Girl Rising

Sokha from Cambodia

            Sokha was abandoned as a child by her parents. As an orphan, she ended up at a dump, sorting through the trash there, looking for pieces of metals and anything else that might be useful. She had to avoid the used needles, shards of broken glass, and other sharp objects as she walked through the garbage. All she really dreamed of was going to school and learning. Through much good fortune, Sokha made it to school and has managed to make a successful life for herself.

Wadley from Haiti

            At the age of seven, Wadley lives with her mother after her father was shot by a random customer who climbed into his taxi. Wadley was going to school, up until the earthquake hit Haiti, devastating the island. Wadley’s town was destroyed and she lived in a makeshift camp instead. As money was extremely tight, her mother could not afford to send her to the tent class being run nearby. Yet Wadley tried to go to class nonetheless. At first the teacher turned her away since she was unable to pay. But eventually, Wadley manages to stay at the class and continues to learn at school, even though her family could never pay.

Suma from Nepal

            In Nepal, many people make a bond with a master. The master provides food and shelter and is allowed to use the bonded people for work. As the daughter of two bonded parents, Suma was also bonded to a master when she was six. Her first master made her work all day, cleaning the house, washing the dishes, caring for the master’s children and the goats. Her second master had her sleep in a shack and perform other menial tasks from dawn until dusk every day. At the age of eleven, she reached her third master. Here, Suma met a school teacher who enrolled her in night classes to learn how to read and write. The teachers, aware that the bonding people is no different from slavery, pressured Suma’s master to release her. Suma eventually got away, and now fights to free other girls from their masters.

Yasmin from Egypt

            Yasmin and her friend were originally just going to get juice from a friend. A man with a donkey cart offered them a ride. But the man took them on a strange path. Yasmin’s friend ran away, but Yasmin herself stayed. Eventually they arrived at the man’s house, where he began drinking and offered Yasmin drinks. She asked to go home, and she and the man got in the cart again. This time he took her to a dark alley and said he wanted to be with her. She refused, and they fought: Yasmin, with a small knife, managed to defeat the man and spared his life when he begged for mercy. It is later explained that the man did rape Yasmin, but was never punished for it. As for Yasmin, she has never gone to school, and is now engaged to be married at the age of 13.

Azmera from Ethiopia

            In Ethiopia, Azmera, her older brother, and their mother live together. Her father and the older sister died, and her mother had to bury them both. One day, a man showed up at Azmera’s home and asked for her hand in marriage. Her mother’s initial reaction was to agree, for she desperately did not want to see another child die before her. Her brother had taken over the father’s work as a farmer, even though he wanted to learn how to read and write. He foresaw a future for Azmera in which she was more than simply a wife. He told their mother no, and Azmera herself asked for a better life. Now she goes to school instead and is leaving topics like marriage for much later in life.

Senna from Peru

            Living high up in the mountains in Peru, Senna’s father, like all the men in the town, worked as a miner, searching daily for gold deep underground. After a mining accident, though, her father could never go back to the mines, and became a cook instead. Senna’s father climbed the mountain each day to pound at discarded rocks, seeking out any gold the miners may have missed. Senna’s father insisted that Senna go to school, in hope that education would grant her opportunity. Despite the family’s poverty, Senna went to school no matter what. She got a job cleaning public toilets, of which her father was extremely proud. It was a start. Soon after, Senna discovered the world of poetry and became engrossed in it. Now she writes her own poems, and is determined to become a famous poet.

Mariama from Sierra Leone

            Mariama’s biological father died when she was very young, so her mother remarried to her father’s younger brother, as is tradition. Later, the younger brother also married another woman, Hawa. Mariama was the first to go to school in her family. She also managed to get a job as a radio show host at Eagle Africa. On the show, she lets girls call in so that she can offer advice on how to solve real-life problems. However, Mariama’s step-father was receiving criticism due to Mariama’s radio show, and told her to quit. With the help of Hawa, though, Mariama managed to convince her father of the value of the show and she continued her work. She intends to start her own TV show eventually, and spread her help to the rest of the world.

Amina from Afghanistan

            In Afghanistan, giving birth to a baby boy is everything. The men are in charge in this culture, and woman are treated as property. So when Amina’s mother gave birth to her, she apparently cried from disappointment. At the age of 3, Amina had to work. She cleaned the house, fetched fresh water, washed the clothes and dishes, and had to take care of younger siblings. Amina was lucky enough to spend some time in a classroom, where she learned to read and write. At the age of eleven, her marriage was arranged for a price of five thousand U.S. dollars. The money the family received was spent on a used car for Amina’s brother. Amina was also fortunate to survive her first childbirth without any complications. But she knew that she could not stay in this oppressed situation, and was determined to escape and lead others to salvation with her.

Ruksana from India

            Ruksana grew up in a city, and went to school at her father’s absolute insistence. When she got in trouble for drawing in her notebook instead of paying attention during class, her father did not punish her. Instead, he took her to an art store, and bought art supplies for Ruksana. Even though there was not enough money to afford food every day, her father knew what was important. One day, during the monsoon season, policemen came and tore down Ruksana’s village. The family maintained hope, nonetheless, and started to rebuild. Through all of this, Ruksana’s father continued to send her to school, even when they didn’t have a place to live.

United States Girl Rising

            People often think that problems like the ones occurring around the world don’t occur in the United States. But issues like rape, sexual harassment, and a lack of education still occur, even within our country, and females are often the victims. Additionally, the U.S. is plagued by gender inequality in various situations. Politics, media, and engineering are all fields that are dominated by men, and women in these fields are often criticized. Equality is also lacking in the household, where women are generally expected to take care of children and the house while men act as the primary breadwinners in their families. The American “Girl Rising” is one that is struggling to fight these inequalities and to make a strong life for herself in a male-dominant society.