Stop Girls to Become Child Brides! Ms. June Leung, Founder of Beacon College: Let’s offer a helping hand

Each year, 15 million girls are married before the age of 18 – the equivalent of one every 2 seconds. In many developing countries, women are still perceived as inferior, and the communities fail to recognize the importance of girls’ education.

Each year, 15 million girls are married before the age of 18 – the equivalent of one every 2 seconds. In many developing countries, women are still perceived as inferior, and the communities fail to recognize the importance of girls’ education. Besides, the situation of child marriage is further worsened by factors like poverty, social norms, legal loopholes, etc.

Quynh is a lovely 18 months old toddler, but her mother, Bang is only 16 years old! Bang dropped out at 12 and married at 14. “I don’t have any choice but to get married,” Bang said. Sadly, marriage did not give her a way out of poverty. The family struggles to make a living on farming. .

June Leung, Board Member of Plan International Hong Kong and “Because I am a Girl” Ambassador, is passionate about helping people in need. She kindly helped Plan International Hong Kong record a promotion video for Girls Fund once she learned the story of Bang. June would like to take this opportunity to encourage more people to fight for girls’ rights, and break the vicious cycle of child marriage. “As founder of Beacon College, I hope our students and teachers not only focus on academic results, but also care and help vulnerable girls around the world. Maybe we cannot turn the clock back for Bang, but we can spare Quynh, the future generations, the same fate together!” June said.

According to a report published by the World Bank and the International Center for Research on Women, it reaffirms education as one of the most effective strategies to protect girls against early marriage. Each year of secondary education may reduce the likelihood of marrying as a child by 5%. With 60 people each donating HK$20 to Girls Fund, they can support a year of school fee for one underprivileged girl.

You can also make a monthly donation to Girls Fund (only HK$4 a day). With your regular donation, community programmes can be launched to identify and respond to the barriers girls face. It is only through giving girls equal rights that they can fully develop their potential and live a different life. Please support Girls Fund!

Donation Methods:

1.     Cash Donation via 7-Eleven (HK$20)

You can visit any 7-eleven stores in Hong Kong and present the above barcode to make a cash donation. Donations of HK$100 or above are tax deductible with our official receipts. Please send us the original 7-Eleven transaction record for official receipt application. Kindly state “Girls Fund One-off Donation” and donor’s full name, contact number and address on the receipt. We will send the official receipt to you.

2.     Online Donation

3.     Donation Boxes

Donation boxes can be found in the below 5 Beacon College branches:

• Shops 205-215, 2/F, 68 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
• 102-104 104A & 133-140, 2/F Amoy Plaza Phase 2 , 77 Ngau Tau Kok Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon
• 1/F, Ginza Square, 565-567 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
• G/F & 1/F, Brighton Place, No. 23 Shiu Wo Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
• G/F, Shing Shun Building, 41-43 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long, New Territories