End Child Marriages

AAYLF will give young women the opportunity to postpone marriage by focusing on their education, allowing them to break the cycle of poverty, earn an income, and provide for their families. Thus, in the long run we hope to challenge the rigid cultural norms that promote gender discrimination and child marriages in Zimbabwe. When a girl is married before the age of 18, she and her family are more likely to be poor, uneducated, and unhealthy. In Zimbabwe, more than 50% of girls that are married before age 18, face an end to their education, barriers to vocational and life skills, and increased risks of domestic violence and sexual diseases. Not only is child marriage illegal, it is a direct violation of human rights, one that can be corrected through education. AAYLF combats gender inequality and breaks the cycle of poverty in Zimbabwe by providing full funding to girls to stay in school and attend college so they can escape the threat of child marriage and have the opportunity to live an independent, self-sustaining life.