People
In a move to promote gender equality and empower girls worldwide, global education nonprofit Room to Read has announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery. The collaboration will see the premier of “She Creates Change,” the first nonprofit-led animation and live-action project of its kind.
The award-winning film series, set to premier on March 8, 15, and 22 in celebration of International Women’s Day, features six animated shorts accompanied by live-action mini documentaries. The narratives focus on six courageous young women from historically low-income communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Vietnam. Each episode highlights the unique challenges these girls face, such as harassment, food scarcity, or early marriage, and their advocacy for their futures.
Dr. Geetha Murali, CEO of Room to Read, expressed her hopes for the project: “As girls see other young women, who face challenges similar to their own, use their skills and knowledge to shape their future, they too will discover avenues to harness their own power and potential.”
The project’s launch is a significant step towards Room to Read’s goal of reaching adolescent girls with empowering and informative content. Pushkar Lal Shrestha, Country Director of Room to Read in Nepal, emphasized that “She Creates Change” aims to inspire not just young girls to pursue their dreams and stand up for their rights, but also to "encourage young boys and men to support the women and girls" in their lives.
“She Creates Change” has been recognized as an official selection of several prestigious festivals, including the Tribeca Festival, Manchester Animation Festival, London Short Film Festival, and the British Animation Awards. The series will premiere as a feature-length film as an official selection of the SXSW EDU Film Program on March 5, 2024.
The release of “She Creates Change” aligns with the launch of Room to Read’s flagship fundraising campaign, “You Create Change,” which aims to raise $10 million to support girls’ education and gender equality through Room to Read’s programs.
Through “She Creates Change,” which includes books and audio stories in addition to the film series, Room to Read seeks to “support all adolescent girls in the world” with content that equips and inspires them to create positive change in their lives and communities.
