A Charity That Helps Educate African Girls

CAMFED (The Campaign for Female Education) provides support that allows girls in rural Africa to attend school and later be exposed to work opportunities that can halt cycles of family poverty.

Established in 1993, the organization began by educating 32 girls and has grown into a vast, impeccably managed nonprofit. To date, 4.1 million children have gone to school across Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe through CAMFED programs. One reason for the organization’s success is that it carefully looks after each student and covers not only school fees, but books, uniforms, and other essentials. Also, graduates receive additional training and resources to help them to become successful adults; and they, in turn, give back to CAMFED by sponsoring or mentoring other children who enter the program. 

CAMFED believes that “partnering with communities to unlock the leadership potential of groups of girls and women at the margins of society creates a multiplier effect like no other.” It won the 2020 grand prize (see video below) in a competition organized by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff that recognizes “little-known organizations working to make the world a better place.”

BJT readers—who represent one of the highest-net-worth magazine audiences anywhere—clearly have the means to contribute to a better world. To help you do that, we regularly spotlight deserving organizations that received a four-star overall rating from Charity Navigator, which evaluates philanthropic institutions based on their finances, accountability, and transparency.