Lifting Cameroonian girls out of poverty
	Science and technology education open new doors for rural girls in Cameroon

	Ever since she was a little girl, Martine had always dreamt of becoming a farmer. Yet these dreams were shattered when an unplanned pregnancy forced her to drop out of high school. Now 20, Martine is getting a second chance at learning. She is one of 120 girls participating in a pilot project for marginalized girls in rural areas of Cameroon. Classes began for Martine and 60 other girls in Nkondjock last May, and one month later for 50 girls in Njombé-Penja. The courses are part of a pilot project launched in Cameroon to provide scientific, technical, and vocational education for girls aged 14-27. The project is run by UNESCO and the Rubisadt Foundation, an NGO promoting novel approaches to gender in science and technology education. Hope for rural girls The girls in the programme share two common traits. They have all abandoned their formal education and live in rural areas. Their reasons for dropping out of school are unfortunately familiar throughout Africa. “Lack of education and illiteracy are at the root of poverty, both for adults and children,” says Florence Tobo Lobé, founder of the Rubisadt Foundation. “Girls in rural areas are especially vulnerable due to lack of financial means, unplanned pregnancy or illness.” The goal of the programme is to provide training in local activities that will enable girls to find income-generating jobs, improve their social status and help alleviate poverty in their communities. Upon completion of the programme, the girls are expected to become self-employed or work in local industries and enterprises. “We are not promising miracles nor the moon,” Tobo Lobé tells the girls, “We are there to provide you with a training that allows you, if you wish, to acquire the skills necessary to quickly open the doors to independence. We wish to make you financially independent and intellectually free.” In Cameroon, girls suffer from a weak educational system and also from socio-cultural barriers that marginalize them. “The gender-based approach to education is necessary,” explains Florence Tobo Lobé. “These women’s poverty is further accentuated because they are not part of public life, and they are discriminated against in the labour market and in learning.” The importance of teachers Teachers play a critical role in the programme. They are recruited locally and are required to take two training courses. Their teaching method is inspired by programmes for adult non-formal learning – girls are encouraged to participate actively in class and often partake in role-playing activities. Teachers not only teach the subject matter, but also serve as positive role models in a country where science and technology are not valued enough. “A girl can realize that she is not abnormal just because she is interested in physics,” says Diileep Bhagwut of UNESCO Paris. The project aims at improving the life of the learner and of her family. “Ever since they started learning again, our two daughters speak much better French and can already do math,” say proud parents Alice and Joseph. “Tears came to our eyes when we realized that the girls could keep accounts. This is why we support this programme with all our heart,” they said. Upon completing the programme, young girls should be able to find employment and thus help their entire family. The mayor of Njombé-Penja has told the girls that once they have finished the course and begun to improve their own lives, they “should help better the daily lives of their community.” Enduring opportunities for all? The excitement and support from parents and local officials in Nkondjock and Njombé-Penja are extremely important for the pilot project. “It is imperative that the UNESCO- Rubisadt project for reschooling young rural girls becomes long-term,” says Julia Heiss of UNESCO Paris. In practice, this means that the project must become self-sustaining and open to more girls. “Eventually local authorities have to take the reins from UNESCO to guide these young girls in their first professional steps,” Heiss says. Martine is one of the lucky few who have been able to return to learning. She is filled with hope that the training programme will enable her to find a job more easily or to manage her agricultural work more efficiently. It is now up to Tobo Lobé and the other dedicated individuals involved in the project to make Martine’s fairytale a reality for other rural girls in Cameroon. Contact: Orlando Hall Rose, UNESCO Paris E-mail: o.hall-rose@unesco.org Website: http://www.rubisadt.org/pilotproject.html
	http://www.rubisadt.org/pilotproject.html