In Ethiopia, access to education is still very low and the causes are numerous: many families are poor and need their children's help at home, the hygienic and structural conditions of schools are bad, and communities do not consider studying a priority.
Girls are most affected, mainly because they have to help with the domestic chores, which take time out of school.
Marta was no exception: "In my village little importance was attached to girls' education. The general belief was that we should above all help our parents with household chores, leaving little time for study. So, we were less competitive at school than boys."
That's why we organized several initiatives in Marta's village to support women education, through student support groups and awards for best students. More than 1400 girls participated in the programmes and Marta is one of the winners!
"Winning this award gave me great self-confidence, my family is proud of me and decided to support my sisters and me in our studies. Thanks to ActionAid, I am planning to go to university!
Thanks to the support groups, my sister was also able to return to school. She had to drop out after first grade because she was getting bad marks. She didn't have enough time to study and nobody was able to help her. I'm very happy that she's back in school too.
This was also possible thanks to our supporters, who allow us to carry out our work on a daily basis where it is most needed!
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. (Eleanor Roosevelt).