At HAFAI “We know that girls’ education is important because educated girls become better mothers, have fewer, healthier children. Every additional year of schooling reduces the probability of child mortality by 5-10 per cent.”

Education for girls can have the benefit of delaying marriage and pregnancy for young girls. Instead of a girl getting married before age 20 and often suffering abuse by her husband, girls who attend primary and secondary school are more likely to have a say in who they marry. Girls who attend school also are able to use more effective methods of family planning and therefore have fewer and healthier babies. An educated girl and woman will have learned about HIV/AIDS and know many different ways to protect herself from getting the disease. Every year of schooling helps a girl make better decisions for her and her family.

Women who attended school often have healthier families. These women are more likely to seek medical help from clinics or doctors. Because they can read, literate women can understand a doctor’s detailed instructions and follow up for help if needed. These women also can read nutritional labels and provide their family healthy meals that promote growth and lower cholesterol. Education also teaches young ones the importance of keeping herself and her house clean and safe.

As their families are healthier, so is the mother. She is less likely to be a young mother since she stayed in school and will have better-spaced pregnancies that are healthy for her body. Education is amazing: the World Bank determined that each year of school prevents 2 maternal deaths out of 1000 women each year!

Sending your daughters to school can be challenging to your pocket book and her safety. You can protect them with your support and involvement in their education. This will curb most teacher or student harassment that they would feel uncomfortable with.