Dormitory completed! The rationale behind it?
After a 10 month construction period, we happily completed a dormitory with a capacity to house up to 80 girls in Tambarare Secondary school.
Why build a Dormitory?
Adolescent girls face significant and complex barriers to remaining in school.
While some of these challenges are economic - such as families being unable to afford uniforms, school supplies, food or transportation - others are academic, with girls struggling in class without access to support or tutoring. These factors are important, but they are not the core issue.
The most urgent and deep-rooted challenge is social and cultural pressure, particularly the prevalence of early marriage. Too many girls are pulled out of school - sometimes before they even finish primary level - not because they are unwilling or unable to learn, but because they are married off at a young age. Early marriage often leads directly to early pregnancy, which permanently alters the trajectory of a girl’s life and closes the door on her education.
A range of interventions would be possible:
Supplying uniforms, school materials, and meals may temporarily reduce the economic burden, but they not sustainable in the long term.
Distributing reusable sanitary pads is essential to address menstrual health-related absenteeism, but it only touches one piece of the puzzle. Hiring tutors may support academic achievement for a few, but it does not address the larger structural issue at hand.
Through thoughtful collaboration with the village government and school leadership, we concluded that the most impactful and sustainable solution is the construction of a boarding facility - a safe, supportive residence where the most at-risk girls can live during the school term. This space would ensure that girls are not only physically close to their schools, but also protected from the pressures of early marriage, supported academically and emotionally, and given the opportunity to grow into empowered, educated women.
We believe this boarding facility will:
Provide consistent access to education for girls most at risk of dropping out;
Create a safe and nurturing environment free from harmful social pressures;
Strengthen community norms around the value of girls’ education;
Promote long-term development outcomes for the entire village.
(The above is a slightly edited version of a paper written by Peace Corps Volunteer Charlotte Harvey)
Tambarare Dormitory