"A Mother's Dream" reminds us that as we enter the holiday season and approach a new year, mothers rich and poor are thinking about their children's future happiness. Across the globe, mothers say their greatest dream is to see their daughters finish school and to have a future happier and more prosperous than their own. But often, for want of a few dollars, the dream of school is out of reach. School fees, books, supplies, transport and uniforms all cost money that women in urban slums just don't have.
Meanwhile, experts from the World Bank to U.S. President Barack Obama say there is no better investment in global economic development than investing in the education, health and safety of girls. The formula is a simple one: To end poverty, keep girls in school.
Educated girls are a powerful force for positive change. Education increases prosperity and improves health. Educated girls are more likely to marry later, have healthier babies and send their own children to school. For each year a girl stays in school, her lifetime income increases by 10%, and she has the tools to get a job and be part of the formal economy.
"An educated girl lifts up her world," said Dr. Susan M. Blaustein, Founder and Executive Director of WomenStrong International. "Educated girls grow into women with the power to improve the lives of their families, their communities and their nations. For a small sum less than the price of a new cellphone, you can put a girl through high school and on the road to a better life for her and her family, for decades to come."
To hear more from mothers about mothers' dreams for their daughters around the world, or make a donation to help, visit https://www.womenstrong.org/campaigns/a-mothers-dream.
And share you own dreams for your daughters, sisters and the young girls in your life at #SponsorHerDream, and let's join together to better our world in the New Year!
ABOUT WOMENSTRONG INTERNATIONAL
WomenStrong International is a consortium of non-profit organizations in five nations supporting women-driven solutions to extreme urban poverty. WSI emerged from a decade of work at Columbia University's Millennium Cities Initiative where we found the most successful programs were local and led by women. Through our Consortium members in Ghana, Kenya, Haiti, India, and Washington, D.C., we help thousands of women and girls meet their 6 Essential Needs for health, shelter, safety, education, economic empowerment and a functioning urban environment. These women, in turn, improve the lives of their children, families, communities and nations. WomenStrong believes the path out of poverty and toward a more just and prosperous world can be found by making women strong. For more information, visit www.womenstrong.org.
Contact: Sydney Rubin, WomenStrong International, [email protected]
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161125/442875
SOURCE WomenStrong International
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