Dividing political parties and upsetting the nation, the issue of education does not cease to cause intense debate and disorder. But not many people, including myself until now, can even comprehend the limitations of education throughout the rest of the world, and its infinite positive effects on those people. An upcoming documentary, Girl Rising, is the quintessential film about the dire need of education in impoverished foreign countries, and has the possibility to inform and influence millions of people.
Girl Rising is a film that is dressed to the nines, but not in that literal sense. It is documentary written by 9 different writers, narrated by 9 different popular actresses, that follows the lives of 9 strong, young girls from 9 different countries that include Cambodia, India, Nepal, Egypt, Peru, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Haiti, and Sierra Leone. Girl Rising portrays the real life stories of these 9 impoverished girls and shows the powerful influences of education that changed their lives.
Girl Rising is presented by 10 x 10, a social action campaign created by a team of former ABC News journalists and also with The Documentary Group and Vulcan Productions. The main goal of this campaign is to inspire people to take action for girls and help change the world.
According to the World Bank’s Measuring the Economic Gain of Investing in Girls, a girl with an extra year of education can earn up to 20% more as an adult. For disadvantaged families in impoverished countries, that 20% has the potential to save lives.
Education encompasses amazing opportunities for any person who receives it, and I know that as a teenage girl living in the suburbs of Pennsylvania, I have completely taken this for granted. According to the 10 x 10 website, education for girls can have the potential to reduce poverty, reduce child mortality, reduce population growth, reduce HIV infection rates, change conditions that may lead to terrorism, and reduce corruption.
Although an infinite struggle for girls’ education is indeed ahead of us, there are people who are nobly trying to make a difference. Recently, Angelina Jolie has opened all-girls elementary schools in Afghanistan, and Oprah Winfrey founded the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa in 2007. Hopefully, many more of these empowering institutions will soon open and flourish.
Not only is Girl Rising spreading awareness, but it is also taking action by contribution. Intel Corporation in association with 10 x 10 and its partners are working to provide financial assistance to the girls featured in the film to help them further their education.
Girl Rising is currently showing only in select theaters, and will be available in Regal Cinemas across the country April 19-25.
More information can be found at www. girlrising.com/?id10x10=A17DD2FEC5621EB4, and the trailer can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BJsvklXhYaE