Congratulations

This year, a record 1.5 billion students of all ages stayed home from school due to the coronavirus pandemic. And now, many countries, states, cities, families and school administrators are struggling with how to send students back to school safely.

Experts predict that continued school closures may lead to increased drop-out rates, particularly among adolescent girls, which will lead to increasing the gender gap in education that already exists. But brave girls everywhere are overcoming obstacles to ensure their education continues, whether it’s going to school on a phone, outside, homeschooling, or in a traditional classroom.

For 4 years, Girls’ Voices has provided training, education, and scholarships to keep girls in school. We believe every girl deserves a quality education.

So, we invited invite girls worldwide to share how they are staying strong and continuing their education in this challenging time. We asked girls to show us: “What does going ‘back to school’ mean for you this year? What challenges are you overcoming to continue your education?”

We received over 170 heartfelt entries, and our judges watched every single story to determine the winners. Now, we’re excited to share the “Back to School” challenge winners with you!

Debrah A from the Philippines

Prize: $1,000 Scholarship

Thank you to every girl who shared her story with us!

• Class of 2020

• Thank Your Teacher

• Spread Hope Challenge