Congratulations
The “Back to School” Challenge Winners are in!
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!
Grand Prize Winner
Debrah A from the Philippines
Prize: $1,000 Scholarship
1st Runner Up
Sierra B from the Bahamas
Prize: $500 Scholarship
2nd Runner Up
Alina M from Belarus
Prize: $500 Scholarship
Thank you to every girl who shared her story with us!
Watch All Entries:
-
Georgia Youth Leaders from Georgia, United States
-
Alejandra from Bogota, Colombia
-
Emaan from Lahore, Pakistan
-
Itandehui from Conyers, United States
-
Jessica from Port Harcourt, Nigeria
-
Prativa from Lalitpur, Nepal
-
Tiechia from Portmore, Jamaica
-
Ariana from Arequipa, Perú
-
Chhavie from Jaisalmer, India
-
Azra from Maribor, Slovenia
-
Purity from Nyamira, Kenya
-
Eugenia from Accra, Ghana
-
Mehnaz from Lilongwe, Malawi
-
Paola from Almería, Spain
-
Debrah Jannsen DJ from Caloocan City, Philippines
-
Afi from Accra, Ghana
Do you love seeing other strong voices? Go deeper! Sign up to join Girls’ Voices Movement community, share your creativity and stories with girls and women professionals from around the world, and gain access to exclusive challenges where you can win additional scholarship funding.
More About Girls’ Voices at Home
The coronavirus pandemic affects us all. Many of us are sheltering in place, and many of us are experiencing significant challenges. Globally, we are living this shared experience, but we are all experiencing it differently.
We believe in the power of personal storytelling and connection to get through challenging times. You have a voice. You have a story to tell. And we want to hear it.
Periodically, we will release a new prompt for you to submit a photo or video related to this material. Your stories will be shared here for others to see, and you’ll be able to see what other girls are sharing across the world. You’ll have a chance to win prizes and help other girls around the world.
So: go create! We can’t wait to see what you have to share.
LEARN & SHARE
Learn how to share your intention through photography, taught by Photojournalist Jess Obert.
Learn how to make your story come alive through videography, taught by filmmaker and human rights activist Rebecca Dharmapalan.
Share with your network to get more people involved in sharing the message of girls’ empowerment.
Help Girls Around the World
Many girls globally lack access to food and other basic supplies, including many of our Girls’ Voices scholars. You can help by sending meals to those in need.