We are starting a series featuring articles by young women on the value of education for girls. While the international community is advocating strongly to #LetGirlsLearn (especially to accomplish the SDGs), it is important for everyone to know why education matters. It is easy to get on a bandwagon/support a cause simply because Michelle Obama, Melinda Gates, and/or Oprah are championing it. But, this series invites us to think critically about and discuss why it is important to give girls and women access to knowledge, information, and skills. We want to help girls understand why education is critical for achieving their full potential. The girls/women who will be featured in this series are educated; whether via formal or non-formal education. Education opens up our minds to think, learn, and engage with our world. The possibilities for an educated person are endless. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments box below and let us know if you’d like to be featured in this series #GirlsinSchool by sending your article to info@strongenoughgirls.org.
Let’s get started with our first piece written by Bukky in Seattle, Washington, USA
I am the only daughter of my Mother, who was child # 7 out of 10. She was born into a working class family and only got the equivalent of a high school education. As a kid, my mom would tell me that education/knowledge was one of the few things in life that once acquired could not be taken from you. I made up my mind that I’ll do whatever it takes to get my education. For me, education became the key that opened all doors.
A lot happens in the classroom. I learned the following in the pursuit of my education:
Embrace curiosity- I learned to question why things are the way they are. I learned the power of ‘What?’, ‘Why?’, ‘When?’ ‘Who?’ and ‘How?’ from being exposed to multiple disciplines: Art, Science, Math, Philosophy, History, etc. These questions are often the catalyst to innovation and solutions. Leaders, business owners, game changers break way because they never stop asking and seeking answers to these questions.
I have a voice– School created the environment I needed to discover who I was, my passions, my talents, my opportunity areas, my hobbies, morals, values, and mission.
How to be comfortable in my skin– Being surrounded by a diverse crowd helped me discover what made me different: my gender, my accent, my race, my nationality, my beliefs, my morals, values, etc. And I learned to embrace and love those things.
How to be brave and speak up – I learned that it was ok to go against the grain, to have a different opinion than the crowd. You are not always going to agree on everything with people and it’s ok to speak up and introduce a different point of view, that’s what makes the world beautiful.
There is similarity in diversity- This lesson is so essential to have today because it helps me stay rooted in love despite our differences. It helped me practice the golden rule; treat people how you want to be treated.
Through getting my education, I have learned that my classroom is anywhere and everywhere because education is the process of learning to be open to life and all it has to offer.
I decided to get my Masters degree because I became passionate about taking my dreams out of my head and bringing them to reality. I also knew there were certain skills I needed to learn to execute my goals and getting my Masters was the best way to learn those skills.
Education gives girls a voice, it enlightens us, and it illuminates our mind. It awakens this appetite for accomplishments. With my primary and secondary education I learned to crawl, with my Bachelors I learned to walk, and in pursuit for my Masters I am learning to run. Run to where you may ask? Run through the world filled with immeasurable will to never stop learning to make my dreams a reality.
– Bukky Orija
Featured image: Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash
