Stories of girls/victims

Malala, Pakistan

A few months ago, Malala Yousafzai was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a Taliban attack in which she was shot point-blank in the head and neck. The shooting was meant to silence, once and for all, the outspoken Pakistani teenager who had dared to defy the Taliban's ban against girls in school.

But it backfired: Instead of silencing the 15-year-old, the attack only made her voice more powerful. Malala's story has raised global awareness of girls' education, a cause she has championed for years.

"God has given me this new life," she said in February, her first public statement since the shooting. "I want to serve the people. I want every girl, every child, to be educated."

Yasmin, Egypt

"He was strong, but I was stronger."

An Egyptian girl of 12 whose family can't afford to send her to school has very few options. She can become a street kid; she can become a bride; she can become a target.

Yasmin -- whose name was changed and story portrayed by an actress out of concern for her safety -- is lured into the trap of a sexual predator. But what she doesn't become is a victim. Yasmin becomes a superhero. 

Where is she now? Update from 10x10: "When we were last in touch, 13-year-old Yasmin was engaged to be married and had never been to school. The volatility of daily life for Cairo's poor has only been amplified by the current political climate, and despite our partner NGOs' efforts to enroll Yasmin in literacy classes, Yasmin's mother considered a marriage proposal to be a more secure investment in her daughter's future. The current whereabouts of Yasmin and her family are unknown." 

Mariama, Sierra Leone

"Now there's nothing to stop me. Nothing in the world. Nothing in the universe."

Mariama describes herself as a typical teenager, which in itself is remarkable. Her poverty-stricken country, Sierra Leone, is still recovering from a brutal decade of civil war.

But Mariama isn't looking back; she is the voice of the future. She is the first in her family to go to school and already has her own radio show and dreams of being a famous scientist and a television star. 

Where is she now? Update from 10x10: "Mariama's fresh voice and bold opinions continue to ride the airwaves, inspiring thousands of girls in Sierra Leone. Her ambitions and efforts on behalf of female empowerment don't stop at radio, however. Under the supervision of one of the country's leading female journalists, she is co-authoring a report on gender equality in Sierra Leone that she plans to self-publish and distribute in schools. Mariama is in her junior year of Secondary School, and on track for University." 

Wadley, Haiti

"I will come back every day until I can stay."

Wadley is 7 years old when the world comes crashing down around her. When Haiti's catastrophic earthquake destroys lives, homes and families, Wadley's happy life with her mother, filled with friends and school, becomes a struggle to survive in a teeming tent city, devastation and grief all around. But Wadley believes she is meant to do something special with her life -- and that the way to begin is by getting back to school. What happens when this irrepressible spirit confronts a system that tells her she is unworthy of an education is an inspiration to the world. 

Where is she now? Update from 10x10: "Wadley's mega-watt smile shines even brighter now that she's back in school, and gets brighter still when she has her head in a science book -- her favorite subject. She has also developed a love of photography. ... Partners in Health has given Wadley a camera, and she say she loves to take pictures and give them to family and friends 'because it makes them happy.'"

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Suma, Nepal

"Change is like a song you can't hold back."

Suma's brothers are sent to school, but her parents have no money for a daughter's education. Given into bonded servitude at age 6, Suma labors in the house of a master from before dawn until late at night.

For years, the Nepali girl suffers in silence, until music gives her a voice. A stroke of luck and kindness gives Suma a chance to go to school -- and a crusader is born. 

Where is she now? Update from 10x10: "In addition to helping free other kamlari, Suma has been in school and studying for her School Leaving Exams. ... And she still finds comfort and inspiration in songwriting. 'My songs have always centered me. They tell me from where I am coming from and how far I have to go.'" 

Senna, Peru

"Poetry is how I turn ugliness into art."

La Rinconada, Peru, is a bleak corner of the world that regularly turns out two things: gold from deep within its mountain, which is immediately sent far away; and despair, which remains. Senna's is the poorest of the poor mining families clinging to that mountain. Every day is a struggle. Yet, somehow, she was given two magnificent gifts: a father who named her for a warrior princess and insisted that she goes to school, and a talent with words. And when Senna discovered poetry, everything changed. 

Where is she now? Update from 10x10: "With the help of CARE Peru, Senna and her family moved from La Rinconada's icy peaks to a nearby city with better housing and schools. Writing poetry, still Senna's passion, is helping ease her transition to this new life. One bright spot is learning to use the Internet -- opening the world to this once-isolated girl. She recently found the courage to stand up at a meeting of local nonprofits and demand better sanitation for her school -- thanks to Senna, the issue is being addressed." 

Azmera, Ethiopia

"What if a girl's life could be more?"

When Azmera turned 13, it was time for the Ethiopian girl to be given to a stranger in marriage, like her mother and grandmother before her. But Azmera refused. Azmera is fearful, but she is not alone. She has a champion beside her: an older brother who would give up anything for his sister to be able to stay in school. Together, brother and sister dare to reject her fate. 

