Peace Sisters Inc

IN 2022, PEACE SISTERS CONTINUED ITS WORK IN THE DAPAONG, TOGO AREA OF WEST AFRICA. 480+ GIRLS IN NEED OF FINANCIAL AID WERE INCLUDED IN OUR NETWORK TO RECEIVE HOLISTIC SUPPORT TO HELP THEM CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION IN THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. THE FIVE PILLARS OF OUR PROGRAM INCLUDE: 1) SCHOOL FEES & SUPPLIES, 2) HEALTH CARE, 3) ID CARDS, 4) MENTORING & COUNSELING, AND 5) SOLAR STUDY LAMPS. OF THE STUDENTS, 206 ATTENDED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, 211 AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST 45 STUDENTS WHO ARE PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION AT A UNIVERSITY, NURSING OR TRADE SCHOOL. ADDITIONALLY, WE BEGAN SUPPORTING 15 APPRENTICES WHO FOLLOWED A LESS FORMAL EDUCATIONAL TRACK IN ORDER TO PURSUE A VOCATION.BECAUSE SHOWING PROOF OF IDENTITY AND AGE REMAINS A SUBSTANTIAL HURDLE FOR A RURALLY-BASED CHILD IN AFRICA, WE CONTINUED A PROGRAM TO HELP GIRLS OBTAIN FORMAL ID CARDS TO ENABLE THEM TO ENROLL IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND PAPERWORK CONTINUES TO BE UNDERWAY FOR 170+ ADDITIONAL GIRLS. WE PROCURED 50 SOLAR STUDY LAMPS FROM A LOCAL NONPROFIT IN DAPAONG AND DISTRIBUTED THEM TO GIRLS LIVING IN HOMES WITHOUT ELECTRICITY SO THEY CAN STUDY AT NIGHT. WE ALSO CONTINUED TO PROVIDE BASIC HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THAT ALLOWS THE GIRLS TO ACCESS URGENT CARE CLINICS, AND IN ORDER TO PREVENT ABSENTEEISM FROM SCHOOL, WE PROVIDED MENSTRUAL PADS TO ALL THE GIRLS. WE ALSO PROVIDED 100 GIRLS WITH NEW SCHOOL UNIFORMS. FURTHERMORE, WE CREATED A COMPUTER LAB / COMMUNITY CENTER IN DAPAONG WHERE THE GIRLS CAN MEET TOGETHER TO LEARN COMPUTER SKILLS, ACCESS THE INTERNET, AND FORM STUDY GROUPS. WE ALSO PROVIDED FORMAL TUTORING SERVICES TO 200+ GIRLS SO THEY COULD PREPARE FOR THEIR HIGH STAKES EXAMS AND GAVE THEM ACADEMIC COUNSELING TO HELP THEM CHOOSE THEIR CAREER PATHS.