CAMFED (Zimbabwe / Zambia)
CAMFED is a pan-African movement revolutionising how girls’ education is delivered. CAMFED supports girls from the most marginalised backgrounds through school and beyond, radically improving their prospects of becoming independent and influential women.
In 2020/2021, the Eurofins Foundation supported the project “Supporting Women in rural Zimbabwe to transform their futures through tertiary education”. This project, a zero-interest revolving tertiary loan facility, inverts traditional development models and offers an innovative and exciting opportunity to support young women from the most marginalised backgrounds in rural Zimbabwe to transform their futures through higher education. For these young women, even if they overcome enormous odds to access and complete secondary education, university costs are so exorbitant that higher education remains unlikely for many; this project offers an opportunity to change that, giving students the power and autonomy they need to determine their professional careers.
Combined with support from another co-funder, the Eurofins Foundation's grant allowed 121 young women from the most marginalised backgrounds in rural Zimbabwe to access higher education, surpassing CAMFED's goal of supporting 83 young women. Priority was given to applicants enrolled in specific courses, such as courses serving rural communities and STEM subjects.
By completing higher education and taking up professional roles, these women will gain the financial resources to choose when and if they marry, become independent, and support other girls in school. University study provides a viable alternative to early marriage, and higher levels of education correlate with much greater future earnings. By supporting these young women to break the cycle of poverty for themselves, the project also increases their ability to lead change in their communities.
Mercy, one of the students who received financial support under CAMFED's partnership with the Eurofins Foundation, is studying Information Systems at Midlands State University in Midlands Province. Her course explores the relationship between information technology and business. She explains:
"When I chose my programme, I knew that in the future, the information technology sector would take over the business world. Computer skills are becoming an essential requirement, resulting in greater opportunities for those with these skills."
Mercy's ambition is to "advance my education as a way to inspire those who have a low self-esteem and those who come from poor social backgrounds", as well as volunteering in schools as a CAMFED Guide to "give advice to other upcoming secondary students on the importance of working hard and share the experiences that I had as a way to inspire them."
The Eurofins Foundation has also provided a grant to a project dedicated to the education and wellbeing of the most marginalised girls across rural Zambia. Recent economic growth has not been felt in these rural communities, and secondary school transition and retention rates for girls have fallen dramatically over the past few years. The project aims to enable girls from backgrounds of rural poverty in Zambia to realise their right to an education by supporting them through secondary school.
Only 27% of girls complete secondary school in Zambia, and among the poorest children, completion rates fall to 3% (UNICEF 2019).
The support provided by the Eurofins Foundation breaks down barriers to education, with a demonstrable impact on girls’ enrolment, retention, and completion rates, while also delaying the average age of marriage and motherhood. Preliminary monitoring data from this project indicates improved school attendance due to the assurance of continued support. At the same time, girls in school have become noticeably more positive and focused.
Through a co-funding partnership, 1,350 girls have been supported in accessing and progressing through secondary school, with 175 girls directly supported by the Eurofins Foundation at Grade 11 across 17 schools in 12 districts, all of whom would be unable to attend school without this dedicated support.
The Eurofins Foundation’s contribution has funded school fees, as well as entitlement packages including stationery, uniforms, and sanitary pads, along with face masks and hand sanitisers during COVID-19 to ensure girls could return safely after school closures.
In 2021/2022, the Eurofins Foundation's grant ensured 125 girls safely completed secondary school and transitioned into further education or employment, contributing to a safer and healthier world.
In 2021/2022, the Eurofins Foundation also supported a CAMFED project that trains Learner Guides in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
CAMFED has provided 125 marginalised girls from 12 districts across rural Zambia with tailored school-going support during their final year of education. Additionally support from the Eurofins Foundation provided vital transition support for this cohort of girls as they transition beyond school, and into secure livelihoods.
In partnership with the Eurofins Foundation, CAMFED has supported the delivery of quality education to more than 1,000 children in rural Zambia through the Learner Guide programme, exceeding its goal of 500 girls.
CAMFED has also recruited and trained 20 Learner Guides from within the CAMFED Association network in Zambia. Collectively these Learner Guides have reached 1,013 students through the award winning - My Better World - curriculum which is designed to boost children’s aptitude for learning, and enhance their prospects after school.
In 2022/2023, the Eurofins Foundation is renewing its support to CAMFED, specificallu supporting the programme “Mobilising resources to combat childhood hunger in rural Zimbabwe”.
The objective of the project is to help 100 schools in rural Zimbabwe provide over 200,000 meals for children during the dry months when food is scarce in homes. Through supporting the start up and continuation of school feeding programmes, run by groups of engaged parents called Parent Support Groups, CAMFED and the Eurofins Foundation will contribute to easing hunger during the most challenging six months of the year, when lower crop yields and extended droughts, made worse by climate change, leave many families without enough food to feed themselves and their children.
These projects contribute to the following United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
