Educate girls and fight poverty in Senegal

Last month, the Women’s Global Education Project (WGEP) Senegal tackled a critical yet often overlooked barrier to education: access to birth certificates. In Senegal, students must present a birth certificate to remain enrolled during key national exam years at the end of elementary, middle, and high school. Yet in many rural communities, where children are often born at home, families lack formal documentation—putting thousands of students, especially girls, at risk of being pushed out of school.

In Sokone, this barrier is a direct driver of educational inequality and poverty. Without a birth certificate, a girl’s education can come to an abrupt halt—limiting her future opportunities and reinforcing cycles of economic hardship.

To address this, WGEP Senegal partnered with local authorities to bring government services directly to the community. A judge traveled from the regional capital to Sokone, where WGEP hosted a two-day birth registration forum at the mayor’s office—making what is typically a complex and costly process accessible to families who need it most.

This effort was strengthened by deep community engagement. Families were reached through direct outreach to WGEP scholars’ parents and through neighborhood alert committees—trusted local groups that help mobilize and share information across communities. 

The response was extraordinary. More than 1,000 community members attended, and 300 birth certificate applications were submitted, with nearly all approved. Each approved certificate represents more than a document—it’s a pathway back into the classroom and a step toward a more secure future.

This initiative is a powerful example of WGEP’s mission to educate girls and fight poverty in action. By removing systemic barriers to education, we are ensuring that more girls can stay in school, complete their education, and build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.