Where is she now? Update from 10x10: "Having escaped the fate of early marriage, Azmera still lives with her family and has been able to remain in school, where her grades reflect her hard work -- especially in her favorite subjects of English and Mathematics. Her goal is to someday become a community leader who works against child marriage. She also plans to be a teacher, 'in order to educate girls just like me,' she says." 

Amina, Afghanistan

"Look into my eyes. Do you see it now? I am change."

To be born a girl in Afghanistan is often to be ushered into a life of servitude, where girls have very little worth and very dim futures. Amina is forced to marry at 12, to bear a child though still a child herself -- while her own brother is given her dowry money to buy a used car.

But Amina, whose name was changed and story portrayed by an actress out of concern for her safety, has had enough, and she is fighting back. 

Where is she now? Update from 10x10: "Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any update on Amina. Ongoing communication with the NGO who supports Amina could endanger both Amina's safety and the very work the organization is effecting in the region. There is some good news, though. Today, there are more girls in school than in any time during Afghanistan's history." 

Question and Answers from the director of girl rising

                     Q&A with Director of Girl Rising
                                      Academy Award-Nominee Richard E. Robbins

The film is a hybrid of a documentary and narrative film. Can you explain what that means?
Well, my approach to filmmaking is as much about problem solving as about any kind of artistic vision. So when we decided that we wanted to tell the stories of these girls, and once we understood what those stories were really about, then we began to talk about the most effective ways to do that. We wanted to keep them very close to the reality, but we also wanted to control the material so that we can be very specific about the story we are telling. I like to think that we have the best of both worlds – the truth of documentary with the control and flexibility of fiction.
And each chapter is different. Some involve actors. Some involve no actors. Some involve scripted dialogue, while others have no speaking at all. For us it was really about the best way to tell each story.
What you have is real girls playing themselves in slightly fictionalized accounts of stories from their own lives. I’ve never known exactly what to call that, but I think the result is extremely compelling.

You found an incredible group of women from around the world. How did you cast the girls?
We probably met thousands of girls in the pre-production and research. In each of our countries we worked with our partners on the ground who deal with these girls every day- organizations that work directly on girls’ education issues. They helped us meet girls. So we travelled a lot, doing dozens of interviews in each location.
But the final selection of each girl was made by the writer who helped tell her story. To us the whole idea was that we wanted our audience to hear a story from the girl’s point of view – so the story needed to be crafted by someone who understood the girl’s situation better than I could. Our writers are very accomplished women who come from the same country as the girl. These writers looked at the interviews and profiles we gathered in the field, and then chose a girl that she felt connected to. That emotional connection was really the most important thing, because we want to make the audience feel for the girls. Once the girls were chosen, then the writers and the girls spent some time together, and the stories emerged from that.
The film is part of a larger cause led by the 10 X 10 Foundation, to educate girls around the world from impoverished countries. 

Can you talk about the overall goals and how the film contributes to them?
We laid out three goals at the start. That’s pretty unusual to begin with for a film project, but we felt it was important. We began to talk about them in three simple phrases: Change minds. Change lives. Change policy. The lives we want to change are for the millions of girls out there struggling to get an education. The policies are made by our government, and those around the world. Achieving those changes is the
core of 10x10’s mission. That is really channeling the money and energy we can generate into the right places.
But my job – the job of the film, is to change minds. If we can convince our audience that educating girls works, that girls matter, and that the situation out there in the developing world is one we really can affect – that’s a huge step.
My job as the filmmaker is not just to make people understand that girls’ education is important, but to make them believe that the change we need is possible. Those girls are just like our girls. Like girls everywhere. Smart, powerful, and eager to make the world better.

How did you get involved with this project?
For better or worse, this project was my idea. I was researching a project on a related subject when I stumbled onto some the new studies about the power of educating girls. It blew my mind. I had the reaction that I hope our audience will have – “This is amazing!” and “I have to do something to help!” For me, help became making this movie. I never dreamed it would grow to the scale it has, but there are a handful of subjects that ought to be given as big and ambitious a treatment as we can muster – and this is surely one of them.

You have assembled an incredible group of female narrators and authors, including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, and more. Can you talk about how you got them involved with the project?
Well for me, the film is about giving a voice to these girls. We wanted the best voices we could find. Some of that was getting the writers to help with the words and the story structure. But another important piece was the literal voice. What these actresses can do with their voices – their ability to communicate complicated emotion solely through the sound they generate. That is a truly remarkable thing. Hearing Meryl Streep bring Maaza Mengiste’s words to life was one the absolute high points on this whole project for me.
What do you want the audience to take away from the film?
I want the audience to care about these girls. To care about all girls – and I want them to care enough that they want to try and do something to help. Because they can help. It’s that simple.
What was the most memorable part of shooting?
Every one of our journeys overseas was a life changing experience. We shot in some of the roughest circumstances I’ve ever encountered. Worse even than when working in war zones for ABC News. Shooting in Peru at 17,000 feet in the snow. Taking a steadicam through a tent camp in Haiti. Filming on an insanely crowded street in 105 degree heat in Calcutta. So there is a lot of memorable hardship that was involved in the making of this movie.
But without question the things I remember most are the interactions with the girls themselves. Every time our energy flagged or we had problems on the production, we only needed to glance over at the girl whose story we were telling and everything seemed possible. They never felt sorry for themselves. They have boundless energy and optimism. They work harder than me… and I work pretty hard.
Most of all, I loved sitting down with each girl and showing her the pictures of the other girls in the film. I’d get to talk about their stores and kind of introduce this little group to each other. They understood inherently that what we were doing wasn’t just about them, it was about all girls. That was just incredible.

