Challenges and difficulties are part of life. Often, they can be overwhelming. Sometimes, it seems as if we are fighting an uphill battle.

It get's worse. Girls in Africa are facing obstacles that are almost insurmountable. The odds are stacked heavily against them:

• 9 million African girls will never go to school.
• 36% of African girls are currently out of school.
• 34% of the pregnancies in Sierra Leone occur among adolescents.

Thomasia (pictured below) is a girl in Sierra Leone who has faced more than her share of personal struggles. She comes from a single parent home and lost her mother in 2015.

How Thomasia is Beating the Odds :

1. She is persevering and working very hard in school.
2. Donors like you have been supporting Thomasia's education since 2010. Your support has helped keep her in school. Your generous donations have covered tuition, school uniforms, school supplies, and books. You can learn more about how she is beating the odds in her video.

Together, we have been supporting her education from class 6 (6th grade) through her final year of high school. Thomasia is looking forward to graduating from high school and starting college to study journalism.

Today, as we celebrate International Women's Day , we are focusing afresh on celebrating and championing opportunities for girls. At Develop Africa, since 2006, we have been helping to level the playing field by providing greater opportunities for girls.

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You can make the dream of getting an education possible

You can be a part of a young girl's future. Many girls like Thomasia depend on people like you to help support them while they learn and grow.

Donate or sponsor a girl today! Give the gift of education!

Help girls beat the odds and win!