What if behind every empowered woman was simply a chance—someone gave her to learn?
In sub-Saharan Africa, the female primary school completion rate soared from just 48.5% in 2000 to 68.5% by 2023, narrowly closing the gap with boys at 71.3%. Girls now complete both primary and lower secondary school at nearly equal rates to boys (98 and 96 girls per 100 boys, respectively). However, only 65 tertiary-level female graduates emerge for every 100 men, the lowest ratio globally. Despite these challenges, girls are now outperforming boys in primary completion for the first time in decades, reflecting a promising shift in access to education.
Across Africa, the power of education has proven to be more than just classroom knowledge, it is a force for generational change, economic growth, and national development.
Two of Africa’s most inspiring figures, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala demonstrate the life-changing power of education. Sirleaf, born in Liberia in 1938, overcame early marriage and political unrest to study economics in the U.S., earning a master’s degree from Harvard. She became Africa’s first elected female president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for championing peace and women’s rights. Likewise, Okonjo-Iweala, born in Nigeria in 1954, graduated from Harvard and earned a PhD from MIT. She served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister and, in 2021, made history as the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization. Their stories prove that educating girls builds nations and creates global leaders.
At AYGF, we recognize that investing in girls’ education is key to unlocking Africa’s full potential. One of our flagship initiatives, the Bloom Project, is specifically designed to empower young children through access to quality education, life skills training, and mentorship. AYGF firmly supports the motion that every girl child deserves access to quality education, not just as a fundamental right, but as a critical tool for social and economic transformation.
Join us as we continue to empower, educate, and uplift girls across Africa—because their future is our shared future.
