Prosperity Girls High School
Progress for the Girl-Child
Having already contributed to the rebuilding of two schools in Rotifunk, Walter Shultz Senior Secondary School, and Roman Catholic Primary School, we noticed that a majority of the classes consisted mostly of boys. Later on, during Alton's trips to Rotifunk, he observed that many of the teenage girls were pregnant. A large number of these girls were girls who had been affected by the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone, as a result of the war they were left vulnerable, without parents and without any sufficient education.
After discussing with his uncle, the decision was made that an all-girls school would be built as a way of protecting the girls and fighting the issue of early teenage pregnancy. The school would also be giving them an education that would enhance their lives, the lives of their families and build a stronger community.
With the support from Erna & Knut Eng children foundation, two senior secondary schools, Ullern and Eikeli, and various generous donors in Norway, the first all-girls junior and senior secondary school” Prosperity Girls High School” was established in September 2009.
Now completing its ninth academic year, PGHS has been a big success. Starting with only 60 girls in first-year junior high, the school has more than tripled enrollment to 220 girls studying. As its reputation builds, girls have transferred from other schools in Rotifunk and other towns to Prosperity Girls High School to receive a quality education.
PGHS students took their first public exams in the 2011/2012 academic year and emerged the best school out of 25 secondary schools in Moyamba District and even beyond. Each girl passed on her first try, and noteworthy is that the school had a 100% success rate on its first time to send girls for the exam.
The second time in the 2012/2013 academic year Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), Prosperity Girls High School sent 28 pupils to take the exam, whereas 26 pupils passed successfully and rated the best-performed school in Moyamba district. Excellent results for a school founded only in 2009 in a rural area. In celebration of this great success, ATEA was so kind to sponsor the organization with money to fly six of our girls to Norway, giving them a life-changing experience, as some of them had not even left the village of Rotifunk before.
Prosperity Girls High School is Unique
Our goal was not just to build a school, but to create an environment where the girls would be healthy and safe whilst acquiring an adequate education and experiencing intellectual growth.
Many of our girls lost their families during the brutal civil war, education plays a critical role in normalizing their environment. It helps them overcome the psychosocial impact of conflict. Therefore a boarding home is being built for these vulnerable girls who lost their parents during the war, this will provide a safe environment for them to continue to thrive in.
Safety is important to us, our girls, and their families. A handful of our girls live far away from Prosperity, sometimes walking for several hours to get to class. Because of this, we noticed that some of the girls with a long walking distance to school were not attending. In regards to that our partner, ATEA, donated 40 bicycles with helmets to the girls who needed it the most, so that the time they used to school would be significantly reduced and their journey easier.
Computer Literacy is a key vocational subject that gives students skills for the 21st-century job market, as well as skills to improve local organizations and businesses.
Teachers and other adults are now being taught to use a computer for the first time so they can serve as a pool of trainers for students in 2014. They’ve called this – Joining the rest of the world.
In 2010/2011 computer lessons were introduced to PGHS. The FNSL Foundation organized a donation of over 100 laptop computers from Ullern, Eikeli Senior secondary school, and Atea AS an IT company.
Well-trained teachers are key to improving education quality, our staff at Prosperity consists of highly educated and experienced professors, who are committed to our goal of providing our girls with a better future.
Making History
Becoming the first time, in 20 years, girls, attending school in Rotifunk, complete senior secondary school, and pass the entrance exam in order to attend university, PGHS continues to live up to its motto "Progress for the girl-child".
To see more about PGHS, please press the button below, which will take you to the school's site.