GIFT’s first commitment to CAMFED Tanzania
GIFT is thrilled to announce its first disbursement in favor of CAMFED Tanzania to support a tailor-made project, co-funded with another fund hosted by Swiss Philanthropy Foundation. The five-year project will enable 430 marginalised girls in rural Tanzania to access and attend secondary education thereby increasing their potential for a better life.
It is at the secondary school level that the transformative potential of continued education is greatest. Yet girls are the first to drop out: 75% enter primary school, but only 8% finish secondary school. Research shows that educated girls earn up to 25% more per year spent in secondary school, reinvest 90% in their families and are three times less likely to be HIV positive. They marry later, have smaller, healthier families, invest in their children’s education, and are better equipped to resist gender-based violence and discrimination (UNICEF 2015).
CAMFED (https://camfed.org) is a pan-African movement revolutionising how girls’ education is delivered. It was founded by Ann Cotton in 1993 and by 2019 it supported over 4.1 million children through a network of partner schools in five countries in Africa: Zimbabwe, Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
Through a gold-standard system of accountability to the young people and communities, CAMFED has created a local model that radically improves girls’ prospects of becoming independent, influential women. Its impact increases exponentially through CAMA, an alumni association of young women educated with CAMFED’s support.
The five-year project, designed by WISE, a philanthropy advisor (http://www.wise.net), and CAMFED is highly relevant, effective and sustainable. It involves existing local structures including community leaders and CAMA, a tight alumni network. Communities learn to tackle issues, manage and monitor projects by themselves.
The Give It Forward magic is ensured through the alumni association. Girls supported by CAMFED join the alumni association where they get further support with income generating activities and where they, in turn, help other girls access secondary education.
GIFT is very excited to support this project. It fully matches our mission of transforming lives one at a time in an effective and sustainable manner.
WHEN YOU EDUCATE A GIRL, EVERYTHING CHANGES