UN International Day of Education
More than any other intervention, a quality education holds the greatest potential to transform the lives of women and girls. Access to education addresses many of the other issues that impact women, including domestic violence, trafficking, teen dating violence, homelessness, teen pregnancy, and sexual assault. Providing women and girls with quality education is the cornerstone of Soroptimist International of the Americas’ Dream Programs – whether it’s formal education or technical and vocational training. We want to ensure that women and girls have the skills and information they need to live their full potential. By focusing on women and girls with obstacles, we include those who are most vulnerable, including older girls and adults who may feel like it’s too late to pursue the life-changing impact of education.
Our Dream Programs
Our Dream Programs and local projects not only increase access to education but also help prevent the circumstances that make women and girls susceptible to gendered violence such as trafficking and intimate partner violence. Together, this powerful combination helps us challenge the future and build a more gender equal world together.
The Live Your Dream Award is a cash grant, provided by local clubs and given to qualifying women who are the primary financial support for their families, have financial need and are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program. The award is given to help offset tuition costs, purchase books, get transportation, find reliable childcare, or other expenses so the recipient can worry less about paying her bills and focus on reaching her educational dreams. The award also comes at just the right time. The Live Your Dream Awards provides financial resources as women move to the next stage of their education and career to help them stay focused on the path to achieving their dreams. This financial investment helps to keep them in school even if they encounter obstacles and unexpected expenses. SIA provides funds to support higher level region awards and federation awards, along with resources to help clubs administer the program in their communities.
The impact of the Live Your Dream Awards is substantial. Impact surveys with past recipients consistently have shown that:
SIA has distributed more than $44 million in funding to over 44,000 women since the program began in 1972.
And although that financial investment is crucially important, it’s not just about the money. The recipient knows that an organization of women believes in her ability to change her own life and supports her dreams. A past recipient from the United States said, “The award gave me the start and validation that I needed at a dark time of my life to believe in myself again.” Our target demographic of women who face obstacles to their success may have not experienced that kind of support and validation before, and it can provide a much-needed boost and motivation to achieve their dreams, especially if they are older than traditional student age or juggling education and providing for their dependents.
Past recipient Ashley says “My children were the ones who inspired me to go back. I had given up on college 10 years prior but I want badly to give them a wonderful life and to be a great example to them. Without a degree it seemed impossible to make enough money to support 3 kids. I decided to double major in political science and criminal justice in hopes of going to law school. I dream of working in family law helping to represent the children who are stuck in bad situations and don’t have a voice.” She graduated in May 2024 and hopes to continue on to law school while also getting her pilot’s license.
More About the International Day of Education
On December 3, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating January 24 as International Day of Education, recognizing the vital role of education in promoting peace and development.
The 2025 International Day of Education theme is “AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation.”
Learn more about the UN's International Day of Education here.
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