Posted: 18 Sep 2008 06:53 AM CDT
The education of women is far and away the most important factor in explaining how it is that fertility rates have fallen worldwide, even in countries where there were no organized family-planning services. The reason is simply that women, when they become educated, when they realize that they have choices in life, when there are other ways to gain status, to improve their welfare, they typically choose to have fewer children, and they avail themselves of whatever means available.
$1.5 million would fund 6,000 holistic scholarships for young girls in the developing world. The scholarships not only cover school fees, but also include academic tutoring, life skills workshops, parent workshops, medical coverage, and female mentoring. By providing access to education, we can empower girls to seek the increased opportunities that only education can provide, and ultimately to create a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.