Nearly 1 in 4 girls of primary school age are out of school in sub-Saharan Africa.  There are currently 5.5 million more out-of-school girls of primary school age than boys, worldwide.

The barriers that deter children from attending primary school vary across and within countries but are often associated with poverty, geographic remoteness, armed conflict, lack of school infrastructure, and poor-quality education. Moreover, these obstacles often interact with gender inequality to intensify learning disadvantages for marginalized girls.

Gender disparity in enrollment is found in more countries at the secondary level than at the primary level. Moreover, in contrast to primary education, the gender disparity disadvantages boys at the secondary level in many countries – although the disadvantage is typically less extreme. The largest gender gaps at the expense of girls are observed in sub-Saharan Africa.

https://data.unicef.org/topic/gender/gender-disparities-in-education/

Your ongoing support is helping change those statistics. Your support is directly impacting girls’ education in Sierra Leone.  Each year of education a young woman receives helps her improve her overall health and her family's overall health, reduces violence, helps her stand up for her rights, and increases her earning potential. 

Making a monthly donation is the most effective way to help girls get their education, but every dollar donated makes a difference! If you are not yet a recurring donor and would like to sign up for a recurring donation go here.