Girl Up Helps Females Internationally
Angela Chen
Every action we do can help empower all people around the world. By joining Girl Up, that very impact can be made. The club is dedicated to uplifting females on the international level. Mrs. Fey Daly, its club advisor, says, “By raising the status of all girls, you in turn raise the status of all people.” Girl Up focuses on areas in education, health care, and safety. In order to do this, this club takes action by donating funds to a variety of organizations that focus on strengthening opportunities for girls.
Girl Up is actually a broader club that expands far beyond than just East High school. It’s a United Nations sponsored club that is dedicated to supporting elementary and adolescent girls. Girl Up meets on the first and second Monday of every month in room 307. There are around 15-20 active members. The club bonds by doing fundraisers, having movie nights, and doing yoga.
Many of Girl Up’s efforts go to Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, India, Uganda, and Guatemala. In addition, the organization helps girls in refugee camps get access to primary and secondary education by providing materials, improving school facilities and the quality of teachers.
The club is looking forward to the Girls Upstate Summit on March 24th in Rochester. This event is a features yearly presentations. In last years event, Upstate Summit held presentations on the issues of domestic violence, abuse, and child marriage. For more information, contact Sarina Divan.
In the past, East’s Girl Up club has donated to SchoolCycle, an initiative created by Girl Up that provides bicycles to enable girls to bike to school and have greater access to education. Another campaign East’s Girl Up has supported is Nothing But Nets, which saves lives from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa by providing bednets. It was created by United Nations in 2006. The campaign raised more than $56 million and gave more than 9 million bednets to families in need.
When people first hear about the club, a commonly asked question is, “Why not have a Boy Up?” Fey-Daly responds with, “Because Girl Up is reflective of an international level. Girls are at a disadvantage around the world, such as in Guatemala and Malawi. Since boys benefit from the current systems of education and healthcare, additional support is needed to get girls on the same page.”
