SCHOOL AND TRAINING
Learning to read, write and do math is not taken for granted in Africa, especially for girls. Basic math and the ABC often become the foundations on which to build their lives. A person’s education and training frequently determines if they are going to stand a chance and, if so, what future they have, and whether they can shape and develop their life responsibly and independently.
Angeline
The report from Angeline Kora shows how difficult it is to convince parents that girls should be given the same chances as boys. “We try to encourage parents to send their daughters to school,” writes Raphael Ziloua, the Baptist director of the college in Mokolo. Some girls have dropped out of school and have to marry. Others stay at home due to the inability of illiterate parents to understand.
Angeline writes: “I am 17 years old. I come from Gamboura and I am currently a pupil in year 7 at the Protestant College in Mokolo. Since my father did not attend school, he also did not want this for his daughter. He only considered preschool. Afterwards, he made the horrible decision to remove me from school. My mother could not change his mind and I couldn’t either. Since I was still very young, I had to obey his decision. Girls should manage the household. So after my 3rd year in school, I remained at home, for four years. But after these four years, I decided to go to school again. I was dependent on the cultivation of peanuts and peas to pay for my school fees and the school material from that income. But my father was still opposed to it. He would have been much happier if I had married.
For me, school is the first priority. Marriage can come after that. Initially, I attended year 4 and 5 before I matriculated into year 6 at the Protestant College in Mokolo. At this, my father became even more hard-hearted. He did not want me to attend the college. But thanks to a scholarship from the EBM and the sale of my peanuts and peas, I was able to pay the school fees without any other support. For the 2008/2009 school year, I was able to make a down payment. I also received a scholarship from the EBM for which I am very grateful. Otherwise, I would have had to leave school again in year 7. But when it came to the remaining amount for the second instalment, my father refused to help again. I lost all courage and decided to stay home.
My older sister, however, bolstered me and I can thank her for the fact that I am going to school again. I had no idea how I would be able to obtain the lacking Francs (approx. € 25) for the school fees. But thanks to another donation, the school director was able to cover this amount. Now I am entering year 8 and would like to continue going to school. With God’s help, I would like to graduate.”