After Tukaeje Habibu struggled more than six miles to get to school in flimsy flip-flops, it was not unusual for her to be sent home from class because she didn’t have any shoes. Tukaeje had to leave the house at 5am each morning to get to school on time and – when she was allowed to attend classes – she didn’t return home until the evening. (more…)

Camfed brought the plight of young women in rural Africa before some of the most powerful women in the world this summer as two global initiatives were launched to tackle the crucial issue of girls’ education. (more…)

Camfed Zimbabwe recently brought together a group of 14 traditional leaders from nine districts as part of a pioneering project to tackle domestic violence in rural areas. Working in partnership with local organisations, the goal was to challenge head-on some of the traditionally held values that affect young rural women – ranging from child abuse and rape to virginity testing and early marriage. (more…)

Matildah Mwamba always knew she wanted to make a difference. Growing up in Zambia’s copper mining belt, she used to pretend to be a teacher – giving lessons to her five younger brothers and sisters and other children during the holidays. Matildah took her passion into the classrooms of rural Zambia, working as a primary teacher for 17 years. But over the years, she became despondent about the lack of educational opportunities for girls. She decided it was time to help all those girls who had never had the chance to be educated because their families were too poor to send them to school. (more…)

Two doctoral students from York persuaded artists from as far afield as the USA and Malawi to donate works of art for an auction in support of Camfed. In one night, they raised more than £5,000 for girls’ education in Africa. (more…)

by Marianne Macdonald (taken from ES Magazine [Evening Standard])

Two years ago Martha Lane Fox cashed in her Lastminute shares and took some well-earned time off. Then disaster struck in Morocco. Now recovering, her projects include a karaoke bar, a directorship of Channel 4, and most importantly to her, a charity educating girls in Africa. Marianne Macdonald salutes her spirit. (more…)