Targeting inequality where it starts

Although significant gains have been made in the past decade in enrolling more children in primary school, girls in the developing world are still dropping out at an alarming rate. Our program focuses on girls’ transition into and out of secondary school, since that’s where the biggest and most permanent gaps take place.

Our teams regularly interact with government officials and school administrators to promote more girl-friendly learning environments. This might include advocating for separate restrooms for female students, training teachers to be more inclusive or addressing safety issues.

Mentoring and life skills

Many of the girls we work with are among the first in their families and communities to finish secondary school. To help them meet the challenges they’ll face along the way, we employ mentors, or social mobilizers as we call them—who act as role models, counselors and advocates for the girls. In addition to serving as excellent examples of educated, empowered women in the community, our social mobilizers provide emotional support and guidance to help the girls along their own individual journeys.

We also facilitate life skills camps and workshops that help each girl develop the skills she’ll need to succeed in school and after graduation, such as self-awareness and empathy, communication and interpersonal skills, decision-making and problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, and coping with stress and emotions.

Meet one of our great social mobilizers »

Our results

More than 13,000 girls in nine countries will have access to improved educational opportunities and material support this year as part of Room to Read’s Girls’ Education program. Last year 95% of girls stayed in the program with a 97% advancement rate. We hope to reach 27,000 girls by 2014.