Batonga Supports Girls in Rural Ethiopia

Did you know that 7 in 10 girls in Ethiopia do not attend secondary school?

This deprives them of the many benefits of education: later marriage, healthier children, higher wages, stronger communities, and more prosperous countries. In Ethiopia’s public education system, families must pay for school fees, books, uniforms and supplies – costs that are prohibitive for the poorest families.

Batonga is helping girls in one of Ethiopia’s most remote regions explore a future full of new possibilities by providing them with scholarships and academic support to complete secondary school!

Batonga covers mentoring and school fees for 140 girls at Gidole and Konso high schools, which each draw students from long distances. Although many girls are still expected to help at home before and after classes, they no longer have to work additional jobs to pay for school.

Photos: Joni Kabana

In a visit to her home country, Angelique got to spend some quality time with Batonga girls as she vibrantly advocated in favor of girls’ secondary education.

One of the highlights of her trip was a visit to the secondary school of Kpassagon, a village 3 hours north of Cotonou, Angelique spent the day talking to Batonga girls, their families, and mentors.  She also got to see the newly-finished latrines built at the school in partnership with Africare and the African Well Fund.

During the visit, one of the Batonga scholars, Anasthesie, emphasized the fact that Batonga is the “base of her education.”  Without the support she receives, she says she would not be able to attend school.  Anasthesie hopes to become a doctor so that she can help the sick children in her village.

New Latrines in Kpassagon, built in partnership with Africare and the African Well Fund

Angelique Dancing with Batonga Scholars in Kpassagon

As you look for creative ways to give this holiday season, remember that the gift of an education lasts a lifetime. Consider sponsoring a Batonga girl for a year, purchase one-of-kind holiday cards designed by Batonga girls in Ethiopia or shop the Batonga online store for more great gift ideas!

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Join us for our second DC happy hour of the summer on Tuesday, August 2nd, from 5 to 9 PM at Sign of the Whale!

A $5 donation at the door will go directly to our Batonga girls in Africa! It will also get you $3 Beers, $3 House Wines, $3 Call Mixed Drinks, and $5 Apps and Burgers. You may also buy raffle tickets for a chance to win 1 of 2 $50 bar tabs to Sign of the Whale, a free happy hour from 9-11 on a Thurs, Fri, or Sat at Sign of the Whale, a $100 gift card to Betsy Fisher, a $50 gift card to Woodmont Grill.Once again our beautiful Batonga bracelets will be on sale!

Sign of the Whale is located at 1825 M St. NW in Washington, DC. Check out signofthewhaledc.com for information about this great venue.

Each dollar in the provision of clean water generates eleven dollars of community benefits within one year,

but the return on investment has the potential to be much higher by additionally keeping girls in school.

Thanks to the work of Africare and the African Well Fund, four Benin secondary schools attended by Batonga girls will receive hydraulic pumps and four-stall latrines by the start of 2012.  The African Well Fund is raising $49,998 to provide girls with education on hygiene and basic sanitation to prevent the spread of disease in contaminated water and to help prevent drop-out rates due to the onset of puberty.

This year, African Well Fund’s annual fundraiser for U2 singer Bono’s birthday originally collected proceeds from March 22^nd to May 1^st, though the fundraising has continued. The resulting funds are going towards a six month project in the Commune of Bohican, Benin, supplying up to 3000 students with a new option for healthy sanitation.

Inadequate sanitation facilities in schools result in low levels of attendance among girls due to the need for gender specific sanitation facilities for menstruation cycles and to prevent sexual harassment.  Up to 20% of girls menstruating are either absent from school or drop out all together.

Studies show that educating girls is one of the most important ways to improve a community.  For every extra year of schooling beyond the average, a girl’s eventual wages will be 10 to 20% higher and infant mortality drops 5 to 10% with an educated girl.  Educated girls are more likely to delay marriage and pregnancy and, when they do have a family, to reinvest their money in the family’s well-being.

The Commune of Bohican is the focus of this program, with 113,091 citizens.  In Bohicon, 7500 inhabitants share each water source, located within 20 kilometers.  Only 5% of the population has access to the water network.  Despite these problems, Bohicon has high secondary school enrollment.  Six out of ten children attend secondary school full-time.  Four schools in Bohican are attended by Batonga girls.

With these new water pumps and latrines the children attending these schools will have better access to clean water and thus an environment better suited to their educational needs.  For girls specifically these new innovations will offer them the chance to stay in school as they endure the effects of puberty and access facilities better suited to their unique needs.

For more information on the project go to http://www.africanwellfund.org/birthday-well.html and for information on our Batonga girls visit the batongafoundation.org.