World Concern combats child marriage in Bangladesh with high school scholarships for girls

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World Concern

World Concern, a Shoreline-based humanitarian organization, is combating the practice of child marriage in Bangladesh by ensuring young girls have the opportunity to stay in school and complete their education. World Concern provides scholarships to girls living in extreme poverty. The scholarships cover the cost of tuition, book, school supplies, uniforms, and other educational expenses for a year.

Child marriage in Bangladesh is “an epidemic” according to Human Rights Watch. The country has the fourth highest rate of child marriage in the world. One girl in five is married before the age of 15.

Poor families in Bangladesh often resort to marrying off daughters as young as 10 years old as a way to relieve the financial burden on the family. However, an educated girl is six times less likely to get married before the age of 18.

World Concern provides scholarships for hundreds of girls in some of the poorest communities in Bangladesh. Many of the girls who receive scholarships are the daughters of women who are involved in World Concern’s microcredit program as part of a multi-pronged approach to overcoming poverty.

A scholarship costs just $50 and enables a girl to attend school for an entire year. Donors can give a scholarship by donating online.

World Concern is a Christian global relief and development organization. Areas of expertise include disaster response, clean water, education, food security, child protection, microfinance and health.