Today is National Girl Child Day in India, the country where Mission of Mercy first started working to meet the needs of impoverished children. Why January 24? It marks the day that Indira Gandhi, the first female prime minister of India, took office in 1966.

Why is a day set aside for the girl child, and what does that mean? “Girl Child” is not a phrase we often hear in the United States. It refers to a constellation of economic issues and cultural traditions that challenge young girls in the developing world. In a nutshell, girls are seen as financial liabilities.

If cultural tradition holds that a girl should marry as early (and as well) as possible, schooling seems wasteful. The sooner she marries, the less you have to pay for – aside from her marriage dowry, that is.

For girls, the consequences of these beliefs are many, and they begin very early on. Let’s look at this from the girl child’s perspective:

Your mom is pregnant. She finds out you are a girl. (One in five girls are aborted before birth or killed shortly thereafter. If your family is wealthy, you face the same odds.)

Your mom doesn’t abort you, but you have two older brothers. You aren’t nursed as long as they were, and when you move onto solid foods, you are fed last. (One in five boys are malnourished; one in two girls are malnourished in India.)

The school has a place for you, but most of your teachers are male. Your parents refuse to let you attend school if your teacher is male as they consider it inappropriate. (Less than half of teachers in India are female, and they are even rarer in rural areas.)

Your mom has more children. You are expected to stay home and help her take care of your siblings and the house. You never go to school. (25% of Indian girls are never enrolled in school and of those who do get a chance to attend school, 60% are pulled out without finishing primary school.)

Illiterate, before you are fully developed you are married to an older man in your village. (Almost half of women in India were married before age 18).

You become pregnant. (You are five times more likely to die in childbirth than a woman in her 20s.)

But what if things could be different?

What if a program became available through a local church or school? As a young girl, you are allowed to enroll. You participate in activities. You learn to interact with other children. You eat a nutritious meal every day.

You are taught to read and know all your numbers. The program offers to pay your school fees if you want to attend school. You are offered tutoring support to make sure you succeed. Your parents finally agree.

You love school. You excel in school. You finish your homework and each night go home and complete your chores. You teach your younger siblings what you are learning. You begin to teach your mother how to read.

You are near the top of your class. You are accepted to the government high school. Your parents realize that this could change everything for your family. They want to help you succeed.

You have a high school degree. At this point, you are less likely to get married to an older man. Your children, when you have them, will be healthier and more likely to be educated. Because you have more education, you will have a better job. And you will invest 90% of your income into your family.

The difference is staggering, isn’t it? But that is what your sponsorship provides – not just in India, but all over the world. Your commitment helps a girl to see she has value, that she is worth the investment. The opportunity extends beyond an education – it goes deep into her soul where she can learn that she is fearfully and wonderfully made.

That is a difference worth making.