Education and Empowerment.

Little girls and boys go hungry. All around the world. Every night. Tween girls and boys are fighting wars that aren’t theirs. Wars they don’t understand. Grown up women and men are discussing important issues every single chance they get, sometimes with good intentions, sometimes with bad and the vast majority of us? The vast majority of us floats along, as if looking the other way would make the situation less weary. As if not acting would somehow eliminate the issues that are staring into our faces every day. Screaming at us, silently as we turn off the screens and lay our heads on our comfy soft pillows every night.

But little girls and boys go hungry. Sending food, money, clothes and everything in between is a short lived relief, an important relief nonetheless. But what is more important is the passion and compassion for other human beings than ourselves. Understanding the social constructions that we have build around us, like magical fences keeping away all the bad stuff. We need to tear them down and open up the dialog. Open up our minds and give everyone else, especially little girls and boys the opportunity to get educated. Teach them about small things like butterflies and the different colors of rainbows but also give them the tools to be empowered and act in their own interest. We actually have the power to let little girls and boys become the grown ups that can fight a war without weapons, without wounds. You and I can make that possible.

Yes, it is idealistic and it won’t go smoothly. It never does, but aren’t we privileged in our living? Being able to educate ourselves like we see fit. Perform whatever job we think suits us? Isn’t everyone looking to us for guidance, for comfort, for answers? Isn’t it our duty to do anything in our power to make this happen?

Yes, it is, and no action is too small. The smallest thing doesn’t have to be far far away in a world that doesn’t concern you. The smallest thing is next to you. Give others the same privileges, maybe even the same chances as you have. Give others equal opportunities, because the person that you pass on the street, the person you had a little chat with about grasshoppers, that person might change the world.

Little girls and boys go hungry. All around the world. Every night. But they don’t have to.

This Christmas, give a meaningful gift, to someone who may actually need it. It doesn’t have to be much, it doesn’t necessarily need to be money either, it can be your valuable time, supplies, clothes, education… There is so much we can do with so little…

http://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/funds-programmes-specialized-agencies-and-others/

https://donate.unwomen.org/16days/

http://www.unwomen.org/en/trust-funds/fund-for-gender-equality/donate