Fleeing war, María left home behind — but not her education

María shows off her dance skills while meeting with Malala on her trip to Mexico. (Credit: Alicia Vera)

In Mexico, I learned a new word: Luchadora means “female fighter” in Spanish.

While some luchadoras battle for glory, the girls I met in Latin America fight for education. María is one of those girls. When María was just a girl, guerilla forces killed her father. Her family fled their beautiful farm in Colombia and moved between gang-infested settlements to informal camps with crowded rooms. They did not feel safe or at home for years.

Whenever María felt overwhelmed, she would focus on education and after-school activities like theater, dance and songwriting. Education gave María strength in difficult times.

Malala and María in Mexico (Credit: Alicia Vera)

But violence and poverty in Latin America continue to keep many girls like María out of school.

Will you donate to Malala Fund to help us ensure every girl living in conflict areas never has to go another day without an education?

María completed her secondary education. To‌day she works in a nail salon to help her family and save money for university. She hopes to study social work, focusing on children affected by gang violence. For now, she’s determined to fight for the education of displaced girls because their futures — and the future of her country — depend on it.

That is why I am working with Malala Fund to ensure that no girl, without exception, is forced out of school by poverty or displacement.

More than 130 million girls around the world are out of school today. With your support, they don’t have to fight for their education alone.

In April, Malala kicked off her #GirlPowerTrip to meet with girls like Alma and Sydney and fight for their futures.

Sign up for updates from Malala Fund to learn more about Malala’s journey and get exclusive updates on where she’s headed next.