Shining a light on education for girls

A group at UPEI is staging a glow-in-the-dark event to support girls' education in refugee camps.

The World University Service of Canada committee at UPEI will stage the glow-in-the-dark UFIT Wednesday evening in support of the Shine a Light campaign.

By the time they get to their school work it's dark.- KatieVanleeuwen

The campaign supports the education of girls in refugee camps, where boys can outnumber girls in schools by four to one, says WUSC.

Shine a Light, and the glow-in-the-dark UFIT, are references to the importance of light when it comes to girls' education.

"Often girls are expected to do a lot of domestic chores when it's light outside," said UPEI WUSC co-chair Katie Vanleeuwen.

"By the time they get to their school work it's dark and they might not have electricity or any light, and then they can't do their school work."

Money raised by the campaign goes to purchase solar lighting for refugee camps, as well as help for girls through scholarships and remedial classes.

The UPEI event starts at 6:30 p.m. at the UPEI student centre.

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