Here are just a few of the ways your support helps now and for years to come:

• Girls who complete school are less likely to marry young, more likely to be employed, and are better equipped to avoid or delay teen pregnancy.

• Parents who know their children are receiving a free education are far less likely to expect their kids to drop out and do agricultural work.

• The vocational training CPAAC-Zou provides in computer skills, beauty and hair styling, and tailoring, give young people a way to immediately turn their new knowledge into income.

• Children who complete secondary school can double or triple their income potential compared to those who only complete primary grades or drop out of school entirely.

• Education equips children with critical thinking, financial literacy, and the ability to navigate health and legal systems — advantages they will carry with them their entire lives.

• Once someone receives an education, they are far more likely to send their own children to school, creating a virtuous cycle where each generation is better equipped than the last.

• More educated communities are less prone to conflict and more likely to participate in elections and promote peaceful problem-solving..