For girls growing up in rural Africa, poor school attendance during adolescence is strongly linked to a range of long-term vulnerabilities. These include early sexual initiation, child marriage, early motherhood, increased exposure to HIV and AIDS, and a heightened risk of domestic violence.
As adolescent girls transition into adulthood and motherhood, those who have not received a quality education are less likely to value learning or understand the long-term benefits of schooling. This often results in lower educational attainment for their own children, perpetuating intergenerational cycles of poverty and limited opportunity.
Our Response
Our Female Empowerment initiatives are designed to inspire primary school girls from some of the most remote communities in Madagascar and Zambia to recognise their self-worth and realise their full potential. At the heart of this work is a clear objective: to increase the number of girls who successfully transition from primary to secondary school and ultimately complete their education.
A key goal of the programme is for 90% of girls to transition to secondary schools. These schools not only offer stronger academic resources than local government day schools, but they also create environments that fosters academic focus while shielding girls from the domestic responsibilities and social pressures that often limit their progress at home. At the end of 2024, we recorded a retention rate of 84% our graduating cohort of girls in our programme compared to 69% retention rate in the prior year. By supporting girls to remain in school through adolescence, we contribute to healthier families, stronger communities and a more equitable future.
In 2021, we expanded our Female Empowerment Programme to include women from our communities who had previously dropped out of school, many due to early pregnancies and marriages. The programme offers these women a second chance to rebuild their confidence, strengthen their financial independence and pursue sustainable livelihoods. In 2024, the first cohort of women successfully completed the programme. After receiving their business grants in 2023, the 12 women who underwent three years of continuous courses and mentorship reported an average increase in monthly income of 272%. They credit this growth to their expanded knowledge and skills gained through comprehensive training in financial literacy and business management. We documented their journeys and lessons learned, resulting in the development of detailed training manuals that capture best practices to guide future cohorts. Building on this strong foundation, a new cohort of 39 women joined the programme in 2025.