Empower girls in Niger for change via education

Happy National Day of Nigerien Women !

A public holiday not so well known and yet a very important date for women and girls in Niger : MAY 13th !

The celebration of the Nigerien Women’s Day on May 13th has its own unique place next to the International Women’s Day on March 8th.

A bit of History  

The origins of this holiday go back 30 years and commemorate a march that took place in the streets of Niamey by women demanding their political rights and reclaiming more involvement of women in national institutions. One year later, May 13th was declared as a national holiday and has since become an annual tradition and celebration. 

Why May 13th is Important for young girls and women

This date marks a turning point in 1991 for the participation of women in Niger. The annual celebration of this date has brought more visibility to Nigerien women’s achievements and we can clearly witness the positive impact they are starting to make on society today as they continue to defend women’s rights. For example,  more and more women are working and studying in areas previously reserved essentially for men, like attending business schools and following computer training programs. There are an impressive number of women Ministers in the Nigerien government today, as well as advances being made for gender equality in education where more girls from a young age have access to schooling and thus escape early marriage. More young women are specialising in scientific and technological areas and preferring to receive an education before being married.

The challenges are still there : the cold, hard facts 

• Child marriage is a common practice in Niger, one of the countries with the highest child marriage rates in the world. About 75% of Nigerien girls are married by their 18th birthday, and 28% are married before their 15th birthday. Families who struggle financially often marry their daughters off for the bride price that comes along with marriage in Niger.
• The overall literacy rate in Niger is one of the lowest in the world. The national average is 19% and women’s literacy is 11%. Less than 1/4 of women of all ages are enrolled in the education system.

BE THE CHANGE… following the spirit of MAY 13TH…

Our non-profit organisation, “Les Amis de Hampaté Bâ” is passionate about empowering underprivileged Nigerien girls and young women through education. This is our abiding commitment in spite of the hard challenges it involves. 

We are aghast to see the number of women and girls who lose  opportunities each year due to lack of education or early marriage.

Therefore we encourage women’s literacy by persuading parents to make schooling a priority for their daughters. 

Thanks to your support, we are proud to be able to finance scholarships, giving young impoverished girls with illiterate parents,  the opportunity to study.  We are able to offer them a quality education from Hampaté Bâ School, with a diploma in hand before getting married, so that they can find their place in society and break the poverty cycle. We further support both financially and through coaching some of our Hampaté Bâ alumni, who would like to continue on to post-Bac studies in higher education or vocational training, for example in Medical Studies and Business Schools, as well as in Institutes of Technology. In this way, we are able to  provide them with training and access to competencies previously reserved for boys and men. 

Today, on this Nigerien Women’s Day, we would like to acknowledge our scholarship girls at all levels and all ages and commit ourselves to giving opportunities to these courageous girls and equip them with the skills they need to reach their full potential. Our impact is widespread and certain; some of our girls who entered Hampaté Bâ School at 12 years old are now alumni involved in diverse post-Bac studies and training : humanitarian law, private law, administration, finance, taxation, human resources, computer management, law enforcement and sports.

And perhaps in the future, one of our scholarship recipients studying law, administration, or education will become one day a woman leader of Niger, committed to the development of her country : a future minister or deputy? 

Testimonies from some of our scholarship recipients :

“I am a firm believer in women’s rights. I will never forget how lucky and grateful I was to receive a scholarship from les Amis de Hampaté Bâ  when I was 12 which allowed me to go to Middle School, whereas my family couldn’t afford to pay tuition, especially for a girl. I got my Baccalaureate and went on to university which changed my life. I am now doing Humanitarian Law Studies aiming to get my Masters Degree next year. I hope to become a woman with exceptional leadership in advocating for social progress,  a lawyer committed to promoting the advancement of human rights and women’s equality.” Abida, Humanitarian Law Studies, Masters level.

“I had the best grades in my class and I am a girl.  I couldn’t believe that I was actually excelling in computer studies, a subject that is usually followed mainly by boys. My mother sells water in the streets and is illiterate; my dad died when I was 3. I am so thankful to Les Amis de Hampaté Bâ  for coaching me and for giving me this dream opportunity to follow vocational training which could lead to a good job in computer management. I honor the efforts of my mother and am glad that I will be able to help her out financially in the future“. Habiba, Computer Management, African Institute of Technology.

“I chose to follow medical studies and thanks to a scholarship funded partially by the State and partially by the Association, my dream has come true. I am so grateful for this support. Helping women of my country to have better health conditions is my passion.  On this day, May 13th, I remember the Nigerien women who lost their lives as a result of violence, unsafe childbirth or inadequate medical treatment. These deaths must stop and I want to help! I admire the underserved women of Niger for their intelligence, strength, and resilience as they raise their families in very difficult conditions. I hope to do everything I can to help them lead a healthy and productive life and also improve my country¨. Samira, 2nd year of superior medical studies, ISS).

Conclusion 

Our non-profit desires to do everything possible to empower young women in Niger through education. We are committed to our scholarship girls’ well-being and are doing all that we can to help them have access to health services and education as well as the right to live safely. We hope you will continue to participate towards to this very worthy cause.

Your kind donations will contribute to a more positive outlook for young women in Niger and will be prime in making a difference in their lives. Together, let's help empower girls and young women and make a difference in their lives!

We thank you humbly for your generosity and consideration. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

2022 is bound to be a prosperous year for girls in Niamey who are recipients of scholarships from our non-profit, “les Amis de Hampaté Bâ.”  We are proud to make a difference in young girls’ lives and give them hope.  After all, these underprivileged girls are receiving a precious gift from our charity : The Gift of Education ! What better gift could they possibly receive to start the new year? 

Gender equality, a fundamental right

We firmly believe that gender equality is a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. We have been striving for almost 13 years now to achieve gender equality through our actions to empower underserved young girls in Niamey by providing them with equal access to a quality education. We are delighted to be a part of preparing them for a great future.

Why is it important to empower young girls?

In Niger, traditionally, it is boys who receive preferential access to educational opportunities. Girls are often prevented from going to school and becoming autonomous due to early marriage. Our Girl Empowerment Project endeavours to help even the odds by supporting the development and education of girls. We focus on empowering impoverished young girls by providing scholarships, encouraging them to stay in school and avoid drop-out, thus protecting them from early marriages.  Our aim is to get more underprivileged girls into school, ensure that they continue their education and that they possess the basic tools needed to succeed in later life.

Thanks to YOU, our GlobalGiving donors, we are able to provide the adequate financial support to make these objectives a reality.

What do we do to help empower girls?

Computer training gives our girls the opportunity to learn skills and become computer proficient from 6th grade through 12th grade (Middle school and High School). Computer training includes the basics of computers and MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet access and MS Access. 

Ongoing training is provided at the Hampaté Bâ computer lab in weekly classes with a trained instructor, thus preparing girls for success in today's computer society. These girls are getting the skills they need to become empowered young ladies.

Some words from Mariama, now admitted to a top technological institute in Niamey after getting her professional Baccalauréat last year:

“I am looking forward to learning more and becoming a computer expert !

I have worked hard on my computer skills and am confident that this new learning opportunity will open up new career options for me. I love my studies and am proud of being a girl in a domaine mainly populated by boys.”  

Scholarships help cover tuition,  provide School Supplies and books,  and keep girls in school. Girls from marginalised backgrounds are penalized and denied access to education since their families cannot afford to pay school fees. The greatest barriers to ongoing education of girls in Niger are poverty and teen marriages. Education is definitely the key to helping girls become independent.

As expressed by Atika :  “ I am so grateful for my Scholarship.  I come from a very poor family that doesn’t have the means to pay for me to go to Secondary School and yet, I had excellent grades in primary school and I am keen to learn.. Thanks to the support of ” les Amis de Hampaté Bâ” I can continue my education.  Otherwise I would be at home doing housework or would be forced to marry.”

After-School Tutoring sessions give equal opportunities to scholarship girls who are weak in certain subjects, have no place to study at home, and live with illiterate parents who cannot help with homework. These sessions are vital to them especially in the year they have their BEPC and BAC exams.

According to Hadiza : “I don’t know what I would do without the tutoring. At home there is no light and no electricity and no space to study. The tutors are patient, encouraging, give us individual attention and clearly explain the exercises we don’t understand. This is a life-saver and our grades are better.”

Girls Mentoring Sessions called “Home Economics” are only-girl classes.  These sessions empower the girls, providing them with knowledge and essential life skills that they need to succeed as women. Our project also provides training in self-esteem, critical thinking skills, and teenage pregnancy awareness.  

Career Talk & Guidance Counseling 

We hold Girls Mentoring Programs every month of January to help girls choose a career. Our partner in Niamey presents the types of careers with examples and helps each girl select a career path adapted to her talents, but also encouraging the girls to have passion for what they want to do, in order to succeed. The girls receive invaluable guidance and counseling to stay on track with their educational goals.

Improving Girls’ Destinies through Education

We have witnessed over the years how education can make an incredible difference in the lives of young girls coming from very poor backgrounds. Education uplifts them and can totally change their destinies. We have many girls who were given Scholarships in Middle School and were motivated enough to work hard and succeed in getting their Brevet  after 4 years, followed by their Bac 3 years later, and even some who have succeeded after 3 years Post Bac in August 2021 and received a Bachelor’s Degree in different specialities:  Business, Marketing, Law, and Finance. Others have succeeded in getting a Diploma after 3 years post Bac to be Nurses.  And even others are excelling in Computer Studies.

However, many of our girls have been met with barriers that many impoverished girls face. With your support, they have been able to overcome everything that stood in their way.

We are seeing girls who were once at-risk,  maturing and blossoming into well-educated, emancipated, gainfully employed and self-sufficient women. How exhilarating! These empowered women are transforming their families and communities. 

Help Make a Difference 

Thank you for your ongoing support towards empowering and educating girls in Niger.

Together we can change girls’ lives and make a huge difference. We can break the cycle of poverty and empower girls’ lives by providing educational opportunities and resources. We strengthen self-reliance in these girls so that they can create positive change in their own lives.`

Your support is making their education dream come true. Thanks to your generous support, the future of our scholarship girls is looking brighter each day.`

Making a donation is the most effective way to help girls get their education. Every amount donated makes a difference!.   Thank you so much!