INVESTING IN GIRLS’ EDUCATION

PHOTO FRAN AFONSO

The Most Important Cause of our Time

When Mariposa was founded in 2009, girls in Cabarete were regularly missing school, some behind as much as 50% in attendance, and very few over the age of 12 were involved in any activities outside of their home. This is the norm for poor girls all over the world.

Girls miss out on school and other opportunities for many reasons. They are often kept at home to take on necessary caretaker roles within their families. As they get older, the uniquely female obstacles they face get even more complicated - no hygienic way to deal with menstruation, no safe way to get to school. The odds are stacked against them, but when you remove these barriers and stay laser focused on helping them navigate their unique challenges, everything changes.

Investing in girls’ education yields the highest returns in the world.

The Mariposa DR Foundation treats girls as their own unique demographic. Amazing programs for both women and children often exist in poor communities, but the problem is that girls don’t fit neatly into either of these groups. Girls kept at home miss out on programs for children and young girls who become mothers aren’t quite women yet. This leap from childhood to motherhood does not make room for crucial developmental stages. It’s a catch 22 that Mariposa is solving with incredible results.

PHOTOS AMY S. MARTIN

The Mariposa Center for Girls in Cabarete is a beautiful sanctuary where girls from the local community have a safe space to learn and grow. The organization has a “whatever it takes” approach to helping girls and their families navigate the unique challenges they face in accessing quality education, health services and support.

After 13 years, the results speak for themselves.

In Cabarete, it’s becoming normal to see Dominican and Haitian girls finishing high school, going to college and delaying early marriage and childbirth. It’s no longer exceptional to see them out on the ocean doing watersports, participating in community building events, taking on leadership positions in local businesses and advocating for their peers, their families and themselves.

Why Investing in Girls Yields the Highest Return

WHEN GIRLS ARE EDUCATED AND EMPOWERED, THE BENEFITS ARE WIDESPREAD, TRANSFORMATIVE AND LONG-LASTING.

AMY S. MARTIN

PHOTO 1. Poverty is cyclical. The number one indicator of whether or not a child will live in poverty for the rest of their lives is if their mother lived in poverty. Educating a girl transcends generations, resulting in better health outcomes among women, their children and eventually their grandchildren. If we can change the trajectory of a future mother, we can change everything.

2. Educated girls give birth to fewer, healthier

babies. A girl with 7 years of education marries 4 years later and has 2.2 fewer children. More educated future mothers means less boys and girls born into poverty. Educated mothers keep their kids in school and seek out additional opportunities for advancement.

3. Girls’ education is key to solving the climate

crisis. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change. In natural disasters, more women die and rates of domestic and sexual violence skyrocket. STEM education gives girls the knowledge to respond to the changing resource landscapes to deal with things like food and water scarcity. Educated girls make valuable contributions to their communities, increasing everyone’s resilience to climate shocks.

PHOTO FRAN AFONSO

THIS IS STARTING TO FEEL NORMAL IN CABARETE BECAUSE FOR 13 YEARS, THE MARIPOSA DR FOUNDATION HAS BEEN WORKING TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF GIRLS BORN INTO POVERTY.

After 13 years, Mariposa has made great strides here in Cabarete. The results are tremendous, especially in the second generation of girls that have entered our programs in the last few years.

But What About The Boys?

Cabarete is a town where watersports rule. The local economy is nearly entirely dependent on tourism. If you walk the beach or sign up for some kitesurfing lessons, all of the local young adults working in the industry are male. In this town, opening up the doors for more girls to lead in the world of watersports changes the game for everyone - girls, boys, families, business and the entire community.

POVERTY IS HARD FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT’S HARDEST FOR GIRLS.

When a family lives in extreme poverty, parents often have to choose which of their children will get the privilege of attending school. For most, the obvious choice is their sons. Boys are seen as more capable of earning income because it’s just safer for them to exist. They’re not at risk of early marriage or childbirth. All poor children deal with obstacles but boys have an inherent advantage.

Girls, however, are uniquely capable of changing everything. When a girl is educated, empowered and employed, she will have fewer, healthier children when she’s ready, earn income that she will invest back into her family and ultimately break the persistent cycle of generational poverty in her family. If children keep having babies, nothing will ever change.

Keeping girls in school, equipping them with real world business skills and empowering them to go against the norm requires highly specialized programming, tailored to their unique needs. This is where 100% of the focus is at Mariposa. Why? Because, if there ever was a silver bullet to solve generational poverty, this is it.

We also recognize that educating and empowering girls is about working with boys too. Inspiring boys to protect and champion the girls and women in their communities is essential to our success, which is why we partner with organizations like Inspire DR and 3 Mariposas Montessori and many local businesses. Together, we create an ecosystem for girls to thrive, resulting in a better, healthier community for us all.