During her time as first lady, and long after, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most influential advocates for young girls’ education. Throughout her time advocating, she has emphasized the importance of leadership and service of young women in order to demonstrate that the power of education for girls will lead to stronger communities, better economies, and well-rounded nations.
Launched in partnership with President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama’s Let Girls Learn Initiative was a United States government initiative partnered with the Peace Corps in order to assist adolescent girls overcome the barriers of education around the world, such as lack of transportation, financial issues, early forced marriage, and gender-based violence. The Peace Corps volunteers helped identify communities that were in need of education projects, and the volunteers directly worked with girls, families, teachers, and community leaders. The projects in communities included building/repairing school facilities, creating mentorship and leadership programs for girls, emphasizing teacher training to make schools more gender-sensitive, and offering after-school programs for female health education. Michelle Obama used many global appearances, social media platform announcements, and speeches in order to spread awareness on the subject of girl’s education and the challenges that are faced. The Let Girls Learn Initiative was successful in creating and funding community-led projects in almost 50 countries with over $1 billion invested, improving access to education for millions of girls around the world.
After leaving the white house, Michelle Obama was determined in continuing her mission with the launch of the Girls Opportunity Alliance. Founded in 2018 by Obama as a part of the Obama Foundation, the goal was to empower adolescent girls around the world through leadership and educational opportunities. Obama’s belief was that when girls receive an adequate education, they will have the power and ability to make a major impact on their families and communities. The Alliance provides financial support and mentorship to local organizations around the world regarding girls’ education, as they offer scholarships, after-school programs and classes, and skills training to help girls overcome challenges. Along with funding, the “Get Her There” campaign aligns with the goals of the Alliance, calling for action to promote empowerment of adolescent girls while working to bring together collaborators to increase the impact of community organizations. The Alliance heavily supports sharing stories of young women and offering a platform for individuals to directly donate to the fund or to start their own community fundraiser.
Michelle Obama’s initiatives, story telling, and fundraising has not only provided educational opportunities for millions of girls around the world, but also introduced the conversation of gender equality worldwide. Her message of empowering girls through education has already produced impacts of creating an equitable world regarding gender education and leadership opportunities for girls.
