Michelle Obama, Let Girls Learn initiative!

To educate a girl is to build a healthier family, a stronger community, and a brighter future. Unfortunately today, 62 million girls around the world are not in school. Half of them are adolescents. We know that countries with more girls in secondary school tend to have lower maternal mortality rates, lower infant mortality rates, lower rates of HIV/AIDS, and better child nutrition. But too often, a girl who could change her world for the better is locked out of that future by the circumstances of her birth or the customs of her community.

We know that a girl with an education can shape her own destiny, lift up her family, and transform her community. That is why President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be championing our efforts to help adolescent girls around the globe attend and complete school through the Let Girls Learn initiative, which will build upon the public engagement campaign the U.S.

Agency for International Development (USAID) launched last summer. Let Girls Learn is a government-wide effort that will leverage the investments we have made and success we have achieved in global primary school, and expand them to help adolescent girls complete their education. A key part of Let Girls Learn will be to encourage and support community-led solutions to reduce barriers that prevent adolescent girls from completing their education.

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President Obama and the First Lady Speak at a White House Event on Educating Girls Worldwide

Tokyo, Japan; Kyoto, Japan; Siem Reap, Cambodia

March 18 – 22, 2015

As part of the Let Girls Learn initiative, the First Lady will travel to Japan and Cambodia from March 18th -22nd.

In Japan, the First Lady will highlight the importance both countries place on international girls education, and plans to deepen our partnership on this issue through development programs and collaboration between the Peace Corps and Japan’s Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.

The First Lady will then travel to Cambodia, one of the first 11 countries to be included in the Let Girls Learn Peace Corps initiative. In Cambodia, Mrs. Obama and Peace Corps Director Hessler-Radelet will experience community-driven solutions that are changing girls’ lives.

While the focus of this work is international, Let Girls Learn isn’t just about improving girls’ education abroad. “It’s also about reminding our young people of the hunger they should be feeling for their own education here at home,” said Mrs. Obama.

That’s why, once again, the First Lady is sharing her visit with young people across the country. Here’s how you can follow and participate in the trip:
Ask the First Lady your questions about girls’ education around the world.

Michelle Phan, YouTube star and advocate for girls’ empowerment, will sit down with the First Lady in Tokyo and ask her your questions. Ask now with the hashtag #LetGirlsLearnQA on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Mrs. Obama will also answer questions from students through PBS Learning Media. Ask your question now and stay tuned for a video response.

Follow along as the First Lady visits Tokyo, Kyoto and Siem Reap:

The First Lady will share her trip with students through daily online diary entries. You can follow along at WhiteHouse.gov/LetGirlsLearn, PBS Learning Media and on the publishing platform Medium.

Follow @FLOTUS on Twitter and @MichelleObama on Instagram for real-time updates from the First Lady’s trip.