Theirworld

Lyndsey Scott, Laura Carmichael, Edith Bowman, Laura Mvula, Jameela Jamil, Cherry Healey, Minnie Driver and Laura Bailey amongst a host of celebrities supporting Theirworld’s #RewritingTheCode campaign

President of charity Theirworld Sarah Brown last week, launched a new International Women’s Day campaign #RewritingTheCode at a special breakfast hosted with Facebook. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the prejudice girls face globally, aiming to make 2016 the moment to change gender stereotypes and discriminatory values for a generation of young women.

The charity have been calling on people to share on social media what embedded value- that start for girls before birth and can shape their futures-  they would like to change by posting a picture to create a spike of activity ahead of International Women’s Day.

Those that have posted include:

Sarah Brown

Melinda Gates

Lyndsey Scott

#RewritingTheCode ???????? #BackOnTheLondonBeat #Theirworld #GirlsCanBeLeaders

A photo posted by Lyndsey Scott (@lyndsey360) on

Edith Bowman

Bonnie Wright

Cherry Healey

Girls aren’t ‘gobby’ or a ‘handful’ if they speak up. #RewritingTheCode #IWD2016 #theirworld

A photo posted by Cherry Healey ???? (@cherryhealey) on

Laura Carmichael

Laura Mvula

Naomi Campbell

Zawe Ashton

Womens stories deserve to be told.Their complexity,brutality,sadness,ecstasy,dreams-whatever.All BELONG #IWD2016 pic.twitter.com/IfGbydW73C

— Zawe Ashton (@ZaweAshton) March 8, 2016

Steve Nguyen

On the same day Theirworld have showed how they are #RewritingTheCode for girls with the launch of their new Code Clubs across Africa. With these innovative pilot projects, vulnerable girls and young women in Africa are being given a unique chance to learn vital technology skills in a safe space.

The pilot project – designed to empower girls with technology through creativity and learning- will benefit between 600-700 females aged 5 to 24 in Kenya, Uganda and Senegal. Expanding to three more countries later this year.

Code Clubs are being launched by the charity Theirworld in partnership with the companies Kano, Codeacademy and Africa Gathering. They are low-cost, sustainable and scaleable safe spaces where girls can build, learn and create through technology, creativity and coding.

Despite thousands of jobs being created in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries across Africa, gender discrimination, lack of access to education and technology means girls are kept out of the work force and unable to break the cycle of poverty.

Sarah Brown, President of Theirworld said “With a safe space to learn and play, a mentor to inspire, and access to technology to be able to explore, create, and code we can increase learning opportunities and empower girls to fulfil their potential. Every girl should have the opportunity to go to school, learn, grow, and have a future they choose”.

#RewritingTheCode and Theirworld’s work across Africa is supported by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.