South Sudan has the world’s lowest literacy rates and is considered the worst country in the world for girls’ education. Extreme poverty, conflict, displacement, child marriage, and entrenched cultural norms continue to keep girls out of school. It is also considered the world’s most dangerous country for aid workers.

A safe haven for over one million South Sudanese refugees, 83% of whom are women and children. Uganda’s refugee settlements are under growing strain as severe funding shortfalls force drastic reductions in World Food Programme food rations, deepening hunger and instability. With the average length of stay in a refugee settlement being 17 years, our scholarship programs helps refugee girls stay in school and build futures beyond displacement.

We work only in places of extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $3.00 per day. Haiti—the only country in the Western Hemisphere that meets that criterion—is facing escalating gang control, kidnappings, widespread violence, political collapse, and severe disruptions to food, transportation and healthcare. We operate programs in rural northern Haiti for girls’ scholarships and leadership skills development.

Host to half-a-million refugees, of whom at least 25% are from South Sudan. We award scholarships to girls from Kakuma Refugee Camp. Being a country with academically-strong universities, Kenya is also the place where many of our higher education Scholars pursue their degrees.

Malawi is the 4th poorest country in the world. Most of its families lack funds to send their daughters to school beyond the elementary level. Fewer than 5% of girls in Malawi finish high school. Half of all girls are married before age 18, which continues the cycle of extreme poverty. Per capita income is $516/year. We partner with local schools and award university scholarships to the best and brightest among them.