STEM Education for young girls

Covid-19 has impacted all of our lives, some of us very personally! We are all still figuring out how to cope with it at home, at work, and in our communities at large.

The covid-19 pandemic could hobble progress for girls in poor countries, or even reverse it. The risk of regression is real. So it is crucial that, even if governments of poor countries have to tighten their belts, they prioritize spending on education and girls. Donors should help, too.
Our focus for 2022 and beyond will be on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education for girls.

Adolescence is a crucial juncture for girls. It is when many health problems emerge or are averted; and many social ones, too, from truancy to self-harm. Only recently has this phase been recognized as the most important for brain development after infancy. If we can get it right, millions of girls will have a better shot at fulfilling their potential. Get it wrong and they will live poorer, shorter lives, less able to stand up for themselves, more vulnerable to coercion, and more likely to pass these disadvantages on to the next generation. So, we must get girlhood right.

Starting in 2022, we plan to launch a number of STEM programs for adolescent girls in India. This requires hiring more educators and deploying new technology tools to rapidly educate and empower the girls.