VOA慢速英语--孟加拉国呼吁废止童婚的呼声日益高涨

'Speaking Up' to Prevent Child Marriage in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, two-thirds of all girls are married before the age of 18.

Getting married at an early age takes away some of their childhood. It also affects the girls’ right to an education.

A not-for-profit organization is trying to change that by providing educational support through an effort called the Girls Education Program. The group, called Speak Up for the Poor, has offices in the United States.

The support is coming from everyday U.S. citizens, like a mother and her 9-year-old daughter from Maryland.

When Sasha Forbes heard the founder¹ of Speak Up for the Poor, she was moved by the group’s cause.

“I’m very passionate² about empowering girls and empowering women,” Forbes said.

Speak Up for the Poor

Speak Up for the Poor does a lot of work in Bangladesh, one of the world’s poorest countries.

Troy Anderson is the founder and international director of Speak Up for the Poor.

“So, in Bangladesh, the major problem there is child marriage, where up to two-thirds of the girls are married before the age of 18," Anderson said. "And quite a lot of those are getting married when they’re 13 or 14 years old. So, we’re working on the preventative side to keep girls in school so that they won’t be forced into legal marriages when they’re young.”

The Girls Education Program provides support to girls from 30 villages in rural³ Bangladesh. It pays for books, school supplies and educational programs outside of normal school hours. About 1,300 girls are registered⁴ in the program, with hundreds more on the waiting list.

The girls depend on the donations⁵ of families to help them finish school. For the past year, the Forbes have supported a 12-year-old girl in Khulna, the third largest city in Bangladesh.

Sasha Forbes said she decided⁶ to take her 9-year-old daughter Maya to Bangladesh to visit the girl they were helping⁷.

“I wanted her to be able to relate with a young girl on the other side of the world. And to get that perspective⁸ and know that not everybody lives the type of life or experience that we have. And then also I wanted her to know that if she felt passionate about something and she wanted to make a difference or volunteer that it’s very possible.”

?Volunteering in Bangladesh

For two weeks, the mother and daughter from Maryland volunteered their time and worked in several villages in Khulna. They spent time with the girl they supported, visited classrooms, brought presents and school supplies and taught English to young girls.

Maya says the time spent in Bangladesh taught her an important lesson.

“I basically⁹ learned¹⁰ that no matter how much stuff¹¹ you have, no matter how educated you are, inside everyone is basically the same person.”

After returning to the U.S., the Forbes continued to “speak up for the poor.” They raised money through yard sales, workout programs, and even selling drinks like lemonade. They hope to bring the money they collected to Bangladesh in November.

Inspiring others

Their efforts have moved others like Wendy Zanders to support their cause.

“I may not be able to, you know, pack up my bags, take time off from work and go to Bangladesh, but because she had that passion to do so, we can support her financially, or whatever it is that she needs.”

With the help of groups like Speak Up for the Poor, Forbes and her daughter Maya are making a difference in the lives of many. Through their efforts, many more young girls are getting the chance to learn so they can follow their own paths to success.

I’m Phil Dierking.

Words in This Story

bag - n. a container made of thin material (such as paper, plastic, or cloth) that opens at the top and is used for holding or carrying things?

basically - adv. used to say that something is true or correct as a general statement even if it is not entirely¹² true or correct?

lemonade - n. a drink made usually of lemon juice, sugar, and water?

lesson - n. an activity that you do in order to learn something?

passionate - adj. having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs?

perspective - n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as a particular issue or life in general)?

stuff - n. materials, supplies, or equipment?

yard sale - n. a sale of used furniture, clothing, etc., held at the seller's home

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

2 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

3 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

4 registered   

adj.登记的，注册的

参考例句：

• Ships were registered abroad to circumvent employment and safety regulation. 船只在外国注册以逃避有关雇佣和安全的规定。
• In former times, only property owners could be registered as voters. 从前，只有有财产的人才能登记作选民。

5 donations   

n.捐赠( donation的名词复数 )；赠送；捐款；捐赠物

参考例句：

• The hospital receives a good deal of money in donations. 这家医院收到捐赠来的大笔款项。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The charity is completely reliant on public donations. 这一慈善团体完全依靠公众捐款。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 perspective   

n.视角，观点，想法

参考例句：

• You can get a perspective of the whole city from here.从这里你可以看到城市的全景。
• We may get a clear perspective of the people's happy lives.我们知道人民对幸福生活的展望。

9 basically   

adv.基本上，从根本上说

参考例句：

• His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
• Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。

10 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

11 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

12 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。