Class of 2010 Appeal - Support tomorrow’s leaders today

In June, best-selling author and journalist Allison Pearson launched Camfed’s Class of 2010 Appeal to raise support for 2,000 girls in Africa to complete secondary school in 2010. Since then, Camfed’s supporters have pledged an astonishing £65,000 over the next four years to help some of the poorest girls in Africa.

Thanks to the generosity of people like you, 225 more girls have the chance to achieve their dreams. But there are still thousands of girls who would love to go to secondary school at the beginning of the new school year in January, but won’t be able to continue without your help.

Camfed is asking for your support on behalf of girls like sisters Sarah and Agness in the villages of Northern Ghana, Western Tanzania, Southern Zambia and across Zimbabwe so that they can go on to study at their local secondary schools.

When Sarah and Agness were still in primary school, both their parents died. They were sent to live with their aunt and uncle in the copper belt of Zambia, but when their uncle lost his job at the local mine, finances were so tight that the family had to sell their furniture to pay for the girls’ school fees. They had no money for school books or uniforms and were in danger of dropping out of school entirely.

That was when Camfed stepped in to pay for the sisters’ school fees, uniforms, bedding and groceries to help them continue with their education. The girls worked so hard that they both received distinctions in their final exams.

Now that they have graduated, Sarah and Agness have joined Cama – Camfed’s growing network of 4,700 alumni – which is supporting young women across Africa. Thanks to Cama’s support, the sisters are both now hoping to go to college to train as police officers.

“Right now, I’m hopeful that I will go to college and go back to my district and help strengthen Cama and mobilise my friends to help girls in a similar way as was done to me,” says Sarah. “And of course, I’ll be their role model, wherever I’ll be.”

Last year, Cama members reached more than 333,600 children, young people and community members across Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. With your help, Camfed’s Class of 2010 Appeal could potentially increase Cama’s membership by 50% – supporting 2,000 more girls through secondary school. Just imagine the impact these young women could have across their rural communities and beyond!

It costs just £6 a month to pay for a girl’s secondary education in the countries where Camfed works. To us, this is little more than the cost of a bottle of wine. Or a few pairs of socks. To girls like Sarah and Agness, £6 could mean the difference between a life of poverty or a life of opportunity.

• We know that the risk of HIV/AIDS is dramatically reduced for each girl who goes on to secondary education in Africa.
• We know that girls will delay motherhood beyond her teenage years, if only they have the opportunity to study.
• We know that girls with an education will have the confidence to choose their own sexual partner and that their children will thrive.
• We know too that these young women will go on to join professions or start their own businesses, creating jobs and helping to build the economy, as well as providing role models to other young women.

Camfed asks you to mobilise your networks and use your platforms to invest in the future of Africa by joining the Class of 2010 Appeal today. With your help, thousands of girls could start school this January when the new school year begins.

What does it cost?

• It costs just £6 a month to send a girl to secondary school.
• £24 per month will support the education of 4 girls.
• £60 per month will support the education of 10 girls.

Please give what you can