What can viewers do to help the cause?
Well, awareness counts for a lot. Understanding the issue. Talking about it. Reading about it. Tell your friends. Talk to your kids or your parents. Even before you act, just knowing and caring about these girls – that really matters to me, and I believe to the girls too.
But more directly, these girls need help. They are the most powerless inhabitants on the planet. They have the least money, the least protection, the least opportunity. And amazingly they have the most profound impact on changes we all want – less poverty, less injustice, less violence. So I would urge people to find a way to get involved with our partner organizations. These are people whose work we have seen first hand. They are doing incredible things out there in the world – we just need to help them do more of it

Facts to know

13 Facts You Need to Know About the Impact of Girls’ Education
Around the world, girls face barriers to education that boys do not. But when you educate a girl you can break cycles of poverty in just one generation. These statistics offer insights on
the current status of girls’ education, and also illustrate the lasting impact education has on
girls, families, communities and nations around the world.

1. Globally, 66 million girls out of school. (UNESCO)
2. 80% of all human trafficking victims are girls. (UNFPA)
3. There are 33 million fewer girls than boys in primary school (Education First)\
4. 75% of AIDS cases in sub-Saharan Africa—the region hardest hit by the disease—are
women and girls. (UNAIDS)
5. In a single year, an estimated 150 million girls are victims of sexual violence.
(UNIFEM)
6. 50% of all the sexual assaults in the world are on girls under 15. (UNFPA)
7. 14 million girls under 18 will be married this year; 38 thousand today; 13 girls in the
last 30 seconds. (UNFPA)
8. The #1 cause of death for girls 15-19 is childbirth. (World Health Organization)
9. Girls with 8 years of education are 4 times less likely to be married as children.
(National Academies Press)
10. A child born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5.
(UNESCO)
11. Educated mothers are more than twice as likely to send their children to school.
(UNICEF)
12. School is not free in over 50 countries. (UNESCO)
13. A girl on planet earth has a 1 in 4 chance of being born into poverty. (The World Bank)
14. A girl with an extra year of education can earn 20% more as an adult. (The World
Bank)
15. Women operate a majority of small farms and business in the developing world.
(Focus on Five)
16. If India enrolled 1% more girls in secondary school, their GDP would rise by $5.5
billion. (CIA World Factbook) (Global Campaign for Education and RESULTS
Education Fund)
17. There are 600 million girls in the developing world. (The World Bank)
Together, we have the power to help give girls access to education. 10x10 and its partners
are working to change minds, lives and policy. Join us, and together we can help change
the world.

Girl Rising NGO partners selection

Girl Rising chose NGO partners who are widely viewed to have best-practice programs serving girls around the world. NGO partners are working in at least one Girl Rising country and committed to hosting the Girl Rising film team in one of the Girl Rising countries they serve.

In addition, Girl Rising NGOs are complementary in their approach to interventions on behalf of girls. For example, CARE serves girls and women generally, while Room To Read is a literacy-focused organization. This is important because getting girls into school, keeping them there, and making sure they learn relies on a holistic approach that includes life-skills training, health training, the provision of safe-spaces, as well as traditional academic training.

NGO partners must have an enthusiasm for the collaborative spirit of Girl Rising and must be open to building a coalition of support for girls that includes other Girl Rising NGO partners, Girl Rising corporate partners, Girl Rising policy leaders and grassroots distribution partners. NGOs must have a superior Charity Navigator rating and must meet high standards for transparency and accountability.

What audience says about girl rising

Girl Rising was introduced to public on 7 March 2013. It had a bold topic with PG-13. Its Us Box Office was $0.80 million.

Illuminating and ultimately hopeful, despite the horrible circumstances depicted, "Girl Rising" stands as a testament to the power of information. Said by Glenn Whipp from LA times. 

Powerful docu explains why all girls need an education. Commented by Sandie Angulo Chen

Director Richard Robbins delights in dotting his screen with bursts of color, from a shimmering orange dress to the deep purple of a pen cap, while the stories, shaped by anecdotal brevity, are often charmingly modest. Said by Andrew Schenker. 

Social networking sites

Distributors of girl rising

There are many companies involved in the distribution of girl rising. Those companies include:

GathrFilms
CNN Films
CNN International
CNN j