Girl Power Project

Pen to Paper Ghana have now partnered with a small UK NGO called Porridge and Pens Ghana. With similar aims in the education field, we were thrilled to facilitate the running of their Girl Power project.

In Ghana, there are a lot of costs involved with school, and therefore families often struggle to pay for their child’s school fees, school lunches, school equipment and exam entries. This has meant that only 37% of children complete senior school education and girls’ participation is substantially lower than boys. Only 3% of young people aged 18-21 are in higher education, such as university or vocational schools and only 30% of students enrolling onto higher education courses are female. Without completing a higher educational course, students cannot take on jobs within teaching, nursing or other skilled professions.

Restrictions facing girls going to school in Ghana:

• Expectations to fulfil traditional roles; completing the chores often come before going to school

• Unable to afford sanitary products to enable them to stay in school all day

• Stereotypical views that girls should stay at home and boys should go to school

• Assumption that girls should support the family by working rather than attending school

Girl Power supports vulnerable girls to ensure they receive an education and support through a grant. The girls that are supported are ones who are likely to drop out of education if they weren’t awarded with a place on the Girl Power Programme. Each of the girls have different upbringings and require individual attention to ensure their needs are met. Pen to Paper Ghana meet with the girls individually at their home or school to check in with them and ensure everything is going well. We get to know their families or whoever they’re living with and provide advice and support where needed.

The Girl Power grant for each girl covers the cost of the following:

• School and exam fees

• School feeding fees

• School uniforms

• Medical costs for health problems, such as malaria

• School equipment

• Sanitary products

• Transportation costs

• A termly trip out with other girls in the programme

If you’d like to read more about this project, check out https://porridgeandpens.org/girl-power/ or get in touch with us at pentopaperghana@gmail.com.