By Merritt Frey, Executive Director

As announced this summer, our successful Girls Project is growing! After three years of piloting the Project in three villages, as school opened this fall we launched the Project in five new villages.

This expansion has allowed us to nearly DOUBLE the young women benefiting from our intensive work. With all 8 villages, this year we will work with 362 young women to help them get in school, stay in school, and thrive. Through twice monthly Girls Group meetings, school fee subsidies, teacher training, and so much more, we will give these young women the tools to take control of their own lives and make them amazing!

Goals in the new villages include: increasing the number of girls enrolled to within 10 percentage points of boys’ enrollment, achieving 0% dropout rates, increasing 9th grade girl graduation rates by 15 percent, and improvement in self-confidence and empowerment feelings in girls.

Want to be part of this great project? Donate in support of the Girls Project, or consider joining 50 Women (a group of great supporters specifically involved with the Girls Project)!

New villages:

• Sue Taylor Middle School, Diorila: 16 girls

• Frances W. Burton Middle School, Tamala: 41 girls

• Tim Gibson Middle School, Sebela: 41 girls

• Trujillo Family Middle School, N’Tentou: 43 girls

• Denik Middle School, Zambougou: 39 girls

Continuing pilot villages:

• Cliff & Nita Bailey Middle School, Beneko: 86 girls

• Nieta Kalanso Middle School, Kolimba: 41 girls

• Sue Chung Chiu Middle School, Simidji: 55 girls