Michelle Obama Pledges $1 Million for Girls Worldwide

Michelle Obama is putting more than $1 million toward helping girls access education and opportunities around the world. The former First Lady announced the new commitment on October 11, International Day of the Girl, through her Girls Opportunity Alliance, an initiative of the Obama Foundation.

The funding will support 25 grassroots organizations across 15 countries, including Tanzania, Jordan, Haiti and Nepal. The programs range from scholarships and mentorship to after-school activities, leadership training and mental health support, with each organization addressing the needs of girls in its own community.

In a video announcing the initiative, Obama spoke about the importance of giving girls the resources to pursue their ambitions.

“I’ve always believed that every girl holds a unique promise—a special way that she can change the lives of those around her, maybe even the world,” she said. “And that’s why investing in girls isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s an investment in our shared future.”

The funding will have a direct impact on several community projects. In Tanzania, Girls First Initiative plans to establish leadership clubs in four secondary schools, reaching 200 teenage girls. In Jordan, Squash Dreamers will expand its work with refugee and underserved girls through sports, academic support and mental health programs.

In Haiti, the Haiti Adolescent Girls Network will establish 10 safe spaces where girls can participate in sessions covering health, leadership, financial literacy and violence prevention. The project expects to reach 700 adolescent girls. In Nepal, Hamro Palo will introduce mentorship and public-speaking programs for 300 girls in the Bardiya district.

Obama founded the Girls Opportunity Alliance in 2018 to support adolescent girls and the local organizations working to improve their access to education. Since then, the initiative has supported more than 265 grassroots projects in 50 countries, reaching over 190,000 girls.

The latest international commitment follows another investment closer to home. In September, the Alliance announced $500,000 in support for 10 organizations in Chicago, Obama's hometown, funding programs focused on education, mental health, sports and the arts.

Alongside financial support, the 25 international organizations will join the Girls Opportunity Alliance Network, connecting their leaders with a global community of more than 5,000 people working to expand educational opportunities for girls.