IRCCA Foundation wants to empower 200 young girls in Cameroon by getting them back into the school system. Education would build in them the capacity to inspire others, become leaders and shape the future of their communities and the world at large. We want to strengthen our efforts through massive advocacy campaigns, capacity building measures, orientation exercises, and one to one discussion forums with young girls and their parents. When we educate a girl child, we educate a generation.
More than 60% of young girls in communities in Kumbo are unable to attend school. This is because of the endemic poverty, unwillingness of some parents, and religious taboos that tend to prevent girls from going to school. Lack of education facilitates their exposure to violent sexual exploitation, early pregnancies, trafficking, early marriages and poor health care. Illiteracy rates amongst girls are very high. Sadly, more than three fourths of them already have one or more children.
The most serious problem women face is lack of proper education and respect. Giving them education will inspire them, create awareness on gender issues and enable them to effectively combat the huge number of problems affecting their communities. They will thus be able to fight abuse, domestic violence, insubordination, and marginalization. Additionally, we want to put up a model Audio Visual Learning Center connected to the internet where women and girls can access effective learning tools
Overall literacy rate of girls in Cameroon stands at 40% as opposed to 60% for boys. Almost half of girls who start primary school drop out resulting in very low enrollment for girls in both primary and secondary schools. Engaging in a massive back-to-school campaign for young girls means increasing school enrollment and eventually increasing the overall literacy rate of girls in the country. This will serve as an example that other communities can follow. Our goal-80% school attendance by 2018
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
