For a girl in Africa, the day one of university will be more than first day jitters. It will change the course of her life. One Girl Can’s #newbeginnings campaign will give girls a once-in-a-lifetime chance to escape the cycle of poverty and win control of her life.

Empowering women to take their rightful place in society has been a passion of mine since the 60’s, when I first became aware of how undervalued women are.

The biggest contribution we can make to help mobilize the women of the world is to support each other every day.

I came to know Beatrice from the candid photo we took of her in Uganda in 2014 (above). I hadn’t yet met her or talked to her, but her image became frozen in my mind. I didn’t know then the incredible reach and global connections that would be made from this one image and moment.

Four years ago, if you had have told Grace Hinzano and Everlyne Kahindi that they would graduate from University with a BA in Education, there wouldn’t have been the remotest chance they’d believed you.

Medina is an A+ student. She is intelligent, wired for academia and gifted in mathematics and science. Medina's mother has 5 children and makes a living fetching water and washing clothes.

This trip marked my twelfth to Africa since 2008, and with each visit I'm astounded by the growth - Physically, in the sheer number of buildings that keep going up...

My name is Millicent. I have lived in the Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya, since childhood. The slums are harsh conditions for a child, and girls are vulnerable to rape, neglect, robbery and sickness.