Aug 25, 2025
When She Learns, Everyone Benefits
Ishwarya’s Story
One day, Ishwarya made a promise to herself: “I will study hard. I will become strong. I will change our future.”
A 9th grader at Siloam Girls’ Boarding Home in Tirukoilur, India, Ishwarya is the eldest of four girls. Siloam has become a second home to her and her three sisters - Saraswathi (5th grade), Kalpana (4th grade), and Anju Lakshmi (2nd grade).
Their parents, Anathan and Valli, never went to school, and they sell fruit from a tricycle cart to earn a living. During summer vacations, Ishwarya helps.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Ishwarya was in 3rd grade. Schools closed, and life became harder. Her parents still went out to sell fruit. For two years, Ishwarya stayed home.
Food was scarce, and life was tough, but she remembered the care and comfort of life at Siloam. Those memories – and the promise she made to herself – gave her the strength to persevere.
Today, thanks to LPGM supporters, she and her sisters are back at Siloam. She shares, “Now, I am eating well and staying healthy here. Thank you for everything."
Ishwarya proudly displays one of her drawings in her personal sketchbook.
In fact, she was recently accepted into a special tailoring class for 9th grade girls and began learning how to stitch dresses. With each stitch, she builds confidence and hope for a future filled with dignity and possibility.
Elizabeth's Story
“Since my dad's accident, things have not been the same. I need to support him, as it’s hard for us to have economic stability.”
Despite her young age of 18, Elizabeth, a Qʼeqchiʼ Maya girl in Guatemala, has endured a lot. A few years ago, her father was in a serious motorcycle accident, and his leg was almost amputated. As the oldest child, she dropped out of school to help care for her family and for him.
She reflects, “I thank God that our family, and people from the community, supported us.”
Her father had saved a small sum to pay for Elizabeth and her three sisters’ education, but the money was needed to pay medical bills. The family went for a whole year without any income until her father could heal. He now is able to work as a field worker at a broccoli farm.
Luckily, Elizabeth learned about the Women in Agroecology Leadership for Conservation Program (WALC) through our partner, Community Cloud Forest Conservation (CCFC). She learned “how our environment helps us and how it can be useful for us as young people.” She also learned about women's leadership, food preparation, and hygiene.
Elizabeth explores a local river with her sister on CCFC's campus.
After completing the program and planting a small agroforestry parcel, she was eligible for a scholarship to stay in school. This scholarship was a lifeline for Elizabeth and allowed her to excel in her studies.
Elizabeth stands in front of her school in Tamahu in her school uniform.
Elizabeth is currently studying to be a teacher in the municipality of Tamahu. She plans to graduate next year after six years of vocational study and continue studying at the university. She says, “I want to be a young learner who can work to support my parents.”
She is grateful for LPGM supporters who helped fund her school scholarship. She shares, “That little help can make a big difference in the life of someone who needs it.”
Nganashe's Story
“I was about to give up completely, but when Eripoto came for me, it felt like my life had begun again. They gave me a safe place to live and brought back my dream to study.”
Nganashe grew up in a large family in Monduli, Tanzania. After receiving government support to attend school, she completed her secondary education at Irkisongo Secondary School.
However, upon finishing Form Four, her father decided to arrange a marriage for her to a man whom neither of them had met, because he couldn't afford to pay for her to pursue an advanced degree.
With no support from family or local leaders, 18-year-old Nganashe reached out for help and was eventually connected with Eripoto for Girls and Women, LPGM’s partner in Tanzania that provides a safe house for girls like Nganashe.
Eripoto's team and the local educational officer rescued her in the middle of the night, just hours before the planned marriage. Since the marriage wasn’t consensual, Eripoto reported the case to the social welfare office and the police, and her father was detained.
Esuvat took this photo of Nganashe shortly after her rescue. You can see the pain in her eyes.
According to Esuvat, Eripoto’s founder, “Rescuing her was extremely difficult, and when I finally did, there were serious risks involved. People were following us so closely that I feared for her safety and didn’t even bring her to the safe house at first.”
Eripoto placed Nganashe in a safe house far from her village to ensure her protection and emotional recovery, while also fulfilling her basic needs and giving her access to counseling and education.
Not letting her past define her future, Nganashe enrolled in a pharmacy program at Mwanza Health City College, graduated with a diploma in 2024, and is currently volunteering at a government hospital.
Nganashe stands with strength and confidence after defying the odds and graduating with Mwanza Health City College.
At 19, she is still under Eripoto’s care and support and is hoping to begin her university degree this October.
Her dream is to become a pharmacist so she can serve girls in rural areas with stories similar to her own.
Why This Matters
For millions of girls around the world like Ishwarya, Elizabeth, and Nganashe, going back to school isn't just a seasonal ritual—it’s a long-awaited opportunity.
According to a 2025 report, 122 million girls remain out of school globally. Even if they complete some years of schooling, nearly 40% of girls do not complete upper secondary school.
When you give to LPGM, you empower global partners to make access to education possible, and education changes everything. You invest in girls' futures and uplift entire communities.
A 2020 report found that every $1 invested in girls’ education yields an average return of $2.80. In 2009, another report found that educated women reinvest 90% of their earnings back into their families.
Get Involved
Perhaps you sponsored a student in India, or occasionally gave to a specific program, in the past. Our new Sustaining Neighbors program allows you to provide monthly support to students at the margins – allowing you to consistently meet ongoing needs without assigning you to a specific student.
Your monthly investment can support her health & hygiene, provide her with school supplies and a uniform, ensure she eats healthy and culturally appropriate food, or even fund her entire year of education.
Your monthly investment could be the difference between her staying in school and dropping out.
Your monthly investment makes her feel valued and gives her the confidence to prioritize her educational journey.
If you're not able to commit to a monthly gift, please consider walking alongside students so they can return to school.
You can help fund basic needs like housing, food, healthcare, school supplies, and uniforms so that girls can go back to school.
On behalf of our partners, thank you ensuring that girls in Tanzania, India, and Guatemala have the resources she needs to thrive.
Because when she learns, everyone benefits.
LPGM is a registered 501(c) 3, EIN #41-1818525.
