Area Adolescents Get Ready To 'Girl Up'

By Jessica Gould

Hundreds of girls will converge on THEARC in Anacostia Saturday to show their support for young women across the world. The United Nations Foundation is calling on D.C. area adolescents to "Girl Up."

"Girl Up is the foundation's newest campaign, and it's basically to empower American girls to support their peers in developing countries," says Jennifer Kim Field, head of the Girl Up program.

And she says the foundation is asking girls to give a "high five" to their sisters abroad.

"So that means learning five facts," she says.

Like, one in seven girls in developing countries marries before age 15.

Or, she says, they can "encourage five friends to hold fundraisers."

Or they can simply give $5 for school supplies, clean water, health care or violence prevention.

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington is co-hosting the event. Field says the goal is to inspire the next generation of what she calls "philanthro-teens" to make a difference.