Michelle Obama :Happy International Day of the Girl!

 

Hi there, Happy International Day of the Girl! Today, I’m celebrating the power and promise of young women all over the world who have proven, time and again, that they are a force to be reckoned with. One of those girls is Rachel, an 18-year-old student who is taking part in a program in Namibia that is in our Girls Opportunity Alliance Network.   Raised by a single mom who has always pushed her to work hard, Rachel is determined to get ahead. While some of her peers have already been forced to drop out of school to marry, Rachel has committed herself to getting her education—and through an organization in the Girls Opportunity Alliance, she has the support she needs to do just that.  Physically Active Youth Namibia, an after-school program in Katutura, gives Rachel access to extra classes and to mentorship that she says has changed her life. During the pandemic, they delivered food to her family and homework to her house so that she could keep learning while schools were closed. And because of them, Rachel is now applying to college. Today, Rachel will be taking over my Instagram account to share her story. But she won’t be the only Girls Opportunity Alliance member you’ll see online. Girls from Uganda, Guatemala, Kenya, and Vietnam will also be taking over the accounts of my friends Kerry Washington, Orlando Bloom, Shonda Rhimes, and Brie Larson in honor of International Day of the Girl.  Stories like these are what inspired my work to empower girls as First Lady, and they’re what led us to start the Girls Opportunity Alliance at the Obama Foundation three years ago. I truly believe that every single one of us should do our part to support young women like Rachel. So I hope you’ll donate to the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund today in honor of a girl in your life. Every bit of support makes a difference—not just on this day, but all year long.  —Michelle   Make a gift today to support girls around the world: DONATE