Girls + Education = DUH! That’s what we think, but sadly not everyone sees educating girls as a no-brainer.For the very first International Day of the Girl on October 11, we are celebrating by teaming up with 10×10 to get people excited about what can happen when you educate girls. We hope you’ll join us!

Globally, 77.6 million girls are currently not enrolled in either primary or secondary education (UNESCO). That’s something that needs to change, but it can only change if people are aware that it’s a real problem that if solved, can change the world.

Educating a girl doesn’t just change the life of the girl – it impacts her family and those around her. When girls receive equal access to education, they marry later in life, they have fewer children, they add great value in the workforce, and they know how to keep their families safe and healthy. Educating girls means that entire communities and countries are transformed.

This week ACT:S will be dedicated to creating awareness around the  incredible change can be made when girls have access to education. You can dedicate your week to it as well– follow the blog to read stories about the challenges girls face around the world, gather friends to discuss issues that girls face and how they can be combated, and upload photos of you and your friends answering the equation:

Girls + Education = ____________

Grab some friends, snap a photo, and show us what Girls + Education means to you! Let’s start a global conversation highlighting all the awesome things that can happen when girls are educated.