In honour of the International Day of the Girl, former USA First Lady Michelle Obama has announced a major new global commitment through The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance (GOA), pledging $2.5 million to support organisations dedicated to educating and empowering adolescent girls around the world.

The funding will benefit 54 organisations across 28 countries, each working to provide girls with access to education, mentorship, and leadership opportunities. The announcement builds on earlier efforts by the Alliance, which recently provided $500,000 in grants and organisational support to 11 Chicago-based initiatives ahead of the new school year.

In a video released to mark the occasion, Michelle Obama praised the resilience and potential of girls globally, as well as the grassroots leaders working tirelessly to advance their opportunities. “Today, I’m celebrating the promise, talent, and determination inherent to every girl in our world. I’m also celebrating the extraordinary leaders in our Girls Opportunity Alliance Network who are helping to break down the barriers that girls still face,” she said.

“I believe every girl has the power to not only make a difference, but be a mighty force for good that ripples across local and global communities,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “The Girls Opportunity Alliance is proud to support these organizations around the world who are empowering and educating young women and girls to achieve their dreams, and become changemakers in their communities and countries.”

The newly announced funding will allow partner organisations to expand their reach and strengthen their impact in local communities. Among the beneficiaries are:

• Amani Initiative, Uganda: This organisation works to empower girls through education while tackling challenges such as child marriage and teenage pregnancy. With the new funding, it will scale its Dream Achievers Program, designed to support girls at high risk of leaving school. Participants will receive mentorship, life skills training, and academic materials to ease financial burdens, helping them progress successfully through the next three years of their education. 
• Generation Girl, Indonesia: Focused on equipping young women with the skills and confidence to succeed in STEM fields, Generation Girl will use the funding to host four week-long STEM bootcamps that combine technical training, leadership development, and mentorship from women in the industry. The hybrid model will extend access to girls in underserved and remote regions, aiming to reach 1,000 adolescent girls and 3,000 community members. 
• Fundación Niñas de Luz, Colombia: Working with girls from underprivileged backgrounds, this organisation will expand its academic and personal development programmes. With the additional funding, it plans to conduct weekly workshops for 100 girls, providing academic tutoring in core subjects such as maths, reading, and financial literacy, alongside sessions for creative expression and mental health support. Continuous family and community engagement will form a key part of the approach. 
• Jharkhand Vikas Parishad (JVP), India: Operating in regions with high rates of early marriage, poverty, and school dropout, JVP will use the funding to roll out its Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment Program. The project focuses on vocational training, education, and economic inclusion, reaching 800 adolescent girls and a further 3,200 community members. It will also strengthen local systems that promote child protection and gender equality. 
• Girls With Roots, Trinidad and Tobago: Through its Girls Meet Program, the organisation provides leadership and life skills training, mentorship, and peer-led discussions. The latest grant will enable the programme to expand its reach to 200 students, helping participants build confidence, make informed choices, and connect with education and career opportunities. 

Since its inception, the Girls Opportunity Alliance has supported over 205 grassroots projects in 46 countries, positively impacting hundreds of thousands of girls worldwide. The initiative works to connect local leaders, amplify their efforts, and raise public awareness of issues surrounding girls’ education and empowerment.

Beyond financial assistance, the 54 organisations receiving this latest round of support will join the Girls Opportunity Alliance Network, a global community of more than 4,000 leaders. The network enables collaboration and knowledge exchange, helping organisations share strategies, data, and resources to enhance their effectiveness.

As part of this network, leaders will also gain access to capacity-building workshops and tools, helping them strengthen operational sustainability and refine their approaches to delivering educational and empowerment programmes.

The new funding comes at a time when global gender disparities in education remain a pressing issue. Millions of girls worldwide continue to face systemic barriers including poverty, early marriage, and limited access to resources, that prevent them from completing their education and realising their potential.

Through initiatives like the Girls Opportunity Alliance, Michelle Obama and The Obama Foundation aim to address these inequalities by directly investing in local solutions and community-driven leadership.