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Michelle Obama, Melinda French Gates, and Amal Clooney come together to fight against child marriage© Getty Images

Michelle Obama, Melinda French Gates, and Amal Clooney come together to fight against child marriage

Working with grassroots leaders and changemakers, they listen to stories and find ways to support girls working to overcome barriers


Shirley Gomez
Senior Writer
NOVEMBER 17, 2023 11:08 AM EST

A collaborative effort launched in 2022 by the Girls Opportunity Alliance, Gates Foundation, and Clooney Foundation for Justice has brought Melinda French Gates, Amal Clooney, and Michelle Obama to Malawi. The initiative is aimed at ending child marriage and supporting women and girls in their pursuit of education.

Working with grassroots leaders and changemakers, they listen to stories and find ways to support girls working to overcome barriers to achieve their dreams. The trio recently met with young women in a program called @AGEAfrica. This program provides girls with scholarships and mentorship.

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“This week, @MelindaFrenchGates, Amal Clooney, and I are in Malawi as part of an effort we launched last year between the @GirlsOpportunityAlliance, @GatesFoundation, and @ClooneyFoundationforJustice to help end child marriage and to support women and girls pursuing their education. We’re meeting with grassroots leaders and changemakers to hear their stories and find ways to support girls who are working to overcome barriers to pursue their dreams,” Obama shared on social media.

“We met with young women who are part of @AGEAfrica — a program supported by the Girls Opportunity Alliance — that provides girls with scholarships, mentorship, and afterschool programming. I saw so much of myself in these bright young women, and I was just so moved by their determination and resilience,” the former First Lady added.

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According to Obama, Making sure girls finish school is an effective way to combat child marriage and empower them to reach their full potential. “Over the next few days, we’ll be sharing more stories from our trip — hope you’ll follow along,” she concluded.

What else is Michelle Obama doing through the Obama Foundation?

In August, Michelle Obama and her husband, Barack Obama, partnered with Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky to lead The Voyager Scholarship. The trio established this incentive to assist college students in broadening their perspectives through travel while also making a beneficial impact. “Barack, @BChesky , and I are so excited to welcome our newest class of Voyagers! These changemakers are making a difference in their communities and we can’t wait to support them along their journeys in public service,” Michelle wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

61st Annual GRAMMY Awards   Inside© GettyImages

Michelle and Barack Obama are constantly using their platforms for the greater good, and during summer, the author and mom of two teamed up with Alicia Keys to unite their power to provide an unforgettable surprise for the eager participants of the Youth Job Corps program in Chicago.

This dynamic duo, which call themselves friends, brought their shared passion for empowerment to the forefront during Alicia’s exhilarating Keys to the Summer Tour stop.