14 million girls under 18 will be married this year. To put that in perspective, that is 38,000 girls today or 13 girls in the last 30 seconds. This is just one of the many facts presented through the amazing documentary, Girl Rising. Girl Rising documents the stories of nine girls from across the globe and the struggles they have faced being women. After watching this incredible documentary, you cannot help but feel inspired
The movie begins with Sokha, a young orphan from Cambodia, who was forced to rummage through the garbage to survive. “This is not the end. It is the beginning,” said Sokha, and she was right. Her life took off when she was able to attend school and is now a star student. Sokha is just one example of how educating girls really can transform our world. Like Sokha, another girl in the movie, Ruksana, showed that with persistence in your dreams, you can achieve anything. Ruksana was a young girl who lived as a “pavement dweller” in the streets of India. Her family sacrificed everything to be able to send her and her sister to school. She was able to escape through drawing and said, “That’s when I learned to never give up.” Her dedication to an education shows that if you never give up, you can do absolutely anything you want. Girls like Sokha and Ruksana, are carving a future in education for girls everywhere.
Girl Rising not only follows these amazing girls and their journeys but educates the viewers on the importance of education for girls. Quoting one of the girls, Amina from Afghanistan, who said, “Look into my eyes. Do you see it now? I am change.” This quote perfectly illustrates the purpose of the movie, which was to inspire change and ultimately start a movement around the world. Here at NDP, our girls are also trying educate and be educated about women’s issues so that we can go forth and help to fix them.
Kindness for Grace, Women’s Advocacy Day, the Girl Rising assembly, as well as the overall mission of NDP, teach the girls every day about issues facing girls today. We learn that despite the many obstacles we will face, with a strong education, moral core, and a little spunk, we can change the world. It is here, at NDP, that leaders are made. “Now there’s nothing to stop me. Nothing in the world. Nothing in the universe,” said by Mariama from Sierra Leone, a brilliant young girl who was able to start her own radio program, despite opposition from her family. This persistence and confidence is something that we can learn from Mariama and all the girls in Girl Rising.
Once we leave NDP, we are women ready to change the world, women of the Word, if you will. Through all of our efforts to educate NDP girls about women’s issues, we also aim to inspire girls to make a difference. With the education we are receiving, we can go into the world ready to dive right into change. It is safe to say that every NDP girl is a Girl Rising.
For more information about Girl Rising, you can visit www.girlrising.com.
Works Cited
Ten Times Ten LLC and Vulcan Productions, Inc. Girl Rising: One Girl With Courage is a Revolution, 2013. Web. 30 October 2013. <www.girlrising.com>.
