Founded in 1997, Growth Through Learning (GTL) is a nonprofit organization that supports education in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The organization provides girls with full scholarships to attend secondary school and engages in advocacy to promote women’s empowerment in Africa. Over the last 25 years, more than 2,000 GTL scholars have graduated from secondary school and have gone on to attend tertiary institutions and universities. Today, these girls are working as nurses, teachers, accountants, and business owners in Africa and across the world.
Girls in sub-Saharan Africa face many challenges in accessing education. Although a higher proportion of adolescent girls are in school than ever before, many girls are still at a high risk of dropping out due to factors like poverty, gender discrimination, and early marriages and pregnancies. Overall, only 42 percent of girls in sub-Saharan Africa are enrolled in secondary school. In the countries where GTL provides support, the rates are even more concerning. For example, in Tanzania, only 29 percent of girls enroll in secondary school. In Uganda, that figure is a mere 23 percent. Rates in Kenya are more optimistic, but gendered disparities persist. GTL aims to address the problem by removing financial barriers to education, enabling girls who would otherwise be unable to afford secondary school to continue their education.
The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will provide $50,000 to support GTL’s scholarship program. GTL will identify girls from high-need families and pay their annual school fees for one year. GTL expects to sponsor 71 girls. In doing so, the organization will continue to empower girls and support their educational journeys.
GTL’s scholarship program has previously produced remarkable outcomes: 95 percent of GTL scholars graduate from high school, a rate significantly higher than the national averages in the countries it serves. The organization is committed to the success of the girls they serve, recognizing that girls’ education produces a ripple effect within families, communities, and countries. To learn more about Growth Through Learning, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
See more projects: Africa, East Africa, Education