The promotion of girls' schooling has been the cornerstone of Obama's charitable work since her husband Barack Obama left office in 2017 after two terms as US president.
Accompanied by Roberts and Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former US president George W. Bush, Obama encouraged the girls to stay the course of schooling. "Even if your families don't understand that today, trust me they will, when you go off to college or start your businesses," she added. School enrolment rates are also high at 91.7%, but the quality of schooling often drops off in rural areas, and in the poorest pockets of the country economic pressures can force girls out of school early."She kept trying every day to be better and now we can see that she is very successful," the 16-year-old told Agence France-Presse.