Four schoolgirls

Five Ways We Help Keep Girls in School

Educating girls is vital to raising families (and countries) out of poverty. However, girls face many barriers to attending and completing school such as societal traditions of educating only boys, no money for school fees or uniforms, and illness and inadequate nutrition causing prolonged absences.

Here’s how Bopoma Villages is helping overcome some of these obstacles for girls in Zaka:

  1. Helping girls obtain birth certificates A birth certificate is required for school registration, but many orphaned children do not have one. Our team helps caregivers raise funds and guides them through the complex process to obtain a birth certificate. Read Mitchell’s story
  2. Gogo CatherineSewing school uniforms Gogo Catherine not only cares for three grandchildren in Zaka but has love and energy to help many more. With sewing machines from Bopoma Villages, she taught a local group of women to sew and the women immediately put their new skills to work making school uniforms for orphaned and vulnerable children. Last year her team made more than 300 new uniforms!
  3. Vocational training Bopoma Villages has partnered with Rafiki Girls’ Centre to provide vocational training for young women from Zaka who have few prospects. Many young women have now graduated with new job skills – and new hope! Read more
  4. Providing sanitary products A lack of sanitary products keeps girls at home once they reach puberty. Bopoma Villages teaches girls to make their own sanitary pads so they can stay in school.
  5. Developing new income sources The keyhole gardens we are helping build in Zaka can produce crops year-round.  Single parents, grandmothers and other caregivers of orphaned children, can now sell their excess produce to pay for school fees. Read more
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