PAGES in Sierra Leone

The cause:

Education, Poverty and Girls' Rights

The facts:

• Sierra Leone's literacy rate is the lowest in the world: 80% of women are illiterate.
• 67% of school-aged children are out of school. The majority of these are girls, who are expected to work in the fields or enter into early marriage.
• Women and girls in Sierra Leone have fewer economic opportunities, lower status, less power, and experience severe discrimination compared to men and boys.

The project:

To tackle poverty in Sierra Leone, Plan combined education and small business support, tailored specifically for women and youth.

The details:

Poverty and lack of education are closely linked, with each being both a cause and effect of the other. In this project Plan worked with communities to tackle both at the same time.

Quality education starts with quality facilities and materials. Plan built five schools in Sierra Leone and furnished them with books, desks, chalkboards and school supplies. But the support didn