U.S.

pledges to help Pakistani girls'

education
By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.27.15
Word Count 497

U.S. rst lady Michelle Obama (right) stands with Maryam Nawaz Sharif, daughter of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif, as she speaks during an event in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2015.
Obama announced a U.S. pledge of $70 million to support girls' education in Pakistan. Photo: AP Photo/Susan Walsh

WASHINGTON, D.C. The United States will give $70 million to help educate 200,000
adolescent girls in Pakistan.
First lady Michelle Obama made the announcement Thursday. She welcomed guests to
the White House with the traditional Muslim greeting of "asalaam alaikum," which means
"peace be with you" in Arabic. Obama said the money will help Pakistani girls "fulll their
promise" to become the next generation of doctors, teachers and businesswomen. The
money will also help build more than a dozen schools, repair hundreds more, and provide
job training and college scholarships.
"These girls are all of our girls," Obama said. "I have passion for this issue because I
cannot look into the eyes of young women and not see myself and not see my own
daughters, and not want the best for them."

Pakistani Women Praise Michelle Obama

Obama was accompanied Thursday by the Pakistan prime minister's wife, Kalsoom Nawaz
Sharif. His daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who praised the rst lady's global effort to
educate girls, also attended the announcement.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif said Obama has inspired millions of girls around the world. Her
daughters, Malia and Sasha, "could not have a better role model," Sharif said.
At one point, Sharif joined hands with Obama. She said, "We shall see about making a
difference and we shall not rest until every girl is learning and in school. We shall not rest
until every mother is condent that her daughter will have a better life than what she had."

Goal Is To Help 62 Million Girls Worldwide

The Muslim country, located next to India, recently promised to double spending on
education. It also said that it will enroll more girls in school and provide more female
teachers.
The rst lady is leading an effort called Let Girls Learn. Its goal is to help more than 62
million teenage girls worldwide enroll and stay in school.
Obama said in the past eight months, the United States has received pledges of more than
$800 million for the program. It includes $350 million from Japan and $200 million from
South Korea. Another $200 million will come from a partnership with the United Kingdom.

Educating Girls Helps Everyone

Susan Markham is with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
an agency of the U.S. government that works to end poverty worldwide. USAID is in
charge of Let Girls Learn. Markham said girls are less likely to attend primary school than
boys. They are also more likely to face difculties in getting and completing an education.
She said educating girls affects and benets everyone.
Markham said empowering girls and making sure they have a quality education transforms
their future. It helps their families, their communities and helps make Pakistan a richer,
more prosperous country.
President Barack Obama and the rst lady launched Let Girls Learn this year. They urged
world leaders to join the effort. Since March, the rst lady has traveled to Japan, Cambodia
and the United Kingdom to promote the program.

Quiz
1

Which section of the article highlights the idea that countries are working together to provide
education for more girls?
(A)

Introduction [paragraphs 1-3]

(B)

"Pakistani Women Praise Michelle Obama"

(C)

"Goal Is To Help 62 Million Girls Worldwide"

(D)

"Educating Girls Helps Everyone"

Read the sentence from the section "Educating Girls Helps Everyone."

Markham said empowering girls and making sure they have a quality
education transforms their future.
Which of the following words would BEST replace the word "transforms" in the sentence without
changing the meaning of the sentence?

(A)

inspires

(B)

improves

(C)

withstands

(D)

substitutes

Read the sentence from the section "Goal Is To Help 62 Million Girls Worldwide."

Obama said in the past eight months, the United States has received
pledges of more than $800 million for the program.
What is the meaning of "pledges" as used in the sentence?

(A)

promises to contribute

(B)

decisions to agree

(C)

guarantees of success

(D)

words of encouragement

Which paragraph in the section "Educating Girls Helps Everyone" outlines some of the
challenges the program addresses?