As a valued member of the School for Life community, I wanted you to be the first to know about our exciting new initiative, School for Life’s Girls’ Fund, which we’ll be launching on 14 October 2020 as we celebrate the United Nations International Day of the Girl.
School for Life's Ambassador, Georgie Gardner, will be hosting this special event and we are also thrilled to be joined by the Hon Julie Bishop who in her role as Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia (2013 - 2018) played a critical role in the global effort to empower women and girls. She remains a strong advocate of education in her current role as Chancellor of the Australian National University.
We'll be giving a live progress update on our COVID-19 response from the ground in Uganda, a tour of the girls' boarding facility which is currently under construction, meet an incredible High School student Diana and you'll have an opportunity to ask our team questions live.
At School for Life, we believe that all children deserve the opportunity to realise their potential through a quality education. We recognise that some children face additional barriers that require extra support in order for them to have an equal opportunity to thrive and contribute fully to their families, communities and wider economies.
School for Life’s Girls’ Fund will support our innovative programs that provide the support and infrastructure for the additional interventions required to remove the cultural and gendered barriers to the education and participation of girls, thereby helping to create sustainable change and address the root causes of poverty and inequality in local Ugandan communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unsettling reminder of the disproportionate impact of disasters and crises on women and girls. Experience shows that during times of crisis and uncertainty girls are more likely to suffer from premature school drop-out, early and forced marriage, trauma, an increased labour burden, increased rates of STIs including HIV, and unwanted pregnancy. These times are also linked to increased violence against women and girls, underpinning the urgency to ensure that girls do not fall through the cracks.
It is estimated that 11 million girls in developing countries will never return to school as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
I do hope that you’re able to join us on this momentous occasion and I very much look forward to seeing you then.
Warmest wishes,
Annabelle Chauncy OAM
School for Life Foundation
PO Box 229
CROWS NEST NSW 1585
ABN: 44 134 595 681