Michelle Obama:Celebrating the International Day of the Girl

Happy International Day of the Girl, everyone! A year ago today, the Obama Foundation launched the Girls Opportunity Alliance to empower adolescent girls through education.   This cause is close to my heart. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many inspiring girls from all around the world. From Cambodia and Japan to Morocco and Liberia, I’ve seen the promise unique to each one of them—and the resolve they have inside to get their education. Theirs are the stories and the smiling faces that have inspired me to keep doing everything I can to lift up these young women so they can fulfill their boundless potential. Right now, more than 98 million adolescent girls around the world are not in school. These girls are bright and hardworking, and when they have the chance to fulfill their potential with an education, they can transform families, communities, and even entire countries. We know that when we give these girls a chance to learn, they will seize it. That's why we’ve been working to lift up the grassroots leaders and organizations around the world who empower girls every single day.   Today, on the Day of the Girl, I'm thrilled to share the news that in December, I'll be traveling to Asia to meet with some of these girls and the organizations that support them. I’ll be going to Vietnam, where the Girls Opportunity Alliance is collaborating with Room to Read to shine a light on important efforts to empower girls. Together, we hope to equip more girls with the critical skills they need to become leaders of their own lives. I can’t wait to share these incredible stories with you, and I’m excited that the Girls Opportunity Alliance will be teaming up with the Today Show and YouTube Originals to introduce you to the girls we meet along the way. On the Day of the Girl and beyond, I hope that all of you will find a way to support education for adolescent girls around the world. You don’t have to fly to Vietnam—you can host a bake sale, organize a project with your friends, get your office involved, and so much more. Check out the projects on the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund and let us know how you’re taking action—because the future of our world is only as bright as our girls. —Michelle   Donate to organizations bringing opportunity to girls around the world: DONATE