Community education workers make sure that schools, parents, and community leaders get girls into school for a quality education by working with communities to promote the benefits of educating their children – especially the girls.

This is a brand new gift for Oxfam Unwrapped, however Oxfam already knows the important role these women play in countries like Burkina Faso in West Africa.

Fadimata is a community education worker in the village of Zigberi. She says “I have to work really closely with the people here and we have regular meetings to talk about why education is important. The teacher was already here when I started my job. We have been working together to keep the children interested and inspired. Many of the children live 2 or 3 kilometres away from the school and walk to get here. I know all the children who are enrolled and I check that they turn up for school everyday – especially the girls. If any of the children don’t attend a class, I find out why and see if there is anything I can do to help.

“I have the same dream for all the girls in the village. I would like to see all of them go to university and get their degree. It would be nice to think that I could help the girls here to have a better life. And that, when they are older they will look back and remember that there was a woman called Fadimata who helped them along the way!

“If the children complete their primary education here and are able to go on to secondary school, that would make me very proud. I want all the children to get as much schooling as they can.