Welcome Steve Murchie to the Girls Education International Board of Directors!

Girls Education International is excited to officially announce our newest board member, Steve Murchie. Steve is an entrepreneur and investor, primarily working in the software and cleantech sectors. He holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He has more than 25 years of experience in the software industry, starting as a programmer/analyst and progressing through a variety of roles in sales, marketing, and general management.

In the past several years, Steve has become active in the social sector, stemming from his membership in Social Venture Partners – Denver. In that capacity, he consulted with local non-profit organizations to improve their sustainability, which afforded him the opportunity to become involved in a variety of mission-driven organizations and causes, especially those just getting off the ground.

Initially, Steve was involved with Girls Ed as part of an informal focus group and then he was later invited to guide Girls Ed through some early growing pains in an advisory role. Following this advisory period, Steve moved out of the US temporarily, but as soon as he returned, we were delighted to extend the invitation to Steve to join our Board of Directors in full service.

Steve is a strong believer in the power of education, and the transformative nature of education for girls and young women in the developing world. And he's clearly an adventurer, too.  Naturally, he is a wonderful addition to the GEI team! Join us welcoming him on board!

GlobalGiving Matching Funds Opportunity for Girls Ed on Wednesday, March 16th!

Girls Education International has an amazing opportunity to raise a lot of money for our Liberia scholarship program!  If you have always wished you could make a bigger donation to support a girl's education, now is the time!

On Wednesday, March 16, GlobalGiving is matching at 30% all online donations up to $1,000 per donor per project! $75,000 in matching funds is available. We want Girls Ed to win some of those funds!

In addition to the 30% match, GlobalGiving is offering a $1,000 bonus to the project that raises the most funds on Wednesday and a $1,000 bonus to the project that receives donations from the most individual donors!

Donate Now (www.globalgiving.org/6852) to Girls Ed and help us support our 47 middle and high school girls in Liberia!

Other big ways to help in this challenge:

• Call or email at least five friends and ask them to donate.
• Post a link to our project page on your Facebook page asking your friends to donate.

  5 ACTION ITEMS FOR ON-GOING SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT

1. Go to www.girleffect.org to watch a short video about why it is critical to educate girls.
2. Educate yourself by reading a book about the importance of educating girls, such as Half The Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn (www.halftheskymovement.org)
3. Go to The United Nations Girls Education Initiative (www.ungei.org) or read about the United Nations Millenium Development Goals to Eradicate Poverty (www.un.org/millenniumgoals) to learn what the United Nations is doing to promote universal education in the developing world as a means to eradicate poverty. 
4. Join the CARE Action Network to speak out to policy makers about poverty and injustice (www.care.org). Talk about the importance of educating girls with your representatives, your teen-agers, your partner, your family, at your work place, and with your faith community. Start the conversation about the issue at the grass roots level.
5. Support documentary filmmakers who tell important stories of the impact of educational opportunity throughout the world. Buy the DVD and host screening parties to raise funds and awareness. Film suggestions include: A Small Act (www.asmallact.com) and The First Grader (www.thefirstgrader-themovie.com).

A Girl's Education, The World's Next Best Resource

Thank you for your continued support!