Two decades of experience makes Camfed uniquely positioned to succeed
November 23, 2015 – San Francisco, CA – Sending girls to school in some of the most remote regions of Africa is a difficult proposition. Because of the daunting nature of the challenge, many are only talking about what should be done. Camfed, the Campaign for Female Education is taking up the challenge. They’ve set a bold goal to educate 1 million more girls by 2019.
To help achieve this goal, Camfed today announced the launch of an action campaign under the name CAMFEDcan.
“CAMFEDcan is our declaration that we can provide access to education for a phenomenal generation of girls who are facing barriers that few of us can imagine,” said Camfed’s CEO, Lucy Lake. “We can do what governments, economists and children’s rights champions are calling for because we have the necessary infrastructure and the experience to see girls through the educational process in a holistic, sustainable way – and at scale.”
Over the past 23 years, Camfed has directly supported one million girls through school, and improved the learning environment for more than three million children in sub-Saharan Africa. They are now looking to accelerate their impact and support one million more girls through school in just five years.
During the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative, Camfed committed to supporting 1 million more girls through secondary school. Camfed’s ultimate vision is of a world in which every child is educated, protected, respected and grows up to turn the tide of poverty. Their sustainable and scalable model has been praised by influential education and development advocates including Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia, First Lady Michelle Obama, the OECD, and Malala Yousafzai.
In order to reach this ambitious goal, and beyond, Camfed needs to raise awareness and donations. The CAMFEDcan campaign will include print, online and broadcast elements to reach the largest possible audiences.
“To really portray the breadth and depth of Camfed’s success, this campaign needed to show that while educating 1 million girls is a daunting task, because of their years of experience and stellar framework, CAMFEDcan achieve it,” said Frank Way, creative director for the CAMFEDcan campaign.
Camfed’s success is born from years of building relationships and successfully creating partnerships that support girls’ education in rural areas. Across sub-Saharan Africa, the organization has grown a network of staff, advisors, local government officials, religious and traditional leaders, and others who partner with Camfed to transform their communities.
Camfed has also created an exceptional alumnae network called CAMA. This network of graduates uses their skills and knowledge to give back their communities, to help more girls to go to school, and to mentor future leaders.
“CAMA embodies the aspirations of Camfed. Through this network, Camfed has created a virtuous cycle of success, health, and hope,” said Angeline Murimirwa, one of the first girls supported though Camfed, a founding member of CAMA, and now, Regional Director of Camfed. “When we ensure that every child, every girl, is receiving a quality education, we will see huge transformation in our communities, our nations, and our world.”
To view the CAMFEDcan PSA and campaign assets, please go here.
