CAMFED 2019 Annual Review - Video Transcript

Back to video

Voiceover Our world is running out of time. In just ten years, the world aims to reach its 17 goals, to end extreme poverty and hunger, to make the world a safer, healthier, more equal place, to provide decent work and infrastructure while taking climate action and protecting our environment and precious resources. A gender equal world where girls can learn, thrive and lead change for this generation.

CAMFED catalyzes the power of the most vulnerable girls and young women to create the future they imagine for themselves, for their communities, and for Africa. In 2014, we set ourselves the audacious goal of supporting 1 million girls through secondary school in just five years. In 2019, we surpassed that goal, supporting 1.2 million. That’s 1.2 million more educated girls who can tackle: poverty inequality, youth unemployment, overpopulation, forced migration and climate change.

Fanny, CAMFED Scholar, Malawi Being helped by CAMFED, I do feel very proud. And it’s my pride because I do think that I could have stopped school a long time ago if CAMFED could not support me. I see all the possibilities of doing better in education because CAMFED is supporting me.

Voiceover CAMFED supports students in 6853 partner schools across Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The CAMFED Association of women leaders, educated with CAMFED support is now 157,005 strong. Spearheading our programs and multiplying the impact of the education, each association member supports on average, three more children to go to school.

In 2019, CAMFED Association members support 367,430 secondary school students. Thousands of CAMFED Association members volunteer as trained Learner Guide mentoring students, delivering life skills and helping students stay in school. 9145 Learner Guide had been trained by 2019.

Diris, CAMFED Association Member and Former Learner Guide Learner Guides take a lot of efforts to return excluded students to the classroom. Because there are activities they are doing, asking their fellow, “Where is your fellow student?” So, the students in the class, you see, they say, “Oh she’s maybe selling some fishes with her mother.” So, from the class the Learner Guide got enough information and attend teachers. So, when they meet with the teachers, it is where they start a plan on how to make a student come back.

Voiceover CAMFED Association members trained as Transition Guides help recent graduates on the road to leadership, entrepreneurship, vocational training, further study and employment. 5159 Transition Guides had been trained by 2019. 832,341 students and 97,747 young women have already benefited from the guides’ direct support.

CAMFED guides can earn a vocational (BTEC) qualification, a steppingstone to teacher training or employment. 2825 CAMFED Association members had achieved a BTEC qualification by the end of 2019. Guides gain access to interest free loans in exchange for volunteering, allowing them to start and grow a business. 2230 CAMFED Association members started a business in 2019.

Dotto, CAMFED Association Member and Learner Guide My goal in business is that I wish to be a great businesswoman. My hope for the future is to help my family even more, to change their status in life, do great things for them.

Voiceover Our young leaders create jobs and opportunities in their communities. Enabling more families to support their children through school. CAMFED Association members are taking the lead, including in Climate-smart agriculture. In May 2019, we unveiled CAMFED’s first garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, raising awareness about the importance of women’s leadership in building climate resilience and nourishing school communities.

Clarah, CAMFED Association member and agriculture entrepreneur Agriculture, to me, means life. Agriculture means keeping more children in school. Agriculture, to me, means making a choice because being into agriculture means you have to earn an income. After having an income, you now have a choice.

Later that year, CAMFED’s Agriculture Guides were recognized with the U.N. Global Climate Action Award. Our movement of CAMFED champions in partner communities includes parents, teachers, traditional leaders and government officials. CAMFED trained Teacher Mentors provide critical psychosocial support to students. 13,268 Teacher Mentors had been trained by the end of 2019.

Lucia Punungwe, former CAMFED client, Teacher Mentor, Zimbabwe Students who have got problems socially, they come to me, we help each other, and being a girl who was with such a poor background makes me very comfortable in assisting these children because I will be understanding how they really feel.

Voiceover Parent support groups provide meals and financial support to marginalized children.

Salamatu, Mother Support Group Leader, Ghana My future hopes are in the near future all girls in Chereponi should be graduates. Girls in Chereponi should attain up to the graduate level.

Voiceover Traditional leaders and government officials join forces with CAMFED Association leaders to promote girls’ education and end child marriages.

Daniel Drowels, Magistrate, Neno District, Malawi CAMFED involvement here in Neno it’s quite great. We have seen a number of issues coming to court, especially on sensitization, on the issue of teenage marriages. They have done a lot.

Voiceover In 2019, community champions supported 241,590 children to go to school. And 2019 was the year you stepped up with us like never before! You donated, advocated, and fundraised for us, and helped to celebrate our 25th anniversary in style in New York.

Speaker Ignorance made me vulnerable. However, education liberated me. Eventually the fear of going against great odds died off. And I realized that I can do anything.

Voiceover A huge thank you to our partners, friends and champions for supporting girls’ education and young women’s leadership. Together, we’re showing what’s possible when we all work towards the same goals.

Fanny, CAMFED scholar, Malawi If I’m not going to change the world, then the world is going to be the same. The world is waiting for me to change it.