By Keturah Shammah | Executive Director
Dear Supporters and Friends of GEM,
Warm greetings from Girls Education Mission International with hope you are doing well. As part of our transparency and accountability values, we feel you deserve knowing how you are touching a girl’s life by taking your time to read, think and act more.
Rebecca is a 19 year-old girl who has benefitted from the activities and programs offered by the GEM project you have supported. Rebecca’s parents have no any other Job than farming. Due to the widespread poverty that ravage their community as a result of the national economic meltdown in the country Nigeria, Rebecca was asked to discontinue her education after finishing her primary education. However, Rebecca determined to finish her junior secondary education against all the overwhelming odds. Her success was due to her hard work and determination which compelled us to put smiles on her face by supporting her education financially.
Rebecca, having heard of a pre-arranged marriage by her parents to a man a bit older than her father, she objectively responded, “As the oldest in my family (a poor broken home) and being one of the lucky girls to have finish Primary school among many girls in my community, I would be an example to my younger ones and other girls in my community”. With the money raised from hard farm labor, she was able to start and finish her junior secondary education and finished with good grades and become promoted to senior secondary class. Unfortunately for Rebecca, she had to discontinued with her education due to high increase of school fees and other related cost. Consequently, she developed a high blood pressure that almost took her life.
Hearing about the situation, the GEM project team visited Rebecca in the hospital and having heard from her about her life challenges and detrmination to pursue an education, she was offered a scholarship to re-join school which she joyfully appreciated. With your support, GEM was able to pay a one year tuition fees for Rebecca to continue senior secondary education. Thou Rebecca has now fully resumed school and has since commenced studies, her hope is for GEM to continue to support her education until she finishes secondary education. Rebecca’s one year tuition and exam fee costs $160. And it cost $700 (three academic years) for her to stay and complete her secondary education ($700 includes her three year tuition and exam fee, her final/SSCE exam fees, sanitary pads and school supplies).
May I use this opportunity to appreciate you all our supporters for the consistent and generous donations to our project? You enable us put smiles on the faces of deserving vulnerable girls like Rebecca and also helped us achieve our goals. You are an important part of our community. We Love you and we hope to continue partnering with you. Remember, no amount is too small or too big to DONATE. Together, we shall continue to make many girls smile.
With a gratefull heart,
Girls Education Mission International
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