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South Africa, the host country of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, is showing the rest of the world Africa’s great potential for the future. At the kick off concert, Batonga’s founder, Angelique Kidjo, performed alongside Shakira, Alicia Keys, and many other stars. The slogan for the concert was “One Goal-Education for all” promoting youth education and HIV/AIDS awareness in Africa with proceeds going to 20 Centres for 2010, a charity campaign to build 20 football centers throughout Africa that will provide athletic fields, classrooms and healthcare facilities.

The 2010 World Cup not only aims to inform the public on Africa’s progress, but also to inspire a movement in helping this continent to continue moving forward! Do your part by helping The Batonga Foundation’s mission to support girls’ secondary education in Africa!

Angelique Kidjo delivered the keynote address at the opening of the United States Agency for International Development Africa Regional Education Workshop, which took place June 6 – 9, 2010 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Angelique delivered powerful remarks on the conference theme, Quality Education for All, and emphasized the importance of girls’ secondary education.

More than 150 participants from USAID missions, Ministries of Education, private sector and foundation representatives and implementing partner organizations from over 20 African countries convened in Tanzania to discuss topics and strategies important to creating and sustaining major education initiatives in Africa. Participants all shared successes, challenges, and forged a collective agenda for future programming and action. Alfronso Lenhardt, United States ambassador to Tanzania, stated that “now is the time to break down all barriers preventing girls and women from going to school.”

A total of 10,400 books donated to The Batonga Foundation by FirstBook and the Feminist Press have arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They have been distributed among a variety of organizations and schools including the new library at Project Mercy in Butajira, the Agazi High School, community center and public library in Adigrat/Tigray, as well as the Batonga Girls Scholarship Program and the Hope for Children Youth Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Included in the shipment was a collection of women’s experiences in Africa throughout history entitled, Women Writing Africa: The Northern Region. Access to books is one of the most important factors affecting literacy in Africa and we are happy to hear that children in Ethiopia have received such educational necessities!