Reflection on the movie Girl Rising

The movie Girl Rising was very moving.  I knew that girls in developing countries did not always have opportunity for education, but I did not realize all of the hardships they endured to try to obtain this education. Being a mother this movie really touched me. My child is a daughter too, and while she was growing up I used to work two jobs to be sure she had all of the opportunities she could and be sure she got a college education.  So listening to Suma and Amina broke my heart. To hear the girls talk about the cruelty and abandonment they had to endure so young.

As far as seeing and connections between the girls in the movie and my class,  I guess I can see some like Wadley, determined to learn and Rusana, the artistic learner. I think I can see them in my students because the stories had happy endings and the girls were young, like my kindergarteners. I think it is hard to see young children in those dangerous and terrible conditions and then to imagine your students in those situations here in the United States is even more unthinkable.  Although I do believe that unfortunately I do not think American girls are immune to the tragedies of the young girls in the movie.

I think the movie is a must see for anyone working with girls. I think the stories will open issues that are unthinkable in our safe middle/ upper class neighborhoods. Similar to other topics we have studied this semester, knowledge and awareness of these hardships to be on the lookout for signs of human trafficking of young girls and mistreatment of girls.

The other topic the movie shed light on was sex trafficking and sexual abuse of girls under 15. There has been a lot of local media lately about sex trafficking. The movie shed light on some stats on sexual assault and sex trafficking of young girls. This epidemic is not limited to developing countries. Teachers and other adults that work with girls also need to be on the lookout for signs of these abuses.


 And to end on a positive note, the movie did have very inspirational stories, although some did not have the fairy tale good endings, the girls were still strong to share their stories. The determination of Wadley to attend the new school after the earthquake destroyed her brick and mortar school. Suma’s escape from a life destined to be a “salve girl” and then to use her new found freedom to help other girls escape their life of servitude. Ysmin’s story of her awful experience of being raped, told as s super hero story with her overcoming in the end, even though reality was not as happy. Azmara’s story of her brother defending her right to attend school and to not leave to become someone’s bride. Rusana’s very inspiration aspiring young artist story and her parents determination to ensure she and her sisters can continue to get an education. Senna , the young poet from Peru. Her story was heartbreaking also seeing how her family suffered and she used that suffering to fuel her ambition to succeed. Mariama was another very motivating young woman who is already realizing some of her dreams by being on the radio. Although she has suffered tragedy in her young life, she uses that pain to drive her to help other young girls. Finally Amina’s tragic story about being a girl born in Afghanistan was very encouraging. As she put it girls are not worthy their birthdates are not even recorded. Girls are destined to a lifetime of servitude. Amina however is going to night school, regardless of the risks, her goal is to become an educated woman and change things in her country so women are people and not just resources.


 Picture References:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prachtig_meisje.jpg

 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Andrea_Dondolo_-_Activists_for_change_%288550822157%29.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Mali_-_Bozo_girl_in_Bamako.jpg