February 5, 2011 – Sarah Darlene Hogle Girls Scholarship Fund

As Sarah Hogle’s birthday approaches, I think of ways in which to honor her memory. She was one of my closest and dearest friends. If she were still here she would be turning 32 and I bet she would be having a big bash. Maybe with a theme J.  Unfortunately for those she loved and who loved her we will celebrate and mourn without her. Here at Kinda Camp, I will be raising a glass, of homemade tea wine, to her. 

As I have been working on the community side of the Kasanka Baboon Project and trying to decide how I can make the biggest effect in peoples’ lives, the idea of helping to send girls to grade 9-12, who otherwise would not have the chance, is in the forefront of my mind. As there are no secondary schools in the communities I am working with a student has to travel elsewhere for higher education. In Zambia, school is free up to grade 7-8, after that a family must pay to send their child to high school. Often times the males in the family get the opportunity to further their education while the females are married young and/or stay to help in the village. When girls marry their families receive a bride price and therefore some parents value this more than furthering their daughters education. However I do expect most of the time, that a family would happily send all of their children to secondary school if they had the money.

Many ideas about how to help young girls continue their education have been circling in my head. I would gladly take suggestions from anyone with experience.  I have figured that it would cost 1 million Zambian kwacha/term to send a young girl to a boarding school (this fee includes tuition, boarding, and food). One million kwacha equates to roughly $200 US dollars. Assuming a young woman completes grade 9 through 12 she would need a total of $1600. 

I hope by the end of the year, which will be the beginning of a Zambian school year, I will have set up “The Sarah Darlene Hogle Girls Scholarship Fund”. Through an application process, one girl will be chosen to attend secondary school with her fees paid by the Kasanka Baboon Project.

The best news is... now you can donate to the project online, through paypal. Just visit our website