Rwanda School Girls

Last week on the 8th of March, people all over the world celebrated International Women�s Day.

Despite the wonderful leaps in gender equality that the world has seen in recent years, a new publication reports that some 40 million girls and women world-wide miss out on any form of education. In many instances this is due to the perception that educating girls is not nearly as important as educating their brothers and male counterparts.

Even if young women do make it into educational institutes, there are often deterrents that discourage continuing with schooling. Problems such as poor sanitation and living facilities, along with the threat of sexual harassment and bullying serve to decrease female enrollment.

However, things in Rwanda have taken a turn for the better, the government has recently announced they are prioritizing women�s education and Plan UK has stepped in to help to fund new facilities to support this initiative.

Schools such as Kiziguro Secondary now enjoy new dormitories and hygiene facilities, as well as varied classes that teach creative skills and provide classes for those whose education has been cut-off. The school has 600 places and allows those from far away to board and not miss out on the opportunity to learn.

�My parents live in Nyagatare district more than one and a half hours drive from school. I�m in senior four � Computer Science. The Kiziguro dormitory is the only place where I can stay for my studies.� explains 17 year old Joyce, who boards at the school. �This new building comes at the right time. We used to sleep two per bed.�

The classes offered range from sciences to humanities and also cater to those whose education has been hampered in some way. English, creative writing and literary studies help women to build confidence and express themselves.

Jackline, who is 17 and took part in the classes, said �During the classes we leant that given opportunity girls can perform better than boys. I also discovered that reading improves my English, which helped me to perform well.�

These schools offer new beginnings to young women country-wide.

Valerie – goallover.org – http://www.goallover.org/?p=5913.