DDEF works with girls to transcend poverty, HIV/AIDS, disabilities issues and gender-based violence. We do this by creating environments that produce exceptional young women who drive change in their communities. We build self-esteem, provide access to health education and knowledge, and produce academic high achievers. This project will provide education, food, housing, clothing, psychosocial support, access to university-quality labs, computers, and hands-on learning opportunities to 240 girl.
In the region where DDEF is based, only 11% of all girls finish school due to early pregnancy, arranged marriages, illness, poverty, and gender-based violence. Girls who do complete school often do so with low grades and cannot go to college. Over 50% of sexually-active girls are involved in transactional sex just to afford to stay in school, elevating their HIV risk. Girls are risking their lives to stay in school. They need a safe and healthy environment to thrive.
DDEF provides education, psychosocial support, healthcare, and clean water. We provides a free boarding school to hundreds of secondary school girls, 40% of whom are orphans. We provide the best resources that a school can offer to girls who thought they would never make it to high school and, as a result, they transform into academic stars who avoid HIV/AIDS and early pregnancy while leading incredible initiatives for change in their community..
DDEF educates 130 secondary school girls and thousands of local youth through community outreach each year. By keeping girls in school we have reduced child pregnancy, marriage, and HIV risk. As educated women DDEF alumni will have healthier children and better reproductive health. DDEF girls are community leaders, and are currently building sustainable light sources for local health clinics. DDEF girls become change makers
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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