The Circle of Sisterhood, a foundation focused on fighting for the right of young women around the world to have equal access to an education, serves as a strong reminder for sorority women everywhere of what our organizations were only a short century ago: A determined group of young women who bonded together to fight for their right to a higher education. Now, a century after most sororities were founded, women make up more than half of the degree-seeking population in US colleges.

While the battle for equal access to education in the United States has already been won, there is still a number of countries around the world where young women have no access to any type of formal schooling. The disparity of educational opportunities between men and women around the world has been the main contributing factor to women making up around 2/3 of the illiterate adult population. It is figures such as this one that served as the inspiration for the creation of the Circle of Sisterhood foundation.

Since its founding in 2010, sorority women nationwide have banded together to "remove the barriers to education for girls in the developing world" (circleofsisterhood.org). It was only a few years ago that the Eastern Washington University Panhellenic sororities adopted the Circle of Sisterhood as their official philanthropy. Though each of the four Panhellenic chapters has their own individual foundations that they support, the Circle of Sisterhood is way for women from every chapter to come together and support a great cause.

In the last year, the EWU Panhellenic community has fundraised for the Circle of Sisterhood by selling hand-painted Christmas ornaments as well as hosting an event called ‘Take a chance, make a change’. Both events were successful in raising over $200.

The EWU Panhellenic Circle of Sisterhood committee hosted another amazing event called the Circle of Sisterhood 5k Obstacle course over the weekend. It was comprised of eight obstacles with participants hopping over logs, balancing on a wooden beam, and sliding into a mud pit.The committee saw a 5k obstacle course as a good way to signify overcoming the obstacles to education that young women around the world must face. Members of the Circle of Sisterhood committee hope that the 5k obstacle course will become an annual event.

The Circle of Sisterhood works by raising funds and then distributing grants to organizations who work in different countries to make education a reality for young women. In the four years since Circle of Sisterhood’s conception, the foundation has been able to support organizations working in 17 countries on 4 continents, including funding two school builds (with 4 more planned for Summer 2015).

If you would like to support the Circle of Sisterhood you can give here.