Girl Rising

Just saw a great film with four close girlfriends. Entitled "Girl Rising" it is a documentary sharing powerful stories of young girls from developing countries around the world who overcome great odds and often serious trauma to pursue their dream of an education. Avoiding early marriage and bonded servitude are common themes, as half of all females married in a given year are under the age of 18. Others are victims of sex crimes and violence, and all are entrapped by their gender, which most always brings the stigma of second-best.  In one memorable scene, an 11-year-old girl from Afghanistan is given in marriage to a cousin many times her age for the price of $5000 USD. The money is then used to purchase a second-hand car for her brother.

Despite the trauma and poverty, all the girls in the film are determined to overcome their circumstances and pursue an education. Sometimes they are supported by parents or other family members and sometimes not. Money for school fees is a constant difficulty. In one instance, a family in Kollkotta lives on the street for lack of income for housing but still manages to scrape together enough money for school fees for their three daughters.

One of the best things we can do for developing countries - for everyone on the planet - is to educate girls. The film is inspirational and motivating, and friends and I are going to try to bring it to a local theater to show everyone on our email lists. Check it out:   Gathr Films: Girl Rising.