Almost 20 years ago, Ann Cotton, visited Zimbabwe, Africa to find out why girl’s school enrollment in rural areas was so low. She discovered that the primary obstacle was poverty. Families couldn’t afford to buy books or pay school fees for all their children, so they had to choose who would receive an education. Girls were rarely chosen. The reason was simple: Boys had a better chance of getting a paid job after graduation.

So Ann wondered: Could an economic solution open school doors to girls? Could it lead to economic, social and cultural benefits for rural Africa?

She returned home to Cambridge, England, determined to find a way to help girls go to school in Zimbabwe. She recruited friends and family and sold baked goods to raise money and awareness about the lack of education for girls in Africa. At the end of her grassroots campaign, she supported 32 girls through school.

In 1993, Ann formally launched Camfed, the Campaign for Female Education. The girls supported by Camfed stayed in school and did well, demonstrating that girls’ education was valued by families when the costs were not longer a burden.

What have been the results of this woman committed to making a difference when it would have been so much easier to turn a blind eye?

Camfed’s model has now been replicated in 2,295 communities in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Malawi and Tanzania.

In Tanzania, schools supported by Camfed through the Safety Net Fund showed a 37 percent reduction in drop-out rates between 2005 and 2007.

In Camfed partner high schools in Zambia, pregnancy rates fell by 9 percent between 2006 and 2008, compared to an increase of 38 percent in a control sample of schools.

Since 1993, they’ve improved the school environment for 1,065,710 children, provided scholarships for 42,184 girls to go to high school, trained 4,068 teacher mentors and helped 769 young women go to college.

Their microfinance program has helped 6,084 women start small businesses and 1,449 expand.

They’ve also trained 1,504 community health activists through Cama, the Camfed Association, which has 14,005 African members who advocate for change in rural Africa.

I am sure when Ann was baking cookies back in 1991 to raise money to send a few girls to school, she had NO idea of what the next 20 years would bring. Thankfully, she didn’t let the obstacle of a massive continent, a huge problem and a desperate need stand in her way of just taking the first small step.

I know that in looking at problems in various countries I have visited, I’ve thought, “what can I do to help?” Ann’s example is an amazing role model for all of us to just start. eradicate

Camfed needs your help and they have made it is so simple!

On Facebook Causes, more than 544,000 members have joined their cause “Educate Girls in Africa. Fight Poverty and HIV” and are helping promoting the benefits of girls’ education.

But two anonymous donors want them to do more and have issued a challenge: Reach 1 million supporters on Causes by the end of the year. To sweeten the deal, they will donate 50 cents for each new supporter that joins the Cause, up to $100,000.

So you can make a big difference now, in five seconds or less. Simply visit www.causes.com/camfed and join the cause. Then, share this message and ask your friends to join the cause and recruit their friends. You’ll not only be promoting the benefits of girls’ education in Africa, you’ll help Camfed raise enough money to send 4,000 girls to elementary school!

Will you do that today and make your difference? Please do!

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