Spared by Grace, But Grace Alone Is Not Enough

​I was spared by grace, but grace alone is not enough to keep a girl's light from going out. I know this because my life could have gone another way, a way that is far too common for girls in my community.

​I was born not with silver spoon but in a very low income setting that my education was a fragile gift, constantly on the brink of being taken away. My parents fought for my right to go to school in a place where educating girls was seen as unnecessary, even foolish. They worked tirelessly, but there came a time when the money simply wasn't enough.

​I still remember the day I was told to leave my classroom because my fees were unpaid. I stood outside, holding my books, fighting the humiliation rising in my chest. The world inside that classroom moved on without me. In that moment, I faced choices no child should ever face: compromise my values in exchange for the help I needed, or hold on to my dignity and risk losing my future.

​I chose dignity, and I lost. I lost a scholarship that could have changed my life, a grant that could have advanced my mission, and years of opportunities that would have made my journey easier. The pressure to give in was immense; the loneliness was crushing. Yet somehow, by the grace of God, I stood firm.

​But I know the truth: grace alone is not a strategy. Grace is a miracle, and miracles are not guaranteed. Not every girl can resist the pressures I faced. Not every girl is spared. That reality is what drives my work today. Through Girls Education Mission International, I am determined to ensure that a girl's education is not left to chance, charity, or a miracle. Every girl should have access to quality education, safe schools, and opportunities to thrive, without having to trade her dignity for her dreams.

​The headlines may focus on political unrest, economic collapse, and humanitarian crises, but behind those headlines are millions of girls whose futures are slipping away. We cannot leave them waiting for grace to intervene. We must act:

​Invest in grassroots organizations that remove financial barriers to girls' education.

​Protect schools so they remain safe spaces, even in times of crisis.

​Enforce policies that put girls at the center of emergency responses.

​I am here because grace met me in my darkest moments. But my prayer is that no girl's future should depend solely on divine intervention to survive. We must build systems strong enough to keep her light burning, with or without a miracle.