Arianna Merritt, M.Ed.

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The Power of Girls: Empowerment Through Education

Arianna Merritt

Today I am writing as part of the 2011 Girl Effect Blogging Campaign in support of the Girl Effect.  “The Girl Effect” is a powerful idea: by investing in girls in the developing world, we make an incredibly effective investment in eradicating poverty, creating thriving communities, and slowing the spread of AIDS.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIvmE4_KMNw&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Such an important message:  Invest in a girl and she will do the rest.  

Many of us, however, may see this ad on the television or in the newspaper but not accept it as a reality, because this oppression isn't occuring in our everyday life.  Let me tell you, oppression of some kind is occurring in your life.  The whole world is connected.

The one statistic that really struck a chord with me was: 130 million children lack the opportunity to go to school!  Something that I took for granted.  That number is HUGE - it is almost four times the population of CANADA and half the population of the United States.

Have a listen as Anita shares her empowering story:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvtF9ken350&fs=1&hl=en_US]

As you can see, Anita's story is pretty inspiring and really opened my eyes and touched my heart.

You can watch the stories of four other Girls here.

Watching the videos made me think of what my life was like at twelve-years old. Marriage and Family (i.e., being a wife and mother) were the last things on my mind.   All I was worried about was getting good grades, playing sports, and having fun with my friends.

The girls in these stories value education, whereas most people in Western society take it for granted.

As an educator, athlete, and activist, I really see the importance of education (especially for girls). Education leads to health and prosperity. These girls are just like us except they live in a different country.  We are all citizens of the same planet, and we all call the earth our home. I think it is our responsibility to show some concern and help for our neighbours.

By putting a focus on education, you will be helping to reduce issues of: AIDS in the developing world, child marriage, child prostitution, domestic violence, global poverty, etc.

I feel so blessed for getting the opportunities to go to middle school, high school, and two separate Universitites for my undergraduate and graduate work.   I won't stop emphasizing the value of education in someone's life.  My motto is: EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION!

Prior to learning about the Girl Effect, I was focusing on issues that were happening in my environment.  I should branch out and help empower individuals all over the world.   The voices of these women are just as important as the other ones I hear.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."-Nelson Mandela 

I have been inspired to do more.  I have been encouraging women to become their best in sport, education, and in life.  I am not sure as of right now how to expand my ideas or what that will entail but the journey always starts somewhere. :) What I can do today is tell you about the Girl Effect and encourage you to take part in any way you can.

If you are a blogger - you should write your own Girl Effect blog post this week (October 4th - 11th).  You can get started by checking out this page - here.

So what are you waiting for,  lets show the world the power of GIRLS!

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.

See you at the beach!

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