Making Everyone's Wedding Day Special

In the last few months I've blogged about Princess, the little girl I sponsor through World Vision. I've also talked about how great this organisation is and how I'm hoping to get more involved with them. I follow them on twitter and facebook as well as being a regular visitor to their website.

Looking at their website today got me thinking about my wedding day. It was perfect. I loved everything about it. I was so giddy for months running up to the big day, planning every las little detail and getting carried away about all kinds of random things - who knew ribbon was that exciting?!? All my friends and family got excited with me and it really was the very best day of my life.

Me and Dan on our wedding day



Unfortunately for many girls around the world, the news of a wedding isn't as exciting. Every year, an estimated 10 million girls aged under 18 are married worldwide with little or no say in the matter. That’s more than 25,000 girls every day, or 19 every minute. In the developing world, one in seven girls is married before her 15th birthday and some child brides are as young as eight or nine.

Every day at work I'm surrounded by kids aged seven to eleven. They're amazing kids - bright, bubbly and so much they can do. But there's also so much they can't do. They're just children, not ready to be anyones wife. They need the opportunity to grow and learn. Luckily for the children I know, this opportunity is their right. It should be the right of children everywhere.

World Vision are working with Girls not Brides to end child marriage. Girl's who don't marry are more likely to be healthy, stay in school, live in safety, raise healthy children and fulfil their potential. With the first ever International Day of the Girl coming up on 11th October they're aiming to  amplify the voices of girls like Chaitali and Kassa.

“When my father told me I was going to be married off, I felt my life had been ruined. I visualized a life like that of my mother - marriage, lots of children. All dreams shattered.” Chaitali, 10 – Bangladesh

 

“It was not voluntary and I became very angry when I heard about. It was a sudden agony to me. I felt I would have no chance for education. My hope for development darkened.’’ Kassa, 14 – Ethiopia

 

They are also aiming to strengthen efforts to end child marriage at a local, national and global level. Training provided by World Vision meant that children like Amira had an alternative to marriage and were able to continue in education. I'm proud to sponsor a girl through World Vision.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Join us in taking a stand against child marriage by blogging, tweeting or sharing a link on facebook using the stories provided. As we fight for global action to tackle this issue your voice strengthens these efforts, amplifying our call to your readers, your friends and your community.
If you’re a blogger:

• Write about child marriage on your blog in honour of #dayofthegirl, asking your readers to add their voice or sponsor a girl to help put an end to child marriage.
• Add the link code above right to be featured on our website and amplify the call.
• Tweet us at @WorldVisionPR or @KaylaERobertson to let us know.

On twitter and facebook:

• Follow @WorldVisionUK and @WorldVisionPR and World Vision’s facebook page for news and stories on #childmarriage. Share, RT and add your voice

Sponsor a girl:

• Sponsoring a girl provides girls and their communities with education and support to empower them to take a stand against child marriage