Bhagwat Thorat pulled each of his three daughters out of school when they reached puberty, fearful that if he waited too long to find them husbands they would have fewer prospects, that they would become victims to sexual violence, or if nothing else, that his investment in their education would end up benefitting the husband’s family and not his own.

Purity Wangui Muchai hails from Nakuru County, Kenya. At only 23, she has already been a student leader for the past 3 years. She heads the Women Students’ Welfare Association (WOSWA), reaching over 37,000 female students at the University of Nairobi and other campuses throughout the country. Women and Girls Lead Global’s campaign in Kenya, Women in the Red, encourages girls and women to pursue leadership opportunities by showcasing the stories of strong role models like Purity.

Schools are gradually becoming more girl-friendly in northwestern Bangladesh, thanks to the interventions of the Best Schools for Girls campaign. Last month, 18 Women and Girls Lead Global film facilitators in Naogaon province gathered for a two-day retreat to share stories about the changes that schools in their area have implemented since the campaign officially launched in October 2013.

Sufiya Kuhtan, of Tala Upazila, Bangladesh, became a child bride when she was only 13. By 14, she had already become a mother. When her husband, the only earning member of the family, fell ill several years ago, Sufiya had to overcome tremendous financial hardship to provide for her daughter Selina’s education and give her a better and more secure future. Their dream? That Selina will become a doctor.