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CAMFED Ghana

CAMFED Ghana was launched in 1998 to tackle girls' exclusion from education.

Supporting girls to learn and lead in Ghana

CAMFED Ghana launched in 1998, working in the Northern Region, and by 2024 was operating in 44 districts. In the communities where we work, chronic poverty excludes many girls from education, with less than a quarter of children in the poorest households attending lower secondary school. This persistent poverty pushes vulnerable girls into unsafe work or child marriage.

CAMFED Ghana works to support the most marginalized girls to finish secondary school, and through our transition programs help them into post school employment or further education and training.

Poverty still hinders girls from accessing, transitioning through, and completing school in Ghana. Recognizing that education is a fundamental right that ignites power and potential, CAMFED Ghana continues to work with government, civil society, and community structures to build an ecosystem of support around vulnerable girls and young women. This ensures they can thrive in school and succeed after graduation, including as leaders in our movement.

Fairuza Abdul-Rashid Safian, Executive Director

Find CAMFED Ghana’s contact details here

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When you educate a girl, you educate the world

“In Ghana, poverty hinders girls’ access to quality education. Inspired by this, I advocate for change, urging parents and stakeholders to prioritize girls’ education. Together, let’s amplify the voices of young women for a brighter and equal future.”

Ramatu Abubakari, CAMFED Association Chairperson, Ghana

Barriers to Education

Particularly in rural areas, girls and students with disabilities remain at high risk of exclusion from education due to poverty, gender inequality and long distances from school.

  • 28%

    28% of children in Ghana live below the national poverty line of GH¢1,314 per person per year, rising to 45% of children living in rural areas.

    UNICEF (2020)

  • 34%

    Only 34% of girls in Ghana complete upper secondary school, and among the poorest children this falls to 9%.

    UNICEF (2020)

  • 23%

    Nationally, 23% of girls are married by their 18th birthday, and among the poorest, rural girls this figure rises to 46%

    Ghana DHS (2022)
    UNICEF (2020)

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Hear from Nimatu

Nimatu, a member of the CAMFED Association (CAMA) of women leaders educated with CAMFED support, recounts her personal story of transformation through education. She now pays forward the benefits of her schooling, supporting a new generation of girls to stay in school, learn, thrive, and become leaders in their own right.

Read video transcript

Our unique “power house” are the members of the CAMFED Association - our network of women leaders educated with CAMFED support. Once themselves excluded from education, now they are at this critical point in the journey of humanity where they are standing up for their local communities. As mentors, Learner Guides, rural entrepreneurs and philanthropists, they are the role models girls need to see and create a different future for themselves and for Ghana.
Sally Ofori-Yeboah, Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships – Africa

Since 1998, CAMFED Ghana has....

  • 283K

    supported 282,880 students to go to primary and secondary school using donor funds

  • 133K

    Of these, 132,586 students have been supported to go to primary school. CAMFED's Safety Net Fund for partner primary schools provides essential items for children to prevent them from dropping out of school.

  • 150K

    And 150,294 students have been supported to go to secondary school. CAMFED provides holistic support, that might include school or exam fees, uniforms, menstrual supplies, books, pens, bikes, boarding fees or disability aids.

  • 846

    CAMFED Ghana supports the education of vulnerable children in 846 government schools.

Tackling early marriage

Ghana co-sponsored the 2017 Human Rights Council resolution, recognizing the need to address child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian contexts, and the 2015 Human Rights Council resolution to end child, early and forced marriage, recognizing that it is a violation of human rights. In spite of this progress, child and early marriage remains an issue, particularly in the rural, northern areas where CAMFED works.

Early marriage limits girls’ skills, resources, knowledge, social support, mobility, and autonomy, they often have little power in relation to their husband, putting them at greater risk of domestic violence, HIV/AIDS and early pregnancy. For married girls and young mothers, this only entrenches the cycle of poverty as out-of-school they lack the resources and support to enter secure employment.

CAMFED Ghana collaborates with the government to ensure that young women not only stay in school, but see the pathway to independence and business leadership. We signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghana Enterprises Agency to support training for young women in establishing businesses. In collaboration with the Government’s Guidance and Counselling Unit, CAMFED Ghana developed the Ministry of Education’s five-year Guidance and Counselling Strategic Plan, Teacher Mentor Training Manual and Civic Education Handbook.

Communities taking action

Together with CAMFED Association leaders, we catalyze the activism of CAMFED Champions in our partner communities to support more vulnerable children to go to primary and secondary school.

  • 919K

    Since 1998, 919,022 students have been supported to go to school by CAMFED Association members and community initiatives.

  • 633K

    Of these, 632,785 students have been supported to go to school directly by CAMFED Association members. Often using profits from their businesses, CAMFED Association members support on average 3 more children to go to school - multiplying the impact of their education.

  • 286K

    And 286,237 students have been supported to go to primary and secondary school through community initiatives. This includes parents, teachers, education officials and traditional leaders, who rally resources to support even more children to go to school.

  • 77K

    Our movement in Ghana has grown to 77,264 CAMFED Association members helping to form the largest network of its kind in Africa. Young women educated with CAMFED support spearhead our programs and help more vulnerable children to go to school.

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