Girl’s Education at Door of Hope

The importance of educating girls

In Sierra Leone, if a family can afford to send only one child to school, it will likely be a boy who goes to school.  If someone is needed to assist around the home, help take care of a sick family member or do housework instead of going to school, a girl will likely be selected. Traditionally, boys are considered to be “better bread winners” in a culture that favors males over females, in both subtle and obvious ways.  The lack of finances/economic hardship has been identified as one of the primary reasons why girls drop out of school.

Study after study shows that educating girls is the single most effective policy to raise overall economic productivity, lower infant and maternal mortality, educate the next generation, improve nutrition and promote health. Girls with at least six years of school education are more likely to be able to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Educated mothers immunize their children 50% more often than mothers who are not educated, and their children have a 40% higher survival rate. Moreover, mothers who have had some education are more than twice as likely to send their own children to school as are mothers with no education. Source: http://www.unicef.org/mdg/gender.html.  This empowerment of girls is clearly crucial.

Door of Hope

Door of Hope is committed to empowering this marginalized group – girls – by helping to ensure that they complete their education.  DOH believes in the empowerment of all – without gender discrimination and is working hard to ensure a level playing field for girls.

Students with new school supplies!

To help empower girls and promote equality, Door of Hope is specifically assisting girls and providing the finances needed to help their parents send them to school.  This helps to ensure that they do not drop out of school due to the economic hardship of the family or fall prey to negative selection of who drops out of school first.

A student preparing for school!

By providing this needed financial assistance, the girls will be able to complete their schooling – which will result in a range of additional benefits to themselves and the nation.  Funds will provide a full package to ensure they can learn and grow optimally – full tuition, uniforms, books, school supplies and meals. This will help to ensure the girls can function and learn at their peak.