The documentary by
Nick Kristof and his wife Sheryl WuDunn, "Half The Sky" was
remarkably moving and heartbreaking.
The film focused on the oppression of women worldwide, including rape,
violence, sex trafficking, religious discrimination and education.
For myself, education seems to be of the utmost important. Until the word
is able to educate its female population, none of the other problems will be
solved. Women within America have
worked so very hard at getting equality for women, its time we share our hope
and success with the rest of the women around the globe. Its time to get
involved and help those that cant help themselves yet. We as a nation are
educated and understand the repulsive prejudice that is happening, yet we have
done very little to help. Its time for America to care about the women across
the globe, for if we don’t the
world will reap the consequences. Once you educate a woman, she marries later
in life, bears less children, is better prepared to raise said children, and is
able to provide a better life for them. Once you educate a woman, she is better
equipped to fight for herself, her rights, and for her community.
It was uplifting to
see the program that John Wood has established within Vietnam, known as the
“Room to Read” program. Girls from
below the poverty line are sponsored by the program and taught the fundamental
reading and writing skills. Their stories were painful to watch; yet these
little girls had so much ambition and will power to succeed in this life.
Duyen, a young girl who was 14, road her bike 17 miles one way to get to school
everyday. That is determination if you ask me. Another young girl name Nhi sold
lottery tickets for her father every single day to be allowed to attend school,
her father did not approve of her education, so she had to pay for it with
whatever money her father would give her, sometimes sacrificing eating lunch to
be able to pay. He was not proud of her for her hard work, he said if he
encouraged her it would make her soft. The culture in some of these countries
is still so backwards and behind the times. For Nhi, women getting educated is
still frowned upon by many in the older generations. However these ambitious
young girls are fighting the good fight and going against the grain because
they know it will better their future and their children’s future. 