Michelle Obama delivers emotional speech at Mulberry School for Girls

SHE’S a seasoned operator who is not afraid of speaking in public, but even the First Lady teared up after being asked a question by this girl.

US First Lady Michelle Obama gives an address during a visit as part of the US government's 'Let Girls Learn' initiative at Mulberry School for Girls in east London on June 16, 2015. On the first full day of a visit to Britain the US First Lady met with local students in east London and discussed how Britain and the US are working together in order to attempt to expand access to adolescent girls' education around the world. While in London, the First Lady will also host a roundtable meeting on Let Girls Learn, and meet with British Prime Minister Cameron, Samatha Cameron, and Prince Harry. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS

FIRST LADY Michelle Obama teared up while giving an emotional speech to students at a disadvantaged school in London, saying they’ve provided the inspiration for her Let Girls Learn project.

“It’s you,” she said when asked by a student what provided the idea for the global project which aims to educate 62 million young women around the world.

“Didn’t you notice how I almost cried while giving my speech? It’s you. It’s your soul, it’s your passion. I can’t tell me how many times I interact with young girls like you in every part of the world and I’m always in awe of what you’re able to push through and how hungry you are for your education,” Mrs Obama said.

“I can just tell in the way you carry yourselves and your confidence. The way you look me in the eye and other people. That inspires me.”

US First Lady Michelle Obama told the students that in many ways ‘your story is my story’ Picture: Justin Tallis

The First Lady was in London to announce a nearly $200 million partnership with the UK to improve access to education for girls around the world. At the Mulberry School for Girls in Tower Hamlets — a disadvantaged neighbourhood next to the city’s gleaming financial district — she delivered an emotional and personal speech, telling the young students “your story is my story”.

The First Lady spoke of growing up in a crowded apartment on the southside of Chicago where she would wake up at 4am to get some peace and quiet and dream of having a place of her own. She said her parents expected her to aim high “but despite my efforts there were still people in my life that told me I was setting my sights too high. That a girl like me couldn’t get into an elite university.”

“It was like these folks were trying to put me in a little box a box that fit their constrained expectations of me and after a while I started to wonder well maybe … these folks were right?”

“The fact that I was a girl and that I was black that certainly didn’t help things either,” she said adding that she knew what it was like to feel invisible or wonder if “people will ever see beyond your headscarf to who you really are”.

Rock star reception. Michelle Obama is greeted by two young girls at Mulberry School for Girls — which has an excellent record of education despite being in a disadvantaged area. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images.

The famous Obama hug comes out. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images.

While admitting “we love men, we all do” she said the young women she met on a similar trip in 2009 shortly after the President’s inauguration had inspired her.

“All I could think about is how much promise they each had inside of them. In many ways those girls were the inspiration for so much of my work.”

She was joined on stage by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, now Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, who gave advice to students wanting to get into law and was praised by Mrs Obama who described her as an expert on global education.

“My team want to learn as much as we can from folks like her so we can have the biggest impact possible,” she said.

The $200 million initiative announced will be used to support girls in countries affected by conflict including Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia.

The First Lady is in London with her two daughters and also held meeting with Prince Harry as well as UK Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha.

Julia Gillard on stage with Michelle Obama gave advice to young girls on how to get into law. Picture: Matt Dunham.