Because I am a Girl

Project review

For more than two years, Plan has been implementing an extensive initiative across seven African countries: Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Mali. This multi-country program called PAGES (Promoting African Grassroots Economic Security) includes building and equipping schools; training teachers; and providing women, youth, and men with income-generating knowledge and resources. 

Your gift has been directed to this project in Senegal, where we are working with communities to construct classrooms, latrines, and water points, as well as create Village Savings and Loan Associations. While these activities will benefit all children and their families, they include a particular focus on opening opportunities for girls and women, who face additional barriers to accessing education, employment, and financial resources. 

Creating healthy and environmentally friendly schools

Thanks to your support, Plan has constructed 15 latrine blocks and 20 water points in schools across three Western regions of Senegal. The schools with new water and sanitation facilities have active student health clubs, which promote proper hygiene practices and help to keep their school environment clean. In 10 communities where school improvements took place, reforestation campaigns occurred, involving 124 community members. These campaigns included environmental education and tree planting to revitalize the areas surrounding the schools. Participating community members planted 775 eucalyptus trees, 36 mango trees, and 36 orange trees. 

Community-led change 

Proving their motivation to improve their own resources, some community members have  taken action to expand on Plan’s activities with their own means. In one village of the Kaolack region, community members committed to building two extra classrooms. At a different school, the principal took the initiative to build an administrative office to store new textbooks and materials. Another principal enlisted teachers and 435 pupils to select and plant a variety of seeds. As the seedlings grow into trees, not only will they beautify the school environment, but those bearing fruit (such as mangoes) will provide food and a source of income to support school maintenance and supplies. These locally-driven efforts represent a vital goal of development work: propelling community members to continue progress with their own ideas, and without external assistance. 

Thank you

Thank you for helping to improve education and economic security for children and their families in Senegal. Much has been accomplished over the past two years, setting the stage for continued progress and sustainable change as the project moves forward.  

Project overview

Despite Senegal's efforts to achieve universal access to a full primary education, inadequate infrastructure, resources, and teaching remain a challenge, particularly in rural areas. School retention is also hampered by poverty, which often draws children away from class to work and contribute to basic household needs. This project is addressing these challenges in three regions of Senegal by building classrooms, latrines, and water points across 60 schools. In addition, community-led microfinance groups are providing women with loans and financial knowledge so they can improve their income and better support their families.

Education update

The first two years of this project saw the completion of 40 classrooms, 20 water points, and 15 latrines across 60 schools. Most recently, new reading spaces with books were added to 35 schools, further improving children’s literacy, imagination, and creativity. 

While physical infrastructure provides the framework for development, true progress and sustainability are established by building social infrastructure through community awareness and participation. Local authorities, civil society organizations, teachers, parents, and children, need to be aware of how to uphold child rights and gender equality, so that children’s education and protection is prioritized both inside and outside the school environment. In addition, teachers and school management committees must learn how to maintain and govern their schools, ensuring that quality learning is offered long term. This social capital was bolstered through the following training sessions:

• Three sessions on infrastructure management for school management committees and parent-teacher associations, including 138 people.
• Three sessions on child rights and gender equality for 435 members of local government and community-based organizations.
• Two sessions on child rights, gender equality, and school governance for 123 teachers and principals.

Additionally, student groups have formed to take on leadership roles in maintaining their school grounds and motivating their peers to keep the school environment clean and safe. As an organization that uses a child-centred approach to development, children’s participation in projects is essential.

Gender equality in schools

After conducting a full gender analysis to identify how girls may be discriminated against in schools, the following actions were taken to remove certain barriers that often prevent girls from finishing school:

• Incorporating girl-friendly improvements to school facilities such as separate latrines and appropriate furniture in classes.
• Identifying male and female teachers who can act as gender sensitive role models for other staff and students.
• Providing school books, educational materials, and psychosocial services to address the impact of violence on girls in schools.

Thank you

Thank you for supporting this vital project that is helping thousands of girls and boys get the quality education they need to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.