Pages of Hope: Rural girls' education — programme report

Programme overview

• Schools visited: 10
• Girls reached: Approximately 150 Core Activities: School Engagement and a Community Engagement with Parents in Tekyikrom

Objectives

• To engage directly with girls in rural and underserved schools.
• To listen to girls and understand challenges affecting their education and well-being.
• To identify educational, household and school-environment barriers affecting girls.
• To engage parents in Tekyikrom on the importance of supporting girls’ education.
• To identify areas where GGI and potential partners can provide meaningful support.
• To generate information that can inform future programmes, advocacy activities and funding proposals focused on girls.

Participation and mobilisation

GGI’s school engagements covered five communities: Nyankamam, Tekyikrom, Tekyiman, Yaakasi and Enchi. The communities provided the geographical setting for the school visits and the identification of challenges affecting girls’ educational experiences. The project also included a specific community engagement in Tekyikrom, where parents were brought together and engaged on issues relating to girls’ education and well-being. No equivalent parentgathering community engagement was conducted in the other communities during this reporting period.

• SCHOOLS VISITED

No. School Community 1 Nyankamam M/A Nyankamam 2 Takyikrom M/A Tekyikrom 3 Yaakasi Roman Catholic Basic School Yaakasi 4 Takyiman M/A Tekyiman 5 Yaakasi M/A Junior High School Yaakasi 6 Presby Junior High School Enchi 7 Enchico Junior High School Enchi 8 Wisdom International School Enchi Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 9 Nana Brentu Senior High School Enchi 10 Roselyn Junior High School Nyankamam Total schools visited: 10 Total girls reached: Approximately 150

Programme activities and delivery

7.1 School Engagement GGI conducted school visits across the 10 identified schools and engaged directly with girls. The school engagements provided an opportunity to listen to girls, understand their educational experiences, identify challenges affecting their participation in school, and discuss issues relevant to their continued education and well-being.

• Direct interaction with girls in the participating schools.

• Listening to girls’ experiences and concerns.

• Identification of barriers affecting girls’ education.

• Engagement with school communities around girls’ educational needs.

• Identification of areas requiring future support and intervention. 7.2 Community Engagement in Tekyikrom As part of the project, GGI conducted a community engagement in Tekyikrom where parents were gathered and engaged on issues affecting girls’ education and well-being. The engagement recognized that parents and caregivers can significantly influence a girl’s ability to remain in school, access basic learning resources and receive the encouragement and support needed to pursue her education.

The Tekyikrom engagement also provided an opportunity to connect concerns observed at school level with the household realities affecting girls. GGI therefore considers parental engagement an important Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 component of future interventions, while maintaining girls as the primary focus of the organization’s work.

Outcomes and achievements

8.1 Lack of Educational Materials A major challenge identified was inadequate access to educational materials. Girls who lack exercise books, writing materials, textbooks and other learning resources may experience difficulties participating fully in school activities. This challenge can be particularly significant where families have limited financial resources. 8.2 Household Poverty Household poverty emerged as an important factor affecting girls’ educational experiences and wellbeing. Where families struggle to meet basic needs, school-related requirements may become difficult to provide. This can affect girls’ access to learning materials, uniforms, food and other necessities. 8.3 Tattered School Uniforms GGI identified concerns relating to worn or tattered school uniforms. For girls from financially vulnerable households, replacing a school uniform may be difficult. In addition to being a basic school requirement, appropriate clothing can contribute to a girl’s comfort, confidence and sense of belonging at school. 8.4 Inadequate Parental Care and Support Inadequate parental care and support was identified as another concern. Girls benefit from encouragement, supervision, emotional support and guidance from parents and caregivers. Where this Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 support is limited, girls may face additional difficulties in navigating educational and personal challenges. 8.5 Inadequate Toilet Facilities Inadequate toilet facilities were identified as a school-environment challenge. Safe and appropriate sanitation facilities are necessary for a healthy and supportive learning environment. Inadequate facilities can create discomfort and additional barriers for girls during the school day. 8.6 Lack of Potable Water Some schools were reported to have inadequate access to potable water. Water is essential for drinking, personal hygiene and sanitation. Limited access can therefore affect the overall quality and safety of the school environment. 8.7 Inadequate Teachers Concerns regarding inadequate teaching staff were also identified. Where teacher numbers are insufficient, teachers may carry increased workloads and girls may receive less individual attention. Teacher adequacy is therefore an important factor in creating a supportive learning environment. 8.8 Feeding Challenges Feeding-related challenges were also identified. Adequate food and nutrition are important to the general well-being of girls and their ability to participate effectively in school. For girls living in financially vulnerable households, difficulties with food can create additional pressure around education and daily school participation.

• INTERCONNECTED NATURE OF THE CHALLENGES

A key lesson from the Pages of Hope project is that the challenges identified are interconnected rather than isolated. Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026

• Household poverty can limit a family’s ability to provide educational materials and school uniforms.

• Limited household resources can contribute to feeding challenges and affect a girl’s general wellbeing.

