Charity of the week

About 50 million girls in sub-Saharan Africa do not attend school—when families are struggling financially, education for young girls is often sacrificed. But CAMFED (camfed.org) views girls’ education as essential for social justice, economic development, and climate action. For more than two decades, the organization has funded secondaryschool costs for adolescent girls in Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These can include tuition fees, uniforms, a bicycle for getting to school, or help with the factors that often lead a student to drop out, such as chronic hunger and early marriage; the programs reach 7,018 schools across 166 districts in the five countries. CAMFED also offers support groups for parents, post-school transition guidance, and aid for female entrepreneurs.

Each charity we feature has earned a four-star overall rating from Charity Navigator, which rates not-for-profit organizations on the strength of their finances, their governance practices, and the transparency of their operations. Four stars is the group’s highest rating.