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Benin: Batonga Girls' Education Program
"I really like school and now I have what I need with the Batonga program. I am so happy and know that if I work hard, my life can change. I really like math and science. Our mentor helps us with our studies, which is good because sometimes it's hard!"
- Loubatou Sourokou, Batonga Girl
In Benin, a small West African country with a literacy rate of only 41%, few children have the opportunity to pursue an education beyond primary school. Girls in particular are forced to drop out after primary school when scholarship support is no longer available and parents are unable afford higher school fees. In the village of Biro in northern Benin, girls like Loubatou, Anontou, and Arona graduate from primary school with little hope of continuing their education.
Loubatou, Anontou, and Arona received scholarship support for primary school through the Ambassadors' Girls' Scholarship Program, which is supported by USAID. However, the program was unable to provide support for secondary schooling. In most African countries, the cost of secondary school is much greater than primary school: School fees are higher and fewer schools are available, which often forces girls to travel long distances or stay with relatives, raising the cost even further.
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Anontou manages her school work and contributes to the household labor to help her family survive.
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To help girls stay in school, World Education and Angéligue Kidjo's Batonga Foundation launched the Batonga Girls' Education Program in 2007. Ms. Kidjo, a world renowned musician and singer/songwriter originally from Benin, started the foundation to give back what she believes is the key to her success: support for completing her education. She chose World Education because she was impressed with its reputation in communities and its high quality programming.
The initiative supports girls' education through secondary school and beyond. Loubatou, Anontou, and Arona were awarded scholarships to cover the cost of school fees, uniforms, and supplies. The program also links girls with community mentors—often successful women themselves—who encourage the girls in their academic achievements and work with their families to ensure they are able to stay in school.
With Batonga support, Arona feels confident that she can achieve her dreams. "I am so happy to be able to continue school. I could not continue if I was not a Batonga girl. I hope to become a teacher or a nurse some day and know that if I study hard, this will happen!" Arona has four older siblings and lives with her grandmother. In addition to her school work, she must contribute at home in order to help her family survive, "I get up at 5:00am. I pound yams, sweep the house, and cook breakfast. Sometimes I take time to study in the morning." She spends Saturdays studying for the coming week and helps with laundry on Sundays, leaving little time for play.
Thirteen-year-old Anontou also starts her day early by helping her family sell tomatoes, fish, and candy at their small stand, making breakfast, and washing dishes. Each day, she goes to school feeling confident and supported by the program. "I like school and now I have what I
need—materials, books, pencils. I feel I can study properly. I really like French and math. I like numbers and making calculations."
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Loubatou feels that she can change her life through education and the support of the Batonga Girls' Education Program.
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All three girls were incredibly excited to meet Angélique Kidjo, well-known in Benin as an international singer and UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador, at the launch of the program in Conotou. They spent an entire day with Angélique, talking about their personal stories and learning more about what inspired Angélique to start the Batonga Foundation. Eleven-year-old Loubatou described Angélique as "funny and fun—she really encourages us to study and to work hard." With the support of Angelique and the Batonga Girls' Education program, these girls will have many more opportunities in their lives.
Using education as a primary strategy, the Girls' & Women's Education Initiative aims to unlock girls' and women's potential through ground-breaking programs that build the talents, skills, and networks of people living at the community level. Our programs equip girls and women with the tools they need to take charge over their own lives by linking literacy and basic education to economic, social, health, and civic development initiatives. For more information, please contact Janet Barry at janet_barry@worlded.org or 617.482.9485.
World Education began partnering with Batonga Foundation, founded by Angélique Kidjo, the West African singer, songwriter, and UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador in 2007. The Batonga Girls' Scholarship Program aims to help girls stay in school and supports their academic success. In its first year, Batonga and World Education have supported girls graduating from the Ambassadors' Girls' Scholarship Program in Benin and Mali to continue their education in secondary school. Girls are equipped with scholarship packages that cover the cost of tuition, uniforms, and school supplies, and partnered with mentors who support them academically and teach them about important health issues such as HIV and AIDS.
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