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Everyevening15-year-oldRashidareturnshomefromschoolchangesoutofheruniformandrushestoaneighboringfarmtohelphermotherharvestvegetables.Herfatherisdisabledsothemodestprofit(收益)thetwoofthemearnmustcoverfoodclothingandothernecessitiesforallsevenchildrenandtheirparents.DespitehavingpreciouslittletimetostudyRashidaisoneofthetopstudentsatherjuniorsecondaryschool.Butwithsomuchresponsibilityonhersmallshoulderssheadmitsthatitissometimeshardforhertoimagineamorepromisingfuture.
LastyearRashidawasinvitedtojoin155othergirlsatCamfedGhana’sfirstGirls’CareerCampaprogramdesignedtoinspiregirlsgrowingupinthecountry’sNorthernRegiontodreambigandtosupportthemtopursuethosedreams.“Weorganizedthiscampbecausewewantedtoletgirlsknowthateveniftheyarestrugglingwithpovertytheirliveswillnotbedefinedbylimitations”saysDoloresDicksonCamfedGhana’sExecutiveDirector.
Overthecourseoffivedaysthecampledthejuniorandsecondaryschoolstudentsthrougharangeofexperiencesandcareeropportunitiesthatwereentirelynewtothem. Dr.AgnesApusigaalecturerfromtheUniversityofDevelopmentStudiesrantheworkshopongoal-settingandcareerchoicesdescribingtheuniversitiesandtrainingcollegesinGhanathatcouldhelpthemachievetheirdreams.ParticipantsthenvisitedtheUniversityforDevelopmentStudieswheretheytouredthemedicalschoolandsciencelabs.AnotherhighlightwasaworkshopatthecomputerlabatTamaleSecondarySchool.Manyofthegirlshadstudiedinformationtechnologyfromabookbuthadneverbeforeseenacomputer.
“Whenthegirlsarrivedatcamptheywerenotambitiousbecausetheydidn’thaveanyideawhattheworldheldforthem”saysEugeniaAyagibaProjectOfficerwithCamfedGhana.“Manyhadscarcelytraveledbeyondtheirownvillages.”
“Ithinkthemostimportantthingthathappenedatthecampisthatweopenedawindowofhopeforagroupofgirlscomingfrombackgroundsofpoverty”saysEugenia.ForRashidawhohasbeenlaughedatinthepastbyherschoolmatesbecauseofherfather’sdisabilitytheexperiencewasimportant.“Shetoldoneofthecampmentors(辅导员)thatwhensheisatschoolsheoftenfeelslikeamisfi
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