The kidnapping of over 200 girls in Nigeria from their school by the extremist group Boko Haram - whose name means “Western education is forbidden” - is brutal and unfathomable.
The Vanier Social Justice Club is horrified that these girls were taken from school, the very place that offers them the potential to rise from poverty to opportunity.
Sixty-five million girls around the world are not in school and many more struggle to remain in school. We encourage everyone to take action in response to this kidnapping crisis and check out the Because I am a Girl website (http://becauseiamagirl.ca/) or The Malala Fund (http://malalafund.org/) and donate generously to make equal access to education a reality for all girls.
We all need to recognize that “when you invest in a girl, the whole world benefits.”
On the evening of Tuesday, May 13, the Vanier Social Justice Club will be sleeping at our school in solidarity with the abducted girls in Nigeria and all girls around the world who have to subject themselves to serious personal peril to simply get an education. The library will be open and students will be studying.
Older students will be mentoring younger students and we will all be reflecting on how often we take for granted that our education is protected and encouraged. We are fundraising for the charities above and we encourage people to drop by to visit before 9 p.m. and donate generously.
Keep a girl in school and unleash her potential!
Janet Clarke and Sylvie Hamel
Teacher sponsors,
Vanier Social Justice Club