We are sending girls from the impoverished townships of South Africa to University. These incredible young women will graduate empowered to uplift their own families, solve their own community's problems, and serve as role models to everyone around them.
South Africa's townships are plagued by poverty, HIV/AIDS, and unemployment. Fewer than 1% of children reach university, and tragically, those that do are unable to attend due to finances. These girls, who make up that 1%, are the 'best of the best' from their communities. They deserve the chance to continue their education and become empowered to pull their families out of poverty.
Research overwhelming indicates that (a) education and (b) empowering women are two of the most effective anti-poverty strategies. This project combines both strategies. Investing in the lives and futures of these girls is the best long-term development strategy for uplifting their communities and ending the needless suffering that too many families endure.
What would happen if we flooded South Africa's impoverished townships with empowered female graduates with professional jobs? We intend on finding out.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).