Making Sure Girls Count

Elina Seketsani, 15, dreams of being a teacher. She is from Dedza, a district near the capital of Malawi, a country in Africa. Her teachers say she's a smart girl who has a bright future. But a few years ago, she wasn't even sure she would finish the fourth grade.

When Elina was 9, she dropped out of school to work as a babysitter. She had to support her family. "My hopes of making it as a teacher were shattered," Elina says.

Malawi is one of the poorest nations in the world. Hunger and disease are part of daily life. Girls there are less valued than boys. "When a family doesn't have money to send all the kids to school, they'll send the boys first," says Brad Kerner of Save the Children. The group works with kids in poor countries.

The unequal treatment of girls is a problem in many parts of the globe. A new program from the Nike Foundation hopes to change that. It aims to show that girls are important. They can help fight poverty, disease and other problems. Nike calls it the "girl effect."

Girls Are the Solution
A girl can change the world. She just needs the right tools. Studies show that families benefit when girls stay in school. Educated women earn more money.

More than 600 million girls live in poverty worldwide. But groups are working to help these girls succeed. In Malawi, CARE is helping more than 15,000 girls. Reading circles, science camps and other activities promote girls' education. "When you educate a girl, her whole community benefits," says Sarah Bouchie of CARE.

Save the Children also has a program in Malawi. It encourages girls to stay in school. It teaches them business skills too. And boys are taught to respect girls.

A Second Chance
Elina Seketsani returned to school at age 13. With support from Save the Children, Elina has excelled. She is a role model for other girls. "Get an education," she tells them. "I am working hard to realize my dream of becoming a teacher."

I could not imagine a place where boys and girls were not treated equally. We discussed how veterans fought to help protect our country. How do you think we could help these girls in less fortunate countries? Sometimes the greatest ideas come from kids. Explain your thoughts.