October 13, 2025
The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance will support local organizations helping young women overcome barriers to education and opportunity.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is renewing her commitment to global girls’ education, announcing a $2.5 million pledge through the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance to strengthen grassroots efforts that empower girls in economically disadvantaged regions.
“These groups are changing the way girls see themselves in their own communities and in our world, helping create the leaders we need for the brighter future we all deserve,” Obama said in a video released Oct. 11 to mark International Day of the Girl. “Because when our girls succeed, we all do.”
As reported by Fortune, the funding raised through Michelle Obama’s program will go toward dozens of local organizations working to dismantle barriers that keep girls from school, such as child marriage, gender-based violence, and financial hardship. These groups also provide counseling, mentorship, and vocational training for young women between the ages of 10 and 19.
The Girls Opportunity Alliance, founded in 2018 as an extension of Michelle Obama’s earlier White House initiative, has long focused on helping adolescent girls access education and leadership opportunities. But the renewed effort comes as international organizations warn of declining global education funding. UNICEF projects that a 24% reduction in aid from wealthier nations could push six million girls out of school by the end of next year.
“The need right now, I think more than ever, is crucial,” said Tiffany Drake, the Alliance’s executive director. “We were just in Mauritius and we heard it time and time again that organizations need funding. They need support.”
At the Alliance’s recent summit in Mauritius, African and Asian partners shared stories of perseverance despite scarce resources. One attendee, Jackie Bomboma, who leads the Young Strong Mothers Foundation in Tanzania, said connecting with other women in the network gave her new energy.
“We call ourselves ‘watoto wa Michelle Obama,’ which means ‘the children of Michelle Obama,’” she said. “Everyone feels so proud to have such a mother who is very strong, who is very powerful and who is very loving.”
The fund offers grants of up to $50,000 for specific projects, along with training and mentorship from major international NGOs. Beyond direct support, Drake said, the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance initiative amplifies these smaller organizations’ work through public campaigns and crowdfunding.
“We didn’t want to just tell people and say, ‘Google how you can help,’” Drake said. “We wanted to give them a place where they can take action.”
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