LOS ANGELES, May 22, 2013 – The Show Me Campaign announced today that it will fund 10 girls’ scholarships in Sauri, Kenya. 
 
The scholarships will fund the tuition and books, room and board, school supplies and medical expenses for four years of secondary school per student and will ensure that each girl can focus on her academic career, rather than the financial burden of her education.
 
Mr. Legend explains his motivation for the project: “Ever since my first trip to Africa, I’ve been convinced of the power of education to break their poverty cycle. When I learned about how many fewer girls have the opportunity to pursue education, I knew I had to do something. I’m pleased to announce the first of what we hope will be many girls’ scholarships”.
 
There are 67 million young people worldwide who remain out of school, and 60% of them are girls. Secondary education equips students with critical thinking skills, enabling civic participation and democratic change. The impact of girls’ secondary and higher education is linked directly to a decrease in child brides, lower fertility rates and healthier children among educated women.
 
Rose, a student in Ghana who previously received a scholarship funded by The Show Me Campaign, reflects on the value of her education: “This gift is a big opportunity for me, since I want to achieve education to its highest level in life.”
 
Professor Jeff Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute and Special Advisor to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, went on to say: "Connect To Learn is committed to ensuring that all young people — boys and girls — can complete a secondary education, knowing that this is the path to ending poverty, ensuring prosperity, and creating a more peaceful and sustainable planet. We are deeply grateful and honored to work with John Legend and his Show Me Campaign to bring more girls into school.”
 
The scholarships operate under a program called Connect to Learn, a joint initiative of Millennium Promise, the Earth Instituteand Ericsson.