# BRING BACK OUR GIRLS...

Cathy says:
This is perhaps the most frightening story I've ever posted on DREAMCATCHER, but I know that you, my readers, are strong and brave and caring and will not turn away from this. Please read and take the challenge to reach out to the kidnapped girls... 

In Chibok, a small town in the North-East of Nigeria on 14th April, over 300 girls were kidnapped from their school by an extremist group who oppose western culture and the education of girls. Some girls escaped, but 276 are still captive and the terrorist group have said they will sell the girls into slavery. Can you imagine being kidnapped from YOUR school and held by terrorists to be sold as slaves or forced into a child-marriage with someone you've never met? Nigeria may seem far away to some of us, but these are girls JUST LIKE YOU who have had their dreams and their futures stolen from them in the most terrifying way. Their families are grieving and the world looks on as a terrorist group uses fear, violence and bullying to push its views on others.

In the last week, the campaign #BringBackOurGirls has worked to raise awareness, and it now has the support of Michelle Obama, wife of the US president, David Cameron, UK's Prime Minister, Malala Youssefi, one of the most inspiring teens I know of, and many, many high profile celebs. I've done mine - will you join us? Add your support by taking a selfie with the message #BringBackOurGirls and posting it to your FB page and/or emailing it to me here - if I get enough, I will make a slideshow of the pictures to share online.

What else? Well, the names of 177 of the kidnapped girls have been released. This makes the girls seem more real to me - every one of these girls matters, as do the girls whose names we do not yet know. My local #BringBackOurGirls group are writing LETTERS to the girls to show support. The letters will never reach the girls, but the idea is to write down your thoughts, hopes and prayers for one of the girls as a mark of how much you care. Again, photograph your letter and send it to me here and I will add it to the #BringBackOurGirls slideshow... together, we can show that we stand together against the kidnappers, that we CARE. Can you spare five minutes of your time to reach out a hand of friendship to the missing girls? I've written mine...

How do you know who to write to? Just choose a name from the list on this page, imagine that girl and write from the heart. Your feelings and love and support may just reach her, even if the letter cannot. You can post up your finished letter onto your FB page, onto your Twitter feed or onto Instagram. You can tell your friends what you are doing and ask them to read this, and to do the same. Tell your teachers, and your parents. Share this link, and show that you won't turn away from their plight. Girls are NOT chattels to be stolen, to be bought or sold into slavery. It matters. And we HAVE to speak out.

PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK & ASK YOUR FRIENDS/ SCHOOL TO SUPPORT THE NIGERIAN SCHOOLGIRLS TOO. WILL YOU TAKE THE CHALLENGE?

Will YOU take the challenge and write a letter and/or take a selfie with a #BringBackOurGirls message? COMMENT BELOW to let us know!