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In rural Cameroon, the primary issue of girls’ education stems from patriarchal traditions that perceive girls as destined only for domestic roles and marriage. Our mission is clear: we strive to promote girls’ school enrollment and challenge these harmful perceptions. We believe that every girl deserves the chance to learn, grow, and chase her dreams.
To change this, we have created a program that promotes a cultural shift in communities to understand and support girls’ education.
Through informed discussions and awareness campaigns, we challenge these harmful mindsets among community leaders, parents, and the girls themselves, fostering a sustainable cultural shift that banishes outdated traditions. We share success stories of other girls in rural Cameroon who received education and discuss the many job opportunities that education can provide. By training community leaders, parents, and girls on the importance of education, we foster a sustainable mindset shift. Families begin to recognize the long-term benefits of educating girls, motivating them to send and keep their daughters in school.
A key part of our program is one-on-one conversations with parents to convince them to send and keep their girls in school. For example, if a girl is threatened at home to drop out of school or is at risk of being taken out of school, she can come talk to us, and we will speak to her parents to plead with them, convince, and encourage them to let her stay in school.
Moreover, recognizing that the cost of education is a cause of girls’ lack of education in rural Cameroon, we give out free books, school kits, and scholarships to girls in need. These resources make it easier for families and encourage more girls to enroll and attend school regularly. Additionally, our program introduces girls to different career paths, helping them see a future where they can contribute to their communities and follow their dreams. This creates a flame of motivation in them that no amount of hardship can quench.
In the village of Njingang, we encountered an inspiring young girl named Dolvira. At just 17 years old, she was a bright student at the local public secondary school. Dolvira’s mother worked hard as a housewife and sold goods in the market to support the family. Tragically, Dolvira’s father had passed away when she was very young, and her mother later remarried.
Dolvira was an exceptional student, consistently ranking in the top 30% of her class. She had big dreams of becoming either a chef or a doctor. Everything seemed possible until one day, she overheard a troubling conversation between her parents about pulling her out of school. Alarmed and worried, Dolvira reached out to us for help.
After hearing her story, we decided to talk to her stepfather to understand his reasoning. During our conversation, he explained that the tuition fees were too high for him to manage, especially since he had his own children to support. He also revealed that he had discussed marrying Dolvira off to a man in the village in exchange for a bride price, a man who was 15 years older than she.
Despite our efforts to persuade him to reconsider, he remained firm in his decision to take Dolvira out of school the following year. Not willing to let this promising girl’s dreams slip away, we made a generous proposal. We offered Dolvira a full scholarship to cover her tuition and arranged for her to live with a host family who would take care of her daily expenses. Her stepfather was relieved—this way, he wouldn’t have to worry about her financial needs.
With our support, Dolvira received the scholarship and her needs were met. She continued to excel in school, steadfastly pursuing her dreams of becoming a chef or a doctor. Now in her final year of secondary school, her host family has even decided to sponsor her university education in Germany.
Dolvira is determined to give back. Once she’s established, she plans to return to Njingang to help other young girls continue their education and achieve their dreams.
With 80% of girls dropping out of secondary school according to the Malala Fund, we invite you to join us in our mission to ensure more girls stay in school and reach their full potential. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of many girls like Dolvira.
Charity Details
EDUCATE YOUNG GIRLS IS A REGISTERED LOCAL NONPROFIT IN CAMEROON (REG NO: 00000865) AND A fiscally sponsored program of the Hack Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity registered in the United States (EIN 81-2908499).