Michelle Obama announced a new initiative Thursday called the Global Girls Alliance to empower girls around the world through education.
The announcement coincided with the International Day of the Girl.
In an op-ed posted on CNN.com, the former first lady said more than 98 million adolescent girls around the world are not in school. She hopes to change that through the Obama Foundation’s Global Girls Alliance.
“We’re seeking to empower adolescent girls around the world through education, so that they can support their families, communities and countries,” Obama said.
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She added that education is an important tool in helping to change lives.
“Girls who attend secondary school earn higher salaries, have lower infant and maternal mortality rates, and are less likely to contract malaria and HIV. And studies have shown that educating girls isn’t just good for the girls, it’s good for all of us,” she explained.
Through the alliance, Obama aims to support grassroots leaders in communities who are “clearing away the hurdles that too many girls face.”
The new initiative will be “offering scholarships, launching mentorship programs, preparing girls to become entrepreneurs.”
The alliance has partnered with GoFundMe to create a new social fundraising platform — found at GlobalGirlsAlliance.org/donate — where “anyone, anywhere around the world, can support girls in places like India, Guatemala, or Uganda.”
Obama encouraged everyone to visit the website and help.
