In honor of International Day of The Girl, former first lady Michelle Obama announced the Global Girls Alliance, an initiative that will help educate girls all around the world.

 

“We want to lift up the grassroots leaders in communities all over the world who are clearing away the hurdles that too many girls face,” Obama said in a statement. “Because the evidence is clear: educating girls isn’t just good for the girls, it’s good for all of us.”

 

This is the first program that she has launched through the Obama Foundation since she and her husband left office in 2016. The Global Girls Alliance has 1,400 members. The program seeks to empower girls and young women globally through education.

 

How will they do it? Well the Foundation worked with GoFundMe to create the Global Girls Alliance Fund where anyone can donate to support educators and community leaders on the ground in this mission.

 

In her live announcement on the TODAY show, Obama expressed why this initiative is so important.

 

“When you educate a girl, you educate a family, a community, a country,” she said.

 

For more on the Global Girls Alliance and how you can get involved, visit Obama.org/GlobalGirlsAlliance.