Friday, 5 July 2013

Raising Awareness With Girl Up

By Connie Sears


It is a sad fact that in many places around the world, young people do not have the same access to resources as those in more developed parts of the world. Young girls are particularly subject to this lack, and the Girl Up organization seeks to help. Their main goal is to get girls involved and aware of just what their counterparts are facing so that they can help to correct the situation.

Girl Up is run by the United Nations Foundation, and connects American teenagers with their counterparts in less economically stable areas of the world. One of the easiest ways that people can get involved is by donating five dollars or more. This money, known as a "high five," can go toward many things that girls in these areas might need.

Education is one very important area that is often overlooked in developing areas. Young people may find it difficult to continue with their studies if they are in a situation where they feel they must work to support their families rather than stay in school. For many reasons, it is crucial for girls to be educated, so Girl Up aims to make sure that they do.

Many girls may also never receive proper health care without assistance, which is particularly worrying when one considers that they are also more likely to marry and have children earlier. The risk of disease is high, as is the risk of dying in childbirth at an early age. Helping them get proper medical care can not only improve the quality of their everyday life, it can actually save lives, too.

Abuse is an ugly topic, but it is a very real danger for those in these areas. Girls are at a particularly high risk for sustaining damage that can stay with them for a lifetime, both mentally and physically. Girl Up sees the urgency of this threat, and aims to alleviate it as much as possible through both action and education.

Social media is one of the most effective ways for messages like this to be spread, and this organization is very active in doing so. They may be found through Facebook and Twitter, as well as through their website. Anyone who wishes to get involved can easily do so by going through one of these channels to find out how they can immediately begin making a difference.

It is easy to set up an individual chapter of Girl Up with just a few members. Their website offers kits containing information on how to get started, and they are active in supporting the different clubs that are connected with them. Whether through a school or not, any who wish to become involved in this way are welcome.

With such large problems looming over so many girls around the world, it can be difficult to feel like there is anything that can be done. However, Girl Up and organizations like them are reaching out to show that even the smallest steps are important ones. Their message and their actions truly make a difference in many lives.




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