Adina’s parents don’t encourage her to attend school--in fact, it’s not an option. Her family cannot afford to educate Adina and also her brothers; the male members of the family must get priority in education. She’s expected to stay at home to help her family with the household chores so that one day she will be a good wife and mother for her family.
She grows up illiterate, without education regarding family planning and health. At age 15, Adina’s family decides that she is ready to marry a man who knows one of her older brothers. She is forced into marriage and soon after becomes pregnant with her first child. Her body and general health take a toll as a result of this pregnancy.
She gives birth to their first daughter who begins the same cycle of life that Adina had.
Adina is a 10 year old girl living in Amhara, Ethiopia. Adina is the youngest child of five; her two older sisters have gotten married a couple years ago, so she spends a lot of time with her brothers when she can.
She typically spends most of her time helping her mom at home with chores and once those are done she’s able to go outside to play. Her brothers spend most of the day outside with their father working in the farm harvesting food, but they also go to school or venture out to other places since one day they will have to work outside the house.
She is an active young girl who is curious about how the world works. Overall, Adina lives a busy but happy life with her family.
Although it was a financial challenge, Adina’s family worked very hard to save enough money to send her to the nearby school for an education. They agreed that she would help with the household chores in the evenings after school.
For the first time in her life, Adina finds friends outside of her immediate family members. In the classroom, she has the opportunity to socialize and also learn mathematic and reading skills. At 10 years old, Adina finally owns her own books.
Adina is fortunate enough to stay in school throughout secondary school and as a result is well educated woman upon graduation. Due to her education, Adina becomes financially literate and obtains a job in a nearby city, where she becomes a teacher.
82 percent of girls in Ethiopia will never be able to read.
Let's change that. Together. Join EmpowHER, a movement to help young girls in Ethiopia reach the completion of their secondary education. All around the world, women who are educated are more likely to have greater economic opportunities and are less likely to grow up without contracting HIV/AIDS and being forced into early marriage and childbirth. The donations raised by EmpowHER go directly towards Girl Effect in Ethiopia which will provide opportunities for young girls all over the country.
Meet Brianna
Meet Ariana
Brianna is a senior studying Public Relations with a minor in Leadership & Social Change and a cognate in Marketing Management. Brianna is an active member in Kappa Kappa Gamma, whose philanthropy is Reading is Fundamental. Spending four years encouraging literacy is what fostered a soft spot to create this campaign.
After graduation this spring she will be working for a consulting firm in the DC Metro area.
Ariana is a senior studying Public Relations with minors in Spanish and Professional Technical Writing. Ariana is an active member in Gamma Phi Neta, whose philanthropy is Building Strong Girls. Working with her sorority chapter has made herpassionate about the empowerment and mentorship of young girls. After graduating, she will be pursuing her Masters in College Student Affairs Adminsitration at The University of Georgia.
http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/factsheets_ed/ET_EDFactSheet.pdf
http://web.linkethiopia.org/projects/fund-a-project/girls-education/
https://www.womankind.org.uk/where-we-work/ethiopia
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ethiopia_statistics.html
Connecting the dots, it’s possible to see that there is a correlation between girls not moving on to secondary school and child marriage. Through education, these young girls can escape child marriage, realize their economic and personal potential, live safer lives, find a voice within their communities, and gain autonomy over their futures.
Young girls are not the only ones who benefit from education in Ethiopia. In fact, so will their children, families, communities and the economic growth of their countries. According to a study on country-specific constraints to higher return investments in adolescent girls, if every Ethiopian girl had the opportunity to finish secondary school, it would add almost $4 billion to the Ethiopian economy.
Girl Effect Ethiopia works to understand what it means to be a girl in Ethiopia. Their research uses engaging and participatory approaches to better understand girls’ lives, aspirations and challenges to work with policy makers, donors and partners in the private sector, who can deliver large-scale programs and ensure girls are at the heart of the development agenda in Ethiopia.
MORE RESOURCES
The funding raised from EmpowHER would go directly to Girl Effect, a non-profit company leading a movement to reform social norms and provide education for young girls in poverty. Girl Effect has a campaign dedicated solely to Ethiopia; the money made from EmpowHER would go towards working with policy makers, donors and partners to help large-scale educational programs to ensure the permanent development of girls in Ethiopia.
You can turn this story into a reality. Donate to change the future for Adina and other girls like her.
Bring us to your campus: The Pathways Project
The Pathways Project is an interactive event geared toward universities and colleges around the nation. Flags are placed throughout high-traffic spots on campus for students to read as they pass through. This event is meant to give students the opportunity to walk the path of a young girl in Ethiopia. This intense simulation raises awareness about the importance of education for these girls and also leads students to look at more resourcs online, and eventually, to donate to the cause.
