Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo Valley

There are about 30 million girls in India who are illiterate as they drop out soon after primary school for a variety of reasons.

Investing in girls' education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty. Investments in secondary school education for girls yields especially high dividends. Girls who have been educated are likely to marry later and to have smaller and healthier families. Educated women can recognize the importance of health care and know how to seek it for themselves and their children. Education helps girls and women to know their rights and to gain confidence to claim them.

Surya-Chandra Foundation thanks the boys & girls at Johnston and Morton Clubs for their contribution in 2015 and 2016 to help educate and empower girls half way across the world in India.

In a world filled with greed, fear, anger, and hatred towards fellow human beings, these children have shown unconditional love and compassionate concern for the girls they have chosen to help.

The girls in India are from impoverished families, who try to eke out a living on less than two dollars a day. Without the support from our boys & girls:

1) they will not receive a nutritional meal every day in the After School program

2) they will not have proper school supplies including books, notebooks, pen, and pencils

3) they will not stay in school until they complete high school

4) their parents might marry them off early without their consent

5) they might be abused by others

6) they could become victims of trafficking for slave labor or prostitution

7) they might experience early pregnancy, and worse yet die due to complications of unwanted pregnancy

We admire the commitment of our boys and girls to find ways to raise money and make monthly contributions to this noble cause. They truly deserve the badge of honor for world class citizenship for paying it forward.

Mother Teresa would be proud of them, because of their humble, yet powerful contribution to help those in need. They live up to what she had said -- "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples"

Malala can feel a glimmer of hope for realizing her vision of educating and empowering girls everywhere when she comes to know how our boys and girls are setting the examples for others to emulate.

We are certainly delighted and thankful to the Boys & Girls Club of Conejo Valley, especially Mark Elswick, President of the Club, for giving us the opportunity to work with these wonderful human beings!