CNN reports that the Trump administration is putting an end to the “Let Girls Learn” initiative, one of Michelle Obama’s major projects during her time as first lady.
“Aspects of the initiative’s programming will continue,” according to CNN, but the “Let Girls Learn” name will no longer be used. In a 2015 interview with Her Campus, Obama explained that the initiative was dedicated to helping girls around the world overcome barriers—such as poverty, lack of resources or outdated beliefs about women—that keep girls out of school.
The initiative worked with organizations like the Peace Corps to reach girls globally. A spokesman for the Peace Corps told CNN that they will continue to prioritize girls’ education, which has been “hallmark of our work over the past 56 years.”
Obama connected her passion for girls’ education to the importance of education in her own life. “Growing up, my family didn’t have much money, and neither of my parents had a college degree, but they were determined to see me get the best education possible – and that education was everything for me,” she told Her Campus in 2015. “It was the starting point for every opportunity I’ve had in my life. But so many girls never get that chance. And as I’ve traveled the world, I have seen that these girls are so bright and so hungry to learn—and I really see myself in these girls, I see my daughters in these girls.”
Both Melania and Ivanka Trump have talked about the importance of education for women since entering the White House. But when the White House makes moves like these, some are finding it hard to believe in their commitment to the cause.