United World Schools Focuses on Gender Equity

Search Associates (SEARCH) is thrilled to continue its work with UWS, a U.K.-based charity organization “working to strengthen education systems in the world’s most remote and marginalized regions.” Our partnership with UWS began in 2017 when SEARCH became the sole sponsor of the O Rey School in Cambodia.

In 2022, UWS launched its “Girls Will Be Girls” campaign, eager to raise funds to help address the gender inequalities in education. According to Nan Sitha, Country Director of UWS Cambodia:

It is estimated that globally 129 million girls still experience gender prejudice and are denied an equal chance of a full and active education.

This fall, SEARCH received word from UWS that the campaign had raised an outstanding £4,154,142, including £1,879,821 of match funding from the UK Government. In its newsletter, UWS reports that those funds will be allocated to “work directly with 14,000 girls over the next three years.” The program focuses on the following four key areas: Gender Responsive Schools, Communities, and Systems as well as supporting unenrolled Girls and Girls At-Risk of Dropping Out to enroll and stay in school.

SEARCH helped raise £27,000, half of which was matched by the UK government. This amount will give all the support that 360 girls need to start and stay in school for an entire year! Donors should know that for every U.S. dollar or British pound, 83% goes directly to vital charitable activities moving towards the mission, and 17% goes to fundraising.

SEARCH plans to continue its work with hopes to expand into new forms of partnership by engaging with its member schools and candidates. Won’t you join us in this thrilling endeavor, making a world of difference.

• To learn about how your school may partner with UWS, please click here.
• To read the latest UWS Annual Report, please click here.