(Excerpts)
Written by Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times, May 10, 2014
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When terrorists in Nigeria organized a secret attack (recently), they did not target an army barracks, a police department or a drone base. No, Boko Haram militants attacked what is even scarier to a fanatic: a girl’s school.
That’s what extremists do. They target educated girls, their worst nightmare.
Why are fanatics so terrified of girls’ education?
Because there is no force more powerful to transform a society. The greatest threat to extremism isn’t drone firing missiles, but girls reading books.
So, why does girls’ education matter so much?
Girls’ education can almost double the formal labor force. It boosts the economy, raises living standards and promotes a virtuous cycle of development. Asia’s economic boom was built by educating girls and moved them from the villages to far more productive work in the cities.
Girl’s education is no silver bullet....But when a country educates and unleashes women, those educated women…become force multipliers for good.
Angeline Mugwendere was an impoverished Zimbabean girl who was mocked by classmates because she traipsed to school barefoot in a torn dress. She couldn’t afford school supplies, so she would wash dishes for her teachers in hopes of being given a pen or paper in thanks.
Yet Angeline was brilliant. In the nationwide sixth grade graduation examinations, she had the highest score in her district----indeed, one of the highest score in the country. Yet she had no hope of attending seventh grade because she couldn’t afford the fees.
That’s when a non-profit campaign called the Campaign for Female Education, or CAMFED, came along and helped Angeline to stay in school.
She did brilliantly in high school, and is now the regional director of CAMFED, in charge of helping impoverished girls get to school in four African countries (repaying the help she received many times over through her work).
Educating girls and empowering women are…tasks that are by global standards, relatively doable.
Contributor’s comments: We need to do more for girls and women; it is the right thing to do to promote educational opportunity. As evidenced by Angeline’s example, the potential benefits are tremendous.
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For more information on CAMFED check their website: Camfed.org.
This article was shared by Dr. Kathleen Damon, Waimea, Hawaii. She is a retired educator who served at the University of Hawaii.
| New words | Transcription | Meanings |
| scary (adj) | /ˈskɛːri / | frightening; causing fear |
| terrorist (n) | /ˈtɛrərɪst / | a person who uses terrorism in the pursuit of political aims |
| attack (v,n) | /əˈtak / | (v)Take aggressive military action against (a place or enemy forces) with weapons or armed force (v)Act against (someone or something) aggressively in an attempt to injure or kill (n)An aggressive and violent act against a person or place |
| Target(n,v) | /ˈtɑːɡɪt / | (n) A person, object, or place selected as the aim of an attack (v)Select as an object of attention or attack: (v)Aim or direct (something) |
| barrack (v) | /ˈbarək / | Provide (soldiers) with accommodation in a building or set of buildings |
| barracks (n) | /ˈbarəks / | A large building or group of buildings used to house soldiers |
| drone(n,v) | /drəʊn / | (v) Make a continuous low humming sound (n) A continuous low humming sound |
| militant (n) | /ˈmɪlɪt(ə)nt / | (adj) Favouring confrontational or violent methods in support of a political or social cause (n) A militant person |
| fanatic (n) | /fəˈnatɪk/ | (n)A person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political (Adj)Filled with or expressing excessive zeal |
| nightmare (n) | /ˈnʌɪtmɛː/ | A frightening or unpleasant dream A very unpleasant or frightening experience or prospect |
| terrify (v) | /ˈtɛrɪfʌɪ/ | Cause to feel extreme fear |
| force (n, v) | /fɔːs/ | (n) Strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement (n)Make a way through or into by physical strength; break open by force (v)Make (someone) do something against their will |
| powerful (adj) | /ˈpaʊəfʊl , -f(ə)l/ | Having great power or strength Having control and influence over people and events |
| extremism (n) | /ɪkˈstriːmɪz(ə)m , ɛk-/ | The holding of extreme political or religious views; fanaticism |
| extremist (n) | /ɪkˈstriːmɪst ,ɛk-/ | A person who holds extreme political or religious views, especially one who advocates illegal, violent, or other extreme action |
| missile (n) | /ˈmɪsʌɪl/ | An object which is forcibly propelled at a target, either by hand or from a mechanical weapon |
| boost (n, v) | /buːst / | (v) Help or encourage (something) to increase or improve (n) A source of help or encouragement leading to increase or improvement (n) An increase or improvement |
| virtuous (adj) | /ˈvəːtjʊəs , -tʃʊəs/ | Having or showing high moral standards |
| bullet (n) | /ˈbʊlɪt / | A metal projectile for firing from a rifle, revolver, or other small firearm, typically cylindrical and pointed, and sometimes containing an explosive. |
| Unleash (v) | /ʌnˈliːʃ / | Release (a dog) from a leash Cause (a strong or violent force) to be released or become unrestrained |
| multiplier (n) | /ˈmʌltɪplʌɪə / | A person or thing that multiplies. A quantity by which a given number (the multiplicand) is to be multiplied. |
| impoverish (v) | /ɪmˈpɒv(ə)rɪʃ / | Make (a person or area) poor Exhaust the strength or vitality of |
| traipse (n, v) | /treɪps / | (v)Walk or move wearily or reluctantly (n)A tedious or tiring journey on foot. |
| barefoot (Adj, adv) | /ˈbɛəfʊt/ | Wearing nothing on the feet |
| afford (v) | /əˈfɔːd/ | Have enough money to pay for |
| doable (adj) | /ˈduːəb(ə)l / | Within one’s powers; feasible |
| potential (adj) | /pə(ʊ)ˈtɛnʃ(ə)l/ | (adj)Having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future (n) Latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness |
| tremendous (adj) | /trɪˈmɛndəs/ | Very great in amount, scale, or intensity Extremely good or impressive; excellent |
| New phrases of words | Meanings |
| threat to something | to inflict harm or loss on another person or something |
| living standards | he level of wealth, comfort, material goods and necessities available to a certain socioeconomic class in a certain geographic area |
| economic boom | an increase in output and rapid economic growth |
| be mocked by someone | be teased or laughed at in a scornful or contemptuous manner |
| non-profit =non-profit-making) | Not making or conducted primarily to make a profit A non-profit organization |
| come along | said when encouraging someone or telling them to hurry up Hurry up! |
| silver bullet | a direct, effortless, specific, fail-safe solution to a problem. |
| force multiplier | a capability that, when added to and employed by a combat force, significantly increases the combat potential of that force and thus enhances the probability of successful mission accomplishment. |
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