Rebecca Adlington says school friends pushed her to swim as she backs education charity appeal

According to statistics from the United Nations, less than two-thirds of girls graduate from primary school and only one-third of girls graduate from secondary school, respectively.

There are many other places where girls face barriers to education, including poverty, conflict, and cultural norms, including early marriage, in addition to Afghanistan, which is the only nation where girls are forbidden from attending school. In the West, girls typically outperform boys in terms of academic performance, but in poorer nations they frequently fail to do so.

Today, on the International Day of Education, an impressive line-up of female celebrities are backing the charity Plan International’s winter appeal to help girls around the world to finish school. Celebrity chef Nisha Katona, a judge on the BBC’s Great British Menu, who grew up in Ormskirk, Lancs, Is using profits from her restaurant chain Mowgli Street Food, to fund the transformation of two girls ‘ schools in her family’s home city of Varanasi in India.

She and some of the staff members of her restaurants visited the project last year and saw how well-regarded girls in the neighborhood are getting with access to education. The value of education, according to Nisha, resonates profoundly with me as a person with roots in Varanasi. I felt a call to give back to the city that inspired me after seeing the potential impact it can have.

Rebecca Adlington, a TV personality with Olympic gold, Kate Lawler, EastEnders, and Molly Rainford, all support the campaign and share positive schoolday stories. Without the friendships I made in school, swimmer Rebecca says, “I don’t think I would have felt as confident in my swimming ability.” It’s shocking that around the world 40% of girls don’t finish school. Education is a right not a privilege. We must take all possible steps to remove the barriers preventing girls from entering classrooms.

Kate Lawler, the first female winner of Big Brother, adds: “I think the impact my education had on who I am today is monumental”. According to Mary Rainford, “education gives you the confidence to pursue your dreams and to know that you have a choice.” Every girl should get that chance, it’s the starting point for everything else”.

Girls from all over the world are being aided by Plan International, including:

Rosa, 14, Mozambique

Forcibly displaced by the conflict in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique’s northernmost province, Rosa, 14, now lives in a resettlement centre with her mother, sister and brother, attending a temporary learning space built by the charity. She says: “Classes are going well. I got a uniform, notebooks, pens, pencils and even a bag to put the books in. I couldn’t read before, but thanks to this support, my performance at school has improved a lot.

Many families have been separated, people have been shot, others have died, and many children have managed to escape safer areas because of the ongoing attacks. Many cannot even study. Thanks to this project, the children are getting help and are getting better. “

Dabo, 11, of Ethiopia

Like many girls in Borena, Ethiopia, drought-related hunger forced Dabo, 11, to leave school three years ago, in first grade. She says:” The reason I left school is because my parents couldn’t afford to buy me anything. I couldn’t attend classes because I was hungry. To make a better life for my family, I want to be an educated girl. I want to have a school bag, pens and books. It was three years ago that we lost everything. I eat once a day. When we don’t have any food, we stay hungry. “

Lakshina, 14, of Nepal

Lakshina, 14, from Dolpa district in Nepal, is passionate about fighting harmful traditional practices like child marriage. She says, “These behaviors prevent us from receiving education and living our lives to the fullest. Every girl should have the freedom to choose her own future and pursue her goals without being bound by outdated customs, in my opinion.

Lakshina, who wants to work as a nurse, makes two days out each week to her school, where she spends her days living in a hostel. She says:” With the support of my family, I am determined to achieve my dream. The Adolescent Girls’ Club’s organizers, “Lakshina and her friends,” hold events at their school to educate students about the dangers of early marriage and the significance of gender equality.

” We organise debating competitions, spoken performances, poetry contests and street plays, “says Lakshina”. These activities help us effectively communicate the importance of girls’ rights and the harmful effects of child marriage.

Girls can find out more about Plan International UK’s Winter Appeal on their website.

Source: Mirror