Hi John, Will you join me in a quick thought experiment?Imagine your world is upended tomorrow. You can't find work, the grocery stores are cleaned out, and you're running out of food at home. What would you do to make sure your children get enough to eat? Millions of parents face this impossible choice. Should they let their daughter marry at 14 so that she has food? Should they let their son drop out of school and begin work so his siblings can eat? Should they uproot their entire family and become refugees? Najwa*, a Syrian refugee living in Egypt, knew someone approached her parents about marrying her when she was just 14 years old. Najwa has seen her peers married off, sometimes in temporary or "tourist" marriages, at similar ages, so she wasn't sure how her parents would handle the situation. "My family did not accept his proposal," Najwa said. "But I was thinking they might accept it." Najwa's family has already made hard decisions in their search for stability. They left their native Syria, just a few of the unprecedented 82.4 million displaced people, including 35 million children, currently searching for safety. "And this thought affected me, my education and plans. It also affected my relationship with my family and even my friends, I became depressed because I did not want to marry this man." Najwa was one of the lucky ones. Her family protected her and her education, even if the possibility of a marriage affected her mental health. Your support takes the urgency out of situations like Najwa's. Najwa is still in school and still living under her parents' roof because they weren't desperate. They can still care for Najwa, so she can get to stay a kid for as long as possible. If you become a monthly donor today, you help give children like Najwa that freedom. The need is urgent - we'd be grateful for your monthly gift, as would Najwa. Become a monthly donor today >> Thank you, Cassidy Knize Digital Manager Save the Children US |
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