.
By the Numbers:
-65 million girls are out of school around the globe
-32 million fewer girls are enrolled in primary school than boys
-Girls with secondary education are 6 times less likely to be married as children
-A literate mother has a 50 percent higher chance of her child surviving past the age of 5
-There are 9.9 million girls out of school in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Ethiopia
-In developing countries, the number one cause of death for girls aged 15-19 is childbirth
This is not just a wage gap.
In some families a mother may be forced to sell her daughter to pay to feed her family. There are countries where a man has the right to set his wife on fire because she has "dishonored" the family, or simply because he wants a new wife, with little repercussions. In Congo, a male child soldier is trained to believe it is his right to rape any woman he chooses. Across the world, barely literate parents believe sending their daughter to school is pointless.
“One study after another has shown that educating girls is one of the most effective ways to fight poverty. Schooling is often a precondition for girls and women to stand up against injustice, and for women to be integrated into the economy. Until women are numerate and literate, it is difficult for them to start businesses or contribute meaningfully to their economies.”
So why sorority women?
Many sororities were founded in the 19th century to support women who were fighting for the right to attend college and has paved the way for countless women to follow, like myself. Now as the largest network of educated women, it is our responsibility to continue removing barriers for women's education like our founders before us. Educated women overcome poverty. Educated women positively impact their economy. Educated women have smaller, healthier families.
Our job as the educated is to be aware of our privilege, and to use it to do our best to achieve great things. So please, join our circle. Break the cycle of poverty and oppression. #BeHerHero
*All facts/statistics taken from www.circleofsisterhood.org
