Girls' Secondary Scholarship Program |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sara Walet Mohamed has plans for her future, a future that would not be possible without the support of the Northern Mali Girls' Secondary Scholarship Program. Sara's illiterate parents never went to school and she is the fifth child in a family of eight children, only two of whom have attended school. Many of the families in Northern Mali are nomadic and parents often attach little value to education, particularly for girls, who are needed at home to perform domestic chores and often marry at a young age. One of the biggest problems is the high drop-out rate: only half of all girls remain in school beyond the first three years. At the age of fourteen, when many girls in Mali are married, she feels incredibly lucky to be a Secondary School scholar.
Sara's classmate, Nanaissa Harber, says the support from her parents is an important part of her motivation: "My dad encourages me a lot. He makes sure I do my writing assignments and keep up with my homework. Now, I want to become a doctor. I hope the scholarships continue so that we and our sisters can continue our studies." The heightened awareness of the importance of girls' education is evident among teachers and in communities that benefit from the program. Parents have even rearranged household chores so that daughters can get to school on time and can study in the evenings. |
||||
Related Project: Ambassadors' Girls' Scholarship Program (AGSP) (2004-2011) |