AGE Africa’s Program Model

AGE Africa’s Scholarship Program provides a three-pronged approach to ensure that disadvantaged but academically talented young women have all the resources, knowledge, and awareness they need to attend and finish their secondary school educations.   Our scholarships in combination with our extra-curricular work, address the most prevalent causes of drop out.

A three-pronged approach:

1. Comprehensive Scholarships that pay for tuition, as well as the indirect costs of a girl’s education.
2. Life Skills Training that includes: sexual and reproductive health education, gender based violence prevention, healthy decision-making, leadership development, self-advocacy, as well as time management, research skills, and effective study techniques.
3. Career Guidance Education and counseling that helps our students broaden their understanding of careers, access tertiary education, apply for jobs, as well as learn how to translate their knowledge into earned income at home in the village.

Since 2008, one hundred percent of AGE Africa’s scholarship awardees have finished four years of high school. Currently AGE Africa is active at four public schools in three districts: Zomba, Mulanje and Mangochi with plans to expand to two more schools this Fall.  The organization provides scholarships to 40 young women in public boarding and day secondary schools.

This spring AGE Africa added its first cohort of Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) Scholarship awardees.  In 2010 we served 140 girls with core life skills education, and supported 22 girls with our Comprehensive Scholarship Model.  We boast a 100% retention rate of our Scholarship awardees in secondary school, and a 70% pass rate on their final examinations (compared to 23% nationwide).  Our students leave our schools with knowledge about small business startup and management, higher education, and 100% have delayed pregnancy and marriage well beyond the national average.