emPOWER Girls Project
PROJECT SUMMARY
With the aftermaths of war, Ebola and recently the COVID-19 crisis, Sierra Leone like many post-conflict and fragile settings continues to be saddled by huge challenges of addressing past and current recovery shocks. The odds have not been in the favor of the majority of Sierra Leonean children hoping to complete their education, especially the girl child. Access to conducive learning spaces; basic toilets and water constitutes a daily nightmare in addition to poor hygiene conditions. According to the Ministry of Education and the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation, 21% of Sierra Leonean schools do not have water supply and sanitation services; putting at risk well over 416,000 kids-related illnesses whilst negatively impacting retention of girls in school. With this project, we hope to rewrite these access gaps in favour of particularly the girl child. This project therefore is a unique opportunity to turn around the stories while empowering the next generation of women leaders through education and empowerment.
WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE SOLVING?
A country with a history of a decade-long civil war, further ravaged by an Ebola epidemic and recently the COVID-19 crisis continues to be saddled by huge challenges of addressing post-war and Ebola Recovery and indeed, the COVID-19 shocks. The odds have not been in the favor of the majority of Sierra Leonean children hoping to complete their education in pursuit of better development aspirations. In Sierra Leone's most deprived District lies the majority of communities; housing pupils with very few conducive spaces for learning. As it currently stands based on recent data from the School Audit, instead of 45 pupils to a toilet/drop hole, it is sadly at least 144 to a drop hole; exposing more kids to vulnerabilities and girls dropping out of schools due to lack of privacy and impact on their dignity.
HOW WILL THIS PROJECT SOLVE THE PROBLEM?
This project will significantly help children particularly girls to stay in school while continuing their education and improving academic outcomes. Your support will help make it a reality for the majority of Sierra Leonean children. Collaboratively, we are empowering girls, fostering their welfare and dignity and enhancing spaces for learning. This project is closing the access gap to a decent toilet and water so more girls are able to stay in school and graduate to reach their fullest potential.
POTENTIAL LONG-TERM IMPACT.
The long-term impact of this intervention is that we will be creating safer and conducive learning spaces for children; making education thrive in poor and deprived settings and communities in some of Sierra Leone's hard-to-reach districts. The other long-term impact is that we will be supporting keeping the girl child in school while maintaining their dignity with a safe toilet/sanitation facility that is separate from boys. School enrollment will ultimately rise and performance will do too.