Today we met with the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) in the afternoon, and heard about their initiatives to further the education of girls in all regions of Senegal. In particular, it was interesting to me to hear about their clubs to promote STEM in girls, and how they involve the girls’ families and the community in encouraging girls to advance in STEM subjects. Also, their focus is not just on the girls but also on improving the perception of girls’ education in boys as well. They do this by running coed clubs, which I think is a better approach, rather than separating the girls and raising the possibility of resentment. There were several reasons given why girls do not finish school: the first being of course poverty. Public schools here have mandatory fees- according to Mme. Diop it costs about 15,000-20,000 CFA a month to keep a girl in high school (which is about 30 dollars a month)- this is for school fees, necessary supplies, etc. That is entirely too much money for many families. But even if that cost can be overcome, there are pressures to marry or to help at home with chores, and depending on the location, there are some problems with girls being in a hostile environment when they come to school. There are many other factors, but the end result is that last year 11,000 girls in Senegal did not finish their school year. So here’s my proposal: thirty dollars a month- that’s probably what I spend in overpriced coffee. Surely I can make do with cheaper coffee and find a way to help at least one girl make it through her high school. If anyone else is interested, I will be happy to send the contact information for this NGO. On a completely unrelated note, I have sadly killed my camera battery somehow and it is completely dead with no resuscitation likely. So any other pictures will either be shamelessly stolen from my fellow teachers or taken with my ancient iPhone 3.
2 Comments
Lisl
4/6/2016 07:22:05 am
You amazing woman! Blessings as you travel and even more blessings as you learn. How much the people of Africa have to teach us and how desperately we need their wisdom!!!!
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Heather Olson-Bunnell
4/9/2016 07:19:39 am
count me in $30. a month for tuition . Love mom
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Kirstin Bullington
I teach science, engineering, and computer science at W.J. Keenan High School in Columbia, SC Archives
March 2016
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