UNICEF: Giving girls a better education in Guinea-Bissau

CASSACA, Guinea-Bissau, 3 March 2008 -- Like many girls in Guinea-Bissau, Mariama Sambu, 10, has a busy life. She rises at six each morning to help with household chores, which is no easy task when you share your small home with 18 other people.

The structure of her