Female Education in Africa

1. Girls and young women in rural areas of Africa are the most disadvantaged social group in the world today
2. They are unable to challenge the status quo from their position of acute vulnerability
3. Camfed unlocks the resources that begin the process of change

Education - Service and Other

For 15 years, Camfed has been dedicated to fighting poverty and HIV/AIDS in rural communities in Africa by educating girls and investing in their economic independence and leadership once they complete school. When Camfed commits to supporting a girl’s education, she isn’t merely sent to school for a year or two. She is supported for a full education, and through the challenging transition from school to employment. Our programs are designed to follow girls and young women through critical junctures in their lives – when they are particularly prone to drop out of school, or marry young, for example.

There is a growing consensus among global leaders that girls’ education is the single best investment that can be made in developing countries. Studies show that educated girls marry later, have fewer children, are half as likely to contract HIV, and increase their future incomes by 15 to 25 percent for every year of secondary school education that they complete.

And the investment reverberates through the community. Women who have been supported through school by Camfed go on to fund the education of younger relatives. They contribute to the local economy as successful entrepreneurs. They develop the confidence and skills to play an active role in shaping their communities and initiating change.