An educated girl is one of the most powerful agents of change in the developing world because she will help to break the cycle of poverty in her community: educated women are less likely to marry early and against their will; less likely to die in childbirth; more likely to have healthy babies; and more likely to send their children to school. When all children have access to a quality education it creates opportunities in generations to come. 

However, according to UNICEF figures, girls are 1.7 times more likely to be illiterate across the developing world, and sub-Saharan Africa, where our campaign is focused, has proved to be one of places that is most resistant to change. In this part of the world, 9.5 million girls will never set foot in a classroom, and for those that do, many will have done so for the last time before they are of secondary school age. 

Bannerman House is attempting to raise £6000 to fund an already successful Build Africa programme to raise girls’ participation in education in three communities, through a combination of teacher training, parental engagement, and local campaigning.