"I have everything it takes to achieve my dreams."
Only 31% of girls in The Gambia complete high school. She’s the First’s longtime partner, Starfish International, is changing that number, one girl at a time.
In celebration of International Day of the Girl, meet Binta:
Binta is a Starfish girl. She is 19 years old and she just accomplished something many girls in her community never have the opportunity to even pursue: She is a high school graduate.
“I am the first to graduate high school in my family. I studied and worked very hard throughout this journey, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my Starfish family. They not only provided me with extra classes but also made time for me when things got tough. My mentors would stay up all night with me, helping me study and asking questions to make sure I remembered what I had read. Awa Ceesay, one of my mentors, has been a constant source of encouragement during this journey.”
Girls earn up to 20% more as adults for each year of schooling they complete, meaning not only do girls earn an education, they earn a chance at financial freedom. A graduate like Binta is less likely to be forced into early marriage, and more likely to choose if and when she starts a family of her own. Girls have limitless potential when given resources and opportunities.
“Graduating makes me very proud of myself. On my graduation day, the joy on my parents' faces after all the struggles reaffirmed my commitment to attend university, graduate, and inspire my younger sisters to do the same. Being a Starfish girl has taught me that I am special and have everything it takes to achieve my dreams. I’ve learned that I am neither better nor worse than anyone else; I was born a queen.”
Binta’s story is just beginning, and she’s already looking ahead to how she can lift up other girls along the way.
When you give to She’s the First, you make sure girls like Binta meet mentors like Awa. You remind girls around the world that they were all born queens, and they are all capable of being the first.
Donate today, on International Day of the Girl, in honor of Binta and all the girls who will be the first.