For children in the developing world, education means freedom.

Freedom from being sold into child prostitution or forced into arranged child marriages and early pregnancies.

Freedom from a lifetime of hard manual labour where girls and boys work against their will by threat of beatings, imprisonment and violence against their families.

Freedom to fulfill his or her God-given potential to learn and to prosper.

Of the 1.3 billion people living in poverty, 70 per cent are women who are denied the opportunity to go to school as children, either because of financial or social restrictions. These girls perform menial tasks and earn little to no money. They are voiceless, without knowledge of their human rights.

Educating girls is a key aspect of CCFC's program because of the traditional cultural barriers they face.

Worldwide, 76 million more boys than girls are enrolled in school. Most impoverished families tend to send their sons to school while daughters are kept home to fetch water, cook, clean and care for younger siblings.

Investment in female education is an important economic development strategy that directly increases economic productivity. An economy can't thrive if half of its potential work force is uneducated and illiterate: an educated and skilled woman can chart her own destiny and better her life. Investing in education reduces illiteracy, improves job prospects and breaks down the cycle of poverty.