Our main mission is to support education for disadvantaged kids in Africa. Additionally, we wish to support educational initiatives and programs to empower girls and women. Research clearly shows a close link between female education levels and improved quality of life. Elimu Africa prefers to award grants to organizations that promote equal respect and offer a curriculum aimed at educating both male and female students to promote the issue of gender equity.
Gender Equity
Women's rights are a worldwide issue. Females often experience different freedoms and face varying human rights abuses.
At the very least, gender inequity involves unequal levels of respect for females within a culture or family.
Globally, girls and women have fewer educational and professional opportunities. This leaves women vulnerable to experience further human rights abuses.
Often girls feel pressured to marry and have children at early ages, which prevent them from going forward with education.
Young girls who are very poor or uneducated are offered money in exchange for sex. This often leads to unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Promoting gender equality and promoting education for kids are two of the eight Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by the year 2015.
The first step in the process of improving gender equity involves inspiring the females to break free of the cultural barriers, obtain their education and be proud of who they are.
Improved quality of life for females in society requires the education of both females and males.
Higher levels of education for females results in:
- Increased respect and better treatment within their families and communities.
- Increased professional success and prosperity.
- Improved health for themselves and their families.
- Lower pregnancy rates.
- Lower infant death rates.
- Increased opportunity for posts in government allowing them to introduce gender sensitive policies.
“There is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls.” UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
Elimu Africa's continuing efforts to improve the lives of women and children in Africa includes producing "Miss Africa," a song in their honor.