In Madhesh Pradesh, one in two girls marries before the age of 18. For many, marriage marks the end of education, independence and the opportunity to decide what their future looks like.
We believe every girl should have the opportunity to continue her education, develop new skills and choose her own future. That’s why we work alongside girls and their families to create opportunities that enable girls to continue their education, delay marriage and build lives filled with confidence, independence and hope.
We launched the EmpowerHER programme
Girls supported across Madhesh Pradesh
Education • Skills • Family Support
Addressing the root causes of child marriage
Education Changes Everything
Keeping girls in education is one of the most effective ways to prevent child marriage.
Research consistently shows that every additional year a girl spends in secondary school significantly reduces the likelihood of child marriage while improving her future health, employment opportunities and independence.
Through our End to Child Marriage project, we help girls return to learning, develop practical skills and prepare for the future they choose—not the one chosen for them.
Our Approach
Returning to Education
Helping girls catch up on learning and enrol in formal education whenever possible.
Skills for the Future
Providing vocational training and practical skills for older girls or those for whom returning to school is no longer the right option.
Removing Barriers
Supporting girls to obtain birth certificates, citizenship documents and other essentials needed to access education, services and future employment.
Every Girl’s Path Is Different
Not every girl has the same opportunities or faces the same challenges.
Some have never attended school. Some have already left education. Some are already married.
Wherever a girl begins her journey, we work with her to identify the support that best meets her individual circumstances. For some, that means returning to school. For others, vocational training, flexible learning or continued support within their communities provides the best path towards greater independence.
Our support doesn’t end once a girl is married. We also work with girls who are already married, offering flexible education and training opportunities that fit around the realities of their daily lives.
Working With Families
Preventing child marriage isn’t about changing one girl’s future—it’s about changing the expectations surrounding girls’ futures.
Our team works closely with parents, extended families and communities to help families understand the long-term benefits of education and delayed marriage. Rather than judging families, we work alongside them to understand the challenges they face and find practical alternatives that allow girls to remain in education.
Through counselling, practical support and ongoing dialogue, we’re helping more families see education not as a barrier to marriage, but as an investment in their daughters’ futures.
Creating Lasting Change
Every girl who stays in school.
Every family that chooses education over child marriage.
Every young woman who gains the skills to become financially independent.
Together, these moments create lasting change.
Ending child marriage isn’t simply about delaying a wedding—it’s about ensuring every girl has the freedom, confidence and opportunity to shape her own future.
