On International Day of the Girl, we celebrate girls around the world and the opportunities that education can create. For Develop Africa, this day is an opportunity to share not only why girls’ education matters, but what girls can accomplish when they are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and pursue their dreams.

Dorcas’ story is a powerful example.

From 2022 to 2025, Develop Africa supported Dorcas with tuition throughout her university education. That support helped her complete her studies and graduate with an Honours Degree in Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Governance.

Today, Dorcas is beginning a new chapter—and she is already thinking about how her education can be used to create opportunities for others.

“You gave me an opportunity to learn.”

Looking back on her university journey, Dorcas reflects on what Develop Africa’s support meant to her:

“Your support was much more than financial assistance, it was an investment in my future, my dreams, and the person I am becoming today.”

For Dorcas, the investment helped remove a significant barrier to completing her education.

“Your support helped remove one of the biggest barriers to my education and allowed me to focus on learning, growing, and preparing myself for the future.”

This is what girls’ education can do. It can turn opportunity into possibility—and possibility into achievement.

Education Builds More Than a Degree

Dorcas’ experience has taught her that education is about much more than earning a diploma or degree.

She writes:

“My experience has taught me that education is not simply about earning a degree. It is about developing the ability to think critically, understanding different people and communities, building relationships, and gaining the confidence to contribute meaningfully wherever life takes you.”

Her education has also opened doors to professional experience. Dorcas is currently completing an internship with Solon Capital Partners, where she is gaining experience with professional environments, financial and business concepts, and the way organizations operate.

She describes the experience as an important opportunity for both professional and personal growth.

From Student to Someone Who Wants to Give Back

Perhaps one of the most powerful parts of Dorcas’ story is what she hopes to do with the opportunity she has received.

She recognizes that many young people do not have the same opportunities she was given.

“I know that I have been fortunate to receive support from people who believed that my education was worth investing in.”

And that realization has shaped her vision for the future.

“One of my greatest hopes for the future is to reach a point where I can do the same for others.”

Dorcas hopes to one day “create opportunities for young people, support education, empower communities, and give back”—continuing the cycle of impact that began when someone invested in her.

This Is What Girls’ Education Can Do

Dorcas’ story reminds us that when we invest in a girl’s education, we are not simply helping one student complete one year of school.

We are helping her develop knowledge, confidence, skills, and the ability to imagine a different future.

And the impact can continue far beyond her own education.

A girl who receives an opportunity today can become a woman who creates opportunities for others tomorrow.

Dorcas says she wants the support she received from Develop Africa to become:

“part of a larger cycle of impact, where the opportunity given to me can eventually become an opportunity for someone else.”

On International Day of the Girl, We Celebrate the Possibilities

Today, we celebrate girls like Dorcas who have worked hard, overcome barriers, and continued moving forward.

We also celebrate the donors who make these opportunities possible.

Your support can help a girl stay in school, pursue higher education, develop skills, and prepare for a future where she can contribute to her family, community, and country.

Dorcas’ journey shows us that educating a girl is an investment that can continue giving back for generations.

Her story began with an opportunity to learn.

Now, she dreams of becoming someone who can give that opportunity to others.

That is what girls’ education can do.

Thank you to every donor who believes that a girl’s education is worth investing in—and who helps make it possible for more girls to dream, achieve, and become the changemakers of tomorrow.

“You gave me an opportunity to learn, but more importantly, you gave me the confidence to dream bigger.” — Dorcas L.