Innovative Partnership Creates Education and Entrepreneurship Opportunities
for Women & Girls in Ghana and Malawi

    


    
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<p>2010 Clinton Global Initiative Commitment will benefit more than one million people</p>
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<p>NEW YORK, <span class="xn-chron">Sept. 21</span> /CNW/ -- The MasterCard Foundation and Camfed today announced their 2010 Clinton Global Initiative joint commitment to reach 270,000 young people in rural <span class="xn-location">Ghana</span> and <span class="xn-location">Malawi</span> with secondary education, financial literacy and business skills, and information and communications technology (ICT) training. More than one million people in rural <span class="xn-location">Africa</span> are expected to benefit from the commitment, which is backed by a <span class="xn-money">$10.1 million</span> contribution from The MasterCard Foundation.</p>
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<p>Note: Additional information and media available at <a href="http://mastercardfoundation.presslift.com/camfed">http://mastercardfoundation.presslift.com/camfed</a>.</p>
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<p>To fulfill this commitment, Camfed will scale up its education programs in <span class="xn-location">Ghana</span> and <span class="xn-location">Malawi</span> over the next five years, expanding financial literacy and business skills training through its alumni network. The organization will also pilot an innovative internship program designed to build a more diversified local economy, catalyzed by the leadership of young African women. As a partner in the scale-up, Google is donating <span class="xn-money">$360,000</span> that will result in ICT training to 1,000 members of Cama, Camfed's alumni network, to increase their employability, delivered through ICT centers that will serve as hubs for entrepreneurship and innovation.</p>
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<p>"Adolescent girls and women in rural <span class="xn-location">Africa</span> face great barriers to economic empowerment," said <span class="xn-person">Ann Cotton</span>, Camfed's executive director. "By providing thousands of girls and women with vital knowledge and skills, this partnership will equip a critical mass of young women to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty and lead economic growth in their communities."</p>
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<p>Only 43 percent of girls in <span class="xn-location">Ghana</span> and 23 percent of girls in <span class="xn-location">Malawi</span> are able to complete secondary school because the cost is beyond their families' means. Even for girls who do complete school, job opportunities in rural areas are extremely limited. This commitment creates a continuum of support for girls by enabling them to complete secondary school, launch new businesses and bring growth enterprises to their rural communities.</p>
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<p>"We were fortunate to connect with Camfed at the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting," said Reeta Roy, president and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation. "Our partnership will increase the employability of women and girls in the developing world, who are among the most vulnerable populations to poverty."</p>
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<p>Camfed (The Campaign for Female Education) works to solve long-term health, economic and social issues in rural <span class="xn-location">Africa</span> by educating girls and investing in their economic independence and leadership once they graduate. Since 1993, 1,065,710 children in some of the poorest regions of <span class="xn-location">Zimbabwe</span>, <span class="xn-location">Zambia</span>, <span class="xn-location">Ghana</span>, <span class="xn-location">Tanzania</span> and <span class="xn-location">Malawi</span> have benefited from Camfed's education program. For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.camfed.org">www.camfed.org</a>.</p>
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<p>The MasterCard Foundation believes that every person has the potential to transform their lives and to improve the lives of their families and their communities. By increasing access to microfinance and youth education to people in developing countries, the Foundation is enabling them to realize their potential and lift themselves out of poverty. It is an independent, private foundation based in <span class="xn-location">Toronto</span>, <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> and was established through the generosity of MasterCard Worldwide at the time of the company's initial public offering in 2006. For more information, see <a href="http://www.mastercardfdn.org">www.mastercardfdn.org</a>.</p>
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For further information: Victoria Baxter, [phone], [email protected], for MasterCard Foundation; or Kimberly Sevcik of Camfed (The Campaign for Female Education), [phone], [email protected] Web Site: http://us.camfed.org http://www.mastercardfdn.org