Education is the key to healthy and productive lives

Education is one of the most
powerful,long-term and sustainable solutions that the world has to
reduce global poverty and improve the lives of billions of people.
It can provide people with the knowledge and skills they need to lead
healthy and productive lives as well as promote economic and political
stability.

Educating girls can raise economic productivity, lower infant and
maternal mortality, improve nutrition and promote health(including the
prevention of HIV/AIDS), and increase the likelihood of education in
subsequent generations.
Yet girls currently make up more than half of all children out of
school.

Just like what i witness in my community, when money is scarce, parents
tend to place greater value on educating their sons,who are assumed to
be the future breadwinners of the family.The other barriers witnessed
are as follows:-

a) over reliance on women and girls for household and farm labor thus
girls are often expected to contribute more than boys with regard to
household chores and upkeep.

b) Lack of family funds and resources for school fees and supplies-The
high cost of enrolling girls in school-combined with the loss of
valuable help at home-makes it not \"worth it\" to many poor families.

c) Concerns about safety also keep girls in our community home, for
they have to walk up to 10 miles to reach the classrooms.

d) Practices such as early marriages

e) The undervaluing of education for girls in general society.

f) Frequent school absences from preventable diseases.

These barriers have caused many girls in my community to be house wives
for they don't have education that will enable them to be working women.
Most of them survive by doing farm work of which unfortunately most of
them are again unable to take their children to school.

Fortunately for me, i was brought up in a family which values education
and my father being a headteacher in a local school in my village that
made it easy for me to attain education without any difficulties but
some girls in the village opt to work as house girls for a while in
search for funds to go back to school and a few of them have managed and
finally attained their dreams.

Ensuring that girls receive the education they deserve requires a
coordinated, global effort by individuals communities, businesses and
government.Developing countries like Kenya must work to abolish school
fees, build more schools, hire more teachers, encourage parents and
communities to invest in girls education and create girl-friendly
schools that are safe and without bias.

My vision is to partner with local organizations and community leaders
to work with girls, their families and their communities to promote the
importance of girls education, help families work through the obstacles
that keep their daughters from going to school and assist teachers,
families and community members in promoting and supporting girls
education at all levels.