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AAUW club shows documentary film ‘Girl Rising’

The film, "Girl Rising," tells the stories of girls around the world who are struggling to get an education.

Many girls in developing countries don’t have the chance to go to school. 
They are expected to work, care for children, get jobs … the list goes on.
The American Association of University Women’s student club at MCCC presented a documentary Oct. 10 titled “Girl Rising” in the Meyer Theater.
 Sixteen people showed up to watch the film.
The documentary, called “Girl Rising,” focuses on the difficulties of getting an education for girls in eight different countries across the world.
Before the movie, Social Science professor Terri Kovach talked about the issue.
“Research is clear, educating young children helps them with the rest of their life,” she said.
The film stated many facts about the issue. Sixty-six million girls are out of school globally. There are 33 million fewer girls than boys in primary school.
The film stressed that a girl is not defined by what her society sees. 
The film was eye opening for many people, and the stories of each girl were sad.
One little girl was from Haiti, her name was Wadley, and she was 7 years old. In January of 2010, an earthquake destroyed everything in Haiti. 
Wadley had to work every day instead of going to school. She would have to go to a drinking fountain to get water.
A school was open, but Wadley didn’t have the money to go. She decided that money was cursed because only a cursed thing could keep her out of school.
Another girl was from Nepal and her name was Suma.
Her mother and father bonded her at the young age of six. When someone is bonded, they are forced into labor. Her parents didn’t want her to worry about food. They thought they were doing it to protect her.
Suma had a few masters throughout the years. Her second master called her an unlucky girl and beat her every day. She liked to sing to keep positive.
Her third master got her a school teacher who eventually convinced her master to enroll her in night school.
A girl named Amina from Afghanistan was married at 11 years old. Her parents used the money she made to buy her brother a car.
Amina did not think it was right to be married at such a young age. She took a stand.
“Look into my eyes. Do you see it now? I am the change,” she said.
At the end of the film, Kovach talked about ISIS and slavery.
“Slavery is not old news, it’s happening every single day,” she said.
There was also a guest speaker. Former MCCC student Kayla Corne talked about when she traveled to Phoenix in February with the International Studies club.
Many people she talked to left other countries to come here due to the horrible conditions they had been in.
“It is very humbling to hear their stories,” Corne said.
“Immigrants and refugees aren’t the same, immigrants come for jobs and money,” Corne said.
“Refugees aren’t leaving because they want to, they are fearing for their life.”
Corne said many of the stories she heard were eye opening.
“They are people who matter. They have a name. They have a purpose,” she said.