"Every day I see poor people dying of curable diseases. My ambition for Ghana is to have healthy citizens who are able to work for sustainability. As you know, a country like Ghana will not have a bigger and stronger economy as long as its people are not healthy and strong."
So says Iddrisu in a letter to 100% for the Children. She has just finished her secondary education and is one of the 325 girls we support with funds from Kavli foundation. Together with our partner Rural Education for Empowerment Programme (REEP), we do this through school clubs where girls are given tools to challenge gender inequality in Ghana through poetry writing, radio and theatre. 36 of these girls are ambassadors who support younger girls through the challenges that arise during their education. Be it finding time to do lessons alongside their household chores, how they cope with menstruation or something else. In addition, we support with 60 bicycles - or "hope riders" - making sure the girls can get to and from school.
"Through REEP, I have learnt more about the importance of girls' education and how to be a support to my fellow students. Through REEP, I have learnt that it is a parent's responsibility to support his or her child to get an education - no matter what," writes Iddrisu, "REEP has also introduced me to several other communities and important places that I would not have had the opportunity to visit on my own at this time."
Ibrahim is another REEP girl who emphasises that the project has given her the opportunity to meet members of parliament in her area and given her insight into how they work. "It has given me even more motivation to get an education."
You can read more about our girls' education project in Ghana here.
