TANF Ghana is small locally run NGO based in Accra, Ghana whose main goal is to support children at risk in Greater Accra Region and Eastern Region. TANF Ghana sponsors kids by giving them a social and medical insurance, buying uniforms and paying school fees to prevent them from school dropout,...

On assignment for NGO Photographers Alliance, working as a mentor, we've been driving around communities, families, villages around Accra and the Greater Region. What stroke me the most was that, as usual,  girls were the first one in families to dropout from school.

The main reason is usually lack of income to pay the uniforms, school fees, lunches, buses .... Families will decide that girls should quit school to lower the costs and, if possible, find a job to help the families.
Also, as soon as the family will face a major setback - death, sickness, loss of a job,... - the girls will be asked to replace the role of the adult.
Public transportation are expensive and, if the school is too far away, sometimes, it's dangerous for girls to walk alone along the roads. They might be scared and would prefer not to walk to school than facing harassment or violence on the road.

The country faces a high level of early pregnancy. Pregnant girls (sometimes 15 years old) won't attend school and the situation will worsen after the child's birth.

Supporting girls education is a heavy challenge in Ghana. TANF is doing its part but the task is huge.