Experience has demonstrated many times over that one of the most powerful approaches to reducing poverty in developing countries is education — and particularly education for girls.
With an education, girls in these developing countries gain more independence and control over their own bodies, choose to marry later, choose to have fewer children, remain healthier, and, in general, devote their time, energies, and resources to taking care of their families.
Often, when we educate a girl we not only change her life but we also change the lives of both her current and future families. Just think of the ripples on and on to future generations. And, educated girls often bring important changes to their villages as well.
In two cases we support organizations educating exclusively girls. Most child care organizations, however, are co-ed. In those cases, we insist upon gender neutrality as reflected in a population of at least 50% girls receiving equal treatment with the boys in all respects.
