We aim to promote education and employment opportunities for 10,000 girls in rural Senegal, enabling them to develop as self-reliant and capable women through a self-sustaining program run for the girls, by the girls.

“Our goal is to maintain girls in school.” – Dr. Viola Vaughn

• The school program gives the girls the means to succeed by providing them with a place to study, a time to study, and books and other basic school supplies.
• The entrepreneurship program teaches girls a craft or trade, business basics, and provides them with a work space to create high quality products.
• In the 2008-2009 school year, the program had 2,377 girls registered for tutoring programs. For the 2009-2010 school year 2,567 girls are registered. The girls, ages 10-24, participate in this unique program that is tailored to prepare them for academic professional success.

Read what UNICEF has to say about Viola and 10,000 Girls.

“The 10,000 Girls program is extremely important for the young women of Senegal.  In coupling entrepreneurship with educational reinforcement, girls support themselves through their own work efforts.  By assigning themselves specific tasks which they must accomplish, the completion of the project is ensured, while also teaching girls self-sufficiency, self-reliance, personal responsibility and management skills.  10,000 Girls makes it possible for them to earn money right where they are, thus retaining girls in their own home villages.  It also provides them real sources of income, besides selling ice, snacks, breakfast sandwiches, or other local-market activities that bring in tiny incomes for village women.  When girls have a place to study, time to study, books and basic supplies, they can succeed.”