September update: Staying strong for girls

October is here, and that means — before we rush off to rake leaves — that it’s time to thank God for all the opportunities we had for advocacy in September! While speaking out can be challenging and grow us in ways we didn’t expect (or even want), we know that it’s a privilege to raise our voices in unison with children and families all over the world.

Here’s what the World Vision Volunteer Advocate Community and Online Advocate Network tackled in September:

Keeping Girls in School Act

Global experts agree that educating girls is key to fighting poverty. When girls stay in school, they marry later, their future children are healthier, and they’re more likely to be involved in community decisions. (Here are 10 things that happen when girls stay in school.)

In September, five members of the Volunteer Advocate Community had in-person meetings to talk about the Keeping Girls in School Act. This bill currently has 44 official cosponsors in the House of Representatives, thanks in part to the many advocates who asked their representative to cosponsor! In October, our goal is to get at least 15 cosponsors in the Senate for the Keeping Girls in School Act.

Quick summary for September actions on this bill:

• Five in-person meetings for the Keeping Girls in School Act!
• 1,120 online actions, including emails and social posts!

Staying faithful on foreign assistance and the Ending Violence Against Children Resolution

The Volunteer Advocate Community also had in-person meetings regarding the Ending Violence Against Children Resolution and the foreign assistance budget. We know the importance of this legislation to kids and families around the world, and, like the persistent widow in Luke 18, we are not going to stop asking for justice. We’ll continue to advocate for robust foreign assistance funding as Congress moves toward finalizing the 2020 budget before the Thanksgiving break.

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?”

— Luke 18:6-7

In August, we experienced the joy of success when a last-minute rescission package — designed to rescind already-planned foreign assistance funds — was cancelled. In September, our advocacy worked to build more momentum for the Keeping Girls in School Act, Ending Violence Against Children Resolution, and (as always) foreign assistance funding. We’ll continue that work in October — thank you for remaining faithful!

Advocacy goals for October:

Here’s what’s on the docket for October:

• Continuing to advocate for the Keeping Girls in Schools Act and find 15 (or more!) cosponsors in the Senate
• Inspiring and encouraging the Volunteer Advocate Community at Advocacy Camp
• Advocating for robust foreign assistance funding in fiscal year 2020

Thank you to everyone who took action in October. World Vision is working to help families lift themselves out of poverty, and the goal of advocacy is to address the systems, policies, and practices that hold people back. When we lift our voices together, we can — and do — create powerful change.

Special thanks to these World Vision Volunteer Advocates for scheduling in-person meetings in September: Marvin Blair, Cyndi Bluhm, Mike Ayres, Taryn Neils, Chris Pope, Cassie Rollins, Sherri Vance, Flavi Adja, John and Laura Crosby, and Chad Wible.

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Top photo: John and Laura Crosby (middle and right) meet with Representative Emmer (left). (Photo courtesy John and Laura Crosby)