Last November, we asked our donors, supporters and partners like you to help support two aging out young girls from our partner Orphanage (Nyohini Children’s Home) to fulfill the dreams of Sarah & Humul-Kulsum to go to Junior High School.
Gender biases, child marriage, and poverty are just some of the contributing factors that prevent many girls in Northern Ghana from ever stepping foot in a classroom. For orphaned and vulnerable girls, the chances are even lower. In many cases, without sufficient training and preparation, when these girls turn 18 and leave these orphanages, they will in all likelihood re-enter poverty, deprivation and be forced into sex trade, child marriage and early pregnancies.
Sarah and Humul-Kulsum have already defied the odds by completing their basic education at 6th grade. Sarah came to our partner orphanage when she was just 12 years old after she lost both her parents from unforeseen illnesses.
Humul-Kulsum was also raised at the orphanage after she lost both of her parents. Humul-kulsum lost her father from a car accident when she was three, and her mother became ill shortly after.
Despite their circumstances, Sarah and Humul-Kulsum made a commitment to work and study hard, so that they could change these outcomes for themselves and for future generations to come. Last year, when they graduated from 6th grade with high standing, they expressed a passion for Sciences, and their dreams of pursuing General Science at Ghana Secondary School (GHANASCO) which will ultimately lead them to pursuing medicine at the University for Development Studies (UDS), a well-known prestigious university in the Northern Region of Ghana. With the cost of tuition, accommodations, supplies and transportation to and from Kamina Junior High School (Kamina JHS), they felt they had to place this dream on the shelf and come up with a realistic plan to make money once they turned 18.
When the directors of the orphanage heard their passion, they reached out to HACEP-Ghana Protect 5,000 Girls from Child Marriage in Ghana project for help. They went to the Junior High School and received an official statement of the cost breakdown of the three-year JHS, including itemized costs for supplies, accommodation and transportation. We enrolled them onto our official project beneficiaries Priority List on GlobalGiving and stood with them in prayer while we waited.
As time went by, the girls turned 18 and by law, had to leave the orphanage. Sarah went back to the place where she was born and started working long hours in a factory, making approximately $10 a month. According to the World Bank Group, even $58 a month is considered as living in extreme poverty.Humaul-Kulsum went back to her village to do some service work, making even less.
Not long after they started working, your generous support and donations from the month of June through September completely funded their Junior High School costs. Once they complete this JHS and proceed to Senior High school, they will automatically escape Child Marriage and ultimately proceed to the University. This will change their lives forever, literally breaking the cycle of poverty.It has been months since Sarah and Humul-Kulsum have enrolled in Kamina Junior High School.
“The Principal (Head Teacher) and their class teachers said the girls are both doing extremely well academically, and that they have been impressed with their contribution to the school by the way they are helping others” said Miss Nafisatu, our field coordinator. Nafisatu recently returned from visiting the school, and had the privilege of spending several days with the girls. Her visit also included a meeting with the leadership of the school that the girls attend. “We are excited and hopeful for the future of these girls and want every girl to have the same opportunities as Sara and Humul-Kulsum.”
Through the dedicated work of our partner orphanages and the generosity of your support and donations, HACEP-Ghana Protect 5,000 Girls from Child marriage in Ghana now takes care of approximately 2,500,000 girls who will never marry before the age of 18 since they are bound to complete Senior High School 9secondary Education) as a condition for receiving our financial support towards their full educational expenses from basic, Junior, Senior High School up to college/University level before exiting our beneficiary list.
However, we know that girls rescue from our partner orphanages to school is just one piece of a very large puzzle in preventing Child Marriage. There must be more. Once these girls turn 18 and age out of orphanages, they will become vulnerable young adults, in need of advocacy, protection, economic resources and a sense of belonging.
This year, we have decided to take on a new, exciting initiative as we plan to open our very first temporal Transition Shelter for rescued Child Brides. This will be the first of its kind in the Northern Region of Ghana. Our transition centers will provide further education, training and a safe community for young people like Sarah and Humul-Kulsum as they develop the Sexual and reproductive Health and Rights knowledge and skills they need to successfully navigate life in their communities and pursue their education to enable them achieve their full potentials with the power to decide when and whom to get married.
We therefore call on you to support us by donating to our project Protect 5,000 Girls from Child Marriage in Ghana on GlobalGiving and ask your friends and family to also support us by donating and share our project on your social media platforms in order for us to realize this new amazing and life changing dream to empower girls and women in Ghana which will ultimately break the intergenerational cycle of poverty in the region.
Thank you for your kind donation. Your caring support of the Girls will make a great difference in the lives of thousands in Northern Ghana.
