It is a shocking thing that around the world, so many girls are missing out on an education that could be their ladder out of poverty.

Only 49 per cent of countries have gender parity in terms of primary school attendance and this has wider consequences – for the girls themselves, their families and their communities. An educated girl has far better outcomes in terms of health and her ability to earn a living.

There are many barriers which prevent girls from attending school, but often they come down to poverty. When families cannot afford to send all their children to school, they often choose the boys and the girls remain at home.

I recently met two young women in India who had grown up in a very poor community. Their parents told me that it is unusual to send girls to school and most are married off young to save money for the family.

For Fatima and Soni, however, things were different because of the provision of Mary’s Meals. A nutritious daily meal in school was a huge incentive for the girls’ parents, who were struggling to feed their family, to send the girls to school. Over time, both the girls and their parents saw the value of education.

Fatima is the first girl in her community to gain a university degree and is set to become a teacher. Her sister is entering the police force. Mary’s Meals fuelled the future for these young women and with your help, we can change the story for millions more girls around the world.

Just £19.15 can provide a daily school meal for a girl for a whole year. Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/her-education and make a donation which can change a girl’s life.

Jessica Faulkner, Mary's Meals