Our 12th annual Beards and Braids for Busy Season (BBFBS) campaign is officially underway!
What started as a fun way to break up the busy tax season has grown into a cherished tradition of supporting non-profits worldwide. To date, our annual BBFBS campaign has successfully raised over $46,000 for organizations such as Canines for Disabled Kids, International Rescue Committee, Move For Hunger, and No Kid Hungry.
For our 2025 campaign, GTN is once again proud to partner with Malala Fund, an organization that advocates for every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, and quality education. With nearly 120 million girls currently out of school, many face barriers such as poverty, inadequate education, early marriage, gender-based violence, and/or conflict.
Founded in 2013 by Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai, the organization’s mission is to create a world where every girl can learn and lead. By investing in local educators and advocates who truly understand the needs of their communities, Malala Fund helps girls in regions where secondary school is often out of reach. With access to secondary education, girls gain new opportunities to shape their own futures and reach their fullest potential.
Malala Fund’s efforts focus on regions where girls face the greatest barriers to secondary education, including Ethiopia, India, and Pakistan. Through advocacy, investment in local education leaders, and policy change initiatives, they are creating a lasting impact.
Discover how their initiatives are transforming the lives of young girls in these communities.
Ethiopia
Despite progress in recent years, Ethiopian girls continue to face significant barriers to education, as only 25% of girls are enrolled in secondary school. Gender discrimination, child marriage, economic hardship, abuse, and inadequate facilities prevent many girls from achieving their education goals.
In Ethiopia’s Amhara region, Malala Fund is providing aid to the more than 600,000 girls who are out of school. The organization is strengthening local networks to improve school conditions, advocate for policies against child marriage, and address gender-based violence in communities.
India
The Right to Education (RTE) Act in India guaranteed free education for children up to age 14, but its exclusion of upper secondary education and slow implementation have limited its effectiveness. Today, over 30 million children are still out of school, with 40% of them being adolescent girls. Gender inequality, cultural norms, long travel distances, and safety concerns prevent many girls from attending secondary school, as families often fear the associated risks and costs involved.
To address the gaps in India’s education system, Malala Fund is actively advocating for changes in government policy, while training and empowering girls to stand up for their education and rights.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, the lack of quality schools and teachers, along with limited education that equips girls for the workforce, often leads to families feeling pressured to send their daughters into domestic or paid labor.
Since 2017, Malala Fund has focused on three main areas: addressing key barriers that prevent girls from staying in school, increasing government funding for girls’ education, and improving access to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education in Pakistan.
By supporting Malala Fund through GTN's 2025 BBFBS campaign, you’re helping create a brighter future where every girl has access to 12 years of free, safe, quality education. Your donation goes directly to empowering local educators, advocates, and communities who are working on the frontlines to ensure girls can pursue secondary education.
Donate to Malala Fund today. 100% of the funds raised through GTN’s 12th annual BBFBS campaign go directly to Malala Fund and the global communities they serve.
The 2025 BBFBS campaign will run through April 15, 2025, aligning with the Internal Revenue Service’s tax filing deadline in the US. All GTN employees, families, and friends are encouraged to participate by growing their beards, braiding their hair, and raising awareness and funds for girls’ education.
Thank you to those who have supported our BBFBS campaigns in the past. Your ongoing generosity is the driving force behind our progress.