Last week, 15 young girls from the San Community visited the U.S. Embassy, met with Ambassador Joyce Barr and thanked her for supporting their education. All the girls benefit from the United States Ambassador’s Girls Scholarship Program and attend the Okaepe School, located some 50 kilometers east of Okakarara. The scholarships are part of the Africa Education Initiative introduced by President Bush in 2002, which supports 950 orphans and vulnerable children in 11 regions in Namibia.

Under the Ambassador’s Girl Scholarship Program, each of the girls receives school fees, a uniform (including shoes, socks and jerseys), and stationery. They also participate in training to help them cope with social problems at home and in the community. The program’s main goals are to help the girls remain in school and excel at their studies.

Three Namibian partners implement the program: the Forum for African Women Educationalist in Namibia (FAWENA), the National Federation of People with Disabilities (NFPDN) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia AIDS Program (ELCAP). FAWENA also supports the Okaepe School.

U.S. Ambassador to Namibia, Joyce Barr, and girls from the Okaepe School.