Only 4% of Dalits in Nepal pass the final exam at the end of 10th grade that is required to continue their education. They must then complete the newly added 11th and 12th grades before they can go on to college. Imagine you're a Dalit girl graduating from the 10th grade, and you're faced with the overwhelming task of paying tuition fees as well as room and board in a distant city just to complete high school. This is where we come in - to provide a modest stipend to make this possible.
After 10th grade, students are expected to pay all their own tuition, fees subsidized in primary and lower-secondary school. Furthermore, after graduating from their village school, they must leave their families and move to the city to complete high school or a vocational program. These costs are out of reach to the Dalit girls who typically subsist on less than $1.25 per day.
The Ambitious Girls Fund addresses the need and desire expressed by Dalit girls to continue their education. The primary obstacle to completing a valuable high school or vocational degree is simply not having the means. The Ambitious Girls Fund provides this necessary financial support and makes college or learning a trade an option.
After completing 11th and 12th grade or a vocational program, girls lead productive lives and give back to their communities. These girls are often eligible for college scholarships. Even if they don't pursue college, they have gained marketable skills in fields like nursing, teaching, and journalism. Studies show that for every year of education a girl gains her income grows, she has fewer and healthier children, and, ultimately, her country's economy benefits.
This project has provided additional documentation in a XLSX file (projdoc.xlsx).
