19 November 2007

Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire: For the past 6 months, UNV has organized a girls’ education project in cooperation with four national organizations and a network of local civil society organizations, who partnered to work towards the second Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education.

The project involved 50 young girls ages 8 to 14, who were working fulltime at the Yamoussoukro market.  The girls were illiterate and do not speak French, and their working environment made them vulnerable and exposed to abuse.

At the onset, local volunteer teachers underwent three days of training. They taught the girls basic writing and mathematics skills in classes that took place twice a week for 2 hours.  School kits were provided by UNV.  In addition, once a week social activities were held, with a special focus on sensitization to life skills.  

Forty girls attended the classes regularly, learning some basic writing, reading and mathematic skills.  Now that the first phase of the project has concluded, the seven girls with the best results will now integrate into the standard educational system from October 2007.  The closing ceremony of the project was held on October 17th, coinciding with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.  Phase Two will commence in December 2007 with the same group of girls, plus a second group.

The project costs of US $1,530 were sponsored by fundraising activities organized by UNV, which sold cards, bookmarks and handcraft bags.