Batonga Girls

We would like to introduce you to some BATONGA GIRLS and tell you their stories.

Reine, Benin

“I was so happy to see my mother. I saw her and said, ‘Mama, I’m saved.’”

Reine was removed from primary school and forced to move away when her parents could no longer support her. After being beaten and mistreated, she escaped and returned home. Her family had been unaware of the consequences of sending her away, and when the director of her school asked her to re-enroll, her mother was relieved. A Batonga Girl Scholarship will allow girls like Reine to continue their education in secondary school, the tuition for which her parents could never afford.

Nanaïssa, Mali

“I think education is important because it opens the spirit.”

She comes from a family with two older brothers and two younger sisters, and Nanaïssa loves math. "My proudest moment this past year was when I went from being 13th in the first semester, to 5th in the second semester. This is because I didn’t have the all the books or the materials in the first semester.” Nanaïssa dreams of becoming a doctor. It is girls like her who will be Batonga Girls in Mali, starting in September.

Agnes, Sierra Leone

“I am going to set up my own business in my home town.”

Agnes’ father is dead and her mother is very old, has no education or means to support her daughter. As a young girl, Agnes was raped by rebels and later turned to prostitution when faced with destitution. She was offered an alternative by Children Associated With the War (CAW), and eventually enrolled in a two-year vocational training course. Anges, now 20 years old, will soon graduate with the help of Batonga, including assistance to set up her own business as a tailor.

Note: because she was formerly a prostitute, we are not showing Angnes’ face.

Elisabeth, Cameroon

“I want to go to school so that I can become a medical doctor to cure people who are sick.”

Her father died of AIDS when she was very young, and her mother does not have the means to take care of 11-year-old Elisabeth. She lives with her grandmother, who looks after her but cannot afford secondary school fees. Elisabeth will now be able to start secondary school in September since she was granted a Batonga Girl Scholarship.

Hana, Ethiopia

“I want to give back to my community by working with children.”

Hana lived in a children's group home starting in the 6th grade. With the help of Hope For Children and some individual sponsors, she was able to graduate high school and was accepted into Addis Ababa University. She has completed three years at the University and she has been trained by Hope for Children as a play therapist, and has recently started working with traumatized children. With the help of a Batonga Girl Scholarship, Hana will be able to graduate next year.

Sarah, Sierra Leone

“I am sure that education is very important for my future. I want to be an accountant.”

Sarah lives in a group home in Freetown; her parents were both killed during the civil war and she was then adopted by an aunt who was unable to care for her. Sarah has to travel a long distance to school but she says that all of the teachers at her school look out for her due to her good behavior and academic performance. Sarah says that being a Batonga Girl will enable her to pursue her academic career.