“We cannot help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
Ronald Reagan
Former U.S. President
“One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness; it is usually returned.”
Unknown
Author unknown
“The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.”
DeAnn Hollis
Volunteer advocate
“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
Mother Teresa
Founder, Missionaries of Charity
Education is a fundamental right — girls are the last to receive it
Education promotes equality and lifts people out of poverty. It is not for a privileged few; it is for everyone. Yet for a girl in rural India, going to school is often the exception, not the rule — because her family does not see the value in educating a daughter who will one day marry and leave. When girls are denied education, the root cause is at work: girls being valued less than boys. Poor facilities, distance and poverty simply make it easier for families to make that choice. We are here to make keeping her in school the easier choice.
Why It Matters
Education is seen as an investment only in sons — educating a boy prepares the future earner. Educating a girl prepares someone who will marry into another house, so her schooling is not a priority. In poor households, girls are kept home to help with chores, because learning household work is thought to raise her value in the marriage market.
Quality, distance and safety — rural schools often lack quality teaching, female teachers, basic facilities and sometimes even electricity. Children may have to travel miles, and for a daughter, fear for her safety on the journey becomes one more reason for parents to keep her home.
Sanitation keeps girls out of school — many schools lack toilets, and many girls have no access to sanitary pads. After puberty, girls begin staying home during their periods — and eventually drop out altogether.
What This Means for Girls
According to UNICEF, 80 million of the 200 million children admitted to elementary schools in India are likely to drop out — about 40% of children aged 6 to 14 never complete elementary education. Dalits, tribal minorities and adolescent girls are the most likely to drop out.
A joint UNESCO study found that 47 million adolescents in India have not progressed to upper secondary school — the highest number of out-of-school adolescents in the world.
Proper education leads to better jobs and financial independence. When a girl is educated and skilled, she is valued for what she can become — not judged for being born a girl.
“For it is in giving that we receive.”
Francis of Assisi
Saint
How We Respond
When a girl stays in school, every other cause weakens. Education is the thread that, once pulled, begins to unravel the whole cycle.
Gender Inequality — the root cause: a girl’s schooling is seen as a cost, not an investment.
If an educated girl is our best defence against this cycle, then Support-A-Girl is how we act on it — keeping girls learning, cared for and safe until they can stand on their own.
Education is the most reliable way out of poverty for a girl — it improves her health, income, and the future of her own family. We focus on girls because they are the ones most often left behind.
Support-A-Girl keeps a girl in school end-to-end, and our Scholarship programme carries her on to college and a career, with mentoring throughout.
Yes. Over 600 girls have been supported, and educated girls delay marriage, earn more and invest back into their families and communities. We track attendance, results and progression to college.
Sponsor a girl, give a one-time or monthly gift, or start a fundraiser. Every rupee is tracked, and because our overheads are covered by a founder member, your donation goes to the girls.