• Inadequate school infrastructure, including toilets and water, can affect the quality and comfort of the learning environment.

• Limited parental support can make it more difficult for girls to receive the encouragement and supervision needed to remain engaged in education.

• Inadequate teaching staff can place additional pressure on schools and affect the level of support available to girls.

These interconnected issues demonstrate that improving girls’ education requires a holistic approach. Interventions should consider the girl, her school environment and the household support surrounding her, while ensuring that girls remain at the centre of programme design and decision-making.

• OUTCOMES OF THE 2026 ENGAGEMENT

Outcome Description Direct reach Approximately 150 girls were reached across 10 schools. School coverage GGI engaged schools across Nyankamam, Tekyikrom, Tekyiman, Yaakasi and Enchi. Community engagement Parents were specifically gathered and engaged in Tekyikrom on issues affecting girls’ education and well-being. Needs identification The project identified key educational, household and school-environment challenges requiring attention. Programme learning GGI gained practical insight that can guide future interventions focused on girls. Foundation for partnerships The findings provide a basis for developing targeted projects and engaging potential partners and donors. Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026

• LESSONS LEARNED

Girls’ experiences must inform interventions. Direct engagement helps GGI understand the realities that girls experience rather than relying only on assumptions or general statistics. Education challenges are multidimensional. Girls’ educational experiences are influenced by learning resources, household economic circumstances, parental support, infrastructure, teaching capacity and feeding. Parents matter. The Tekyikrom engagement reinforced the importance of parents and caregivers in creating an environment that supports girls’ education. Schools and communities need partnerships. Many of the challenges identified require cooperation between schools, families, communities, government institutions, civil society organizations and donors. Documentation is essential. Systematic documentation of girls reached, challenges identified, activities conducted and outcomes achieved will strengthen GGI’s future programme planning and fundraising.

• RECOMMENDATIONS

Priority Area Recommendation Educational Materials Develop targeted support initiatives to provide learning materials to girls who face financial barriers. School Uniform Support Explore partnerships that can support girls who lack appropriate or usable school uniforms. Parental Engagement Continue engaging parents and caregivers in communities where GGI identifies significant Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 barriers to girls’ education, using the Tekyikrom experience as a starting point. Water and Sanitation Engage relevant stakeholders on schools with inadequate access to potable water and appropriate toilet facilities. Teaching Capacity Document concerns about teacher adequacy and communicate them to relevant education authorities and potential partners. Feeding and Well-being Explore partnerships and programmes that can respond to feeding-related needs affecting girls’ participation and well-being. Continued School Engagement Maintain periodic engagement with participating schools to monitor changes and identify emerging challenges. Girls’ Participation Create safe opportunities for girls to continue expressing their views and contributing to the design of programmes intended to support them. Evidence and Data Develop a simple school and girls’ needs database to strengthen monitoring, reporting, advocacy and grant applications.

• PROPOSED NEXT STEPS FOR GGI

• Maintain communication with the 10 participating schools.

• Conduct more detailed needs assessments where resources permit.

• Document school-specific needs and prioritize the most urgent areas.

• Develop concept notes and grant proposals around identified needs.

• Identify and approach potential institutional, corporate and development partners.

• Strengthen GGI’s monitoring and evaluation system.

• Continue the Pages of Hope project in additional underserved communities as resources permit.

• Create structured opportunities for girls to share their experiences and ideas on education and their future.

Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026

Conclusion

The 2026 Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education project reaffirmed Girls’ Global Initiative’s commitment to reaching girls in rural and underserved communities and understanding the realities that shape their educational experiences. Through visits to 10 schools and direct engagement with approximately 150 girls across Nyankamam, Tekyikrom, Tekyiman, Yaakasi and Enchi, GGI identified a number of challenges affecting girls’ education and well-being. These included inadequate educational materials, household poverty, tattered uniforms, inadequate parental care and support, inadequate toilet facilities, lack of potable water, inadequate teachers and feeding-related challenges. The project also included a specific community engagement in Tekyikrom, where parents were gathered and engaged on issues affecting girls’ education and well-being. This reinforced the importance of involving families in efforts to create supportive conditions for girls to remain in school and pursue their aspirations. The findings demonstrate that supporting girls’ education requires attention to the conditions surrounding the girl as well as the classroom itself. GGI therefore intends to build on the lessons from the project through continued school engagement, targeted interventions, advocacy and partnerships. Every girl deserves not only a place in a classroom, but also the support and opportunity to remain there, learn, thrive and build the future she dreams of.

• ANNEX: PROJECT REACH Indicator 2026 Result Project Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education Reporting period March 2026

Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 Schools visited 10 Girls reached Approximately 150 Communities reached through school visits Nyankamam, Tekyikrom, Tekyiman, Yaakasi and Enchi Community parent engagement Tekyikrom only Core activities School engagement and community engagement with parents in Tekyikrom Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 PICTURES Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education — 2026 Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026 Girls Global Initiative (GGI) | Pages of Hope: Rural Girls’ Education | 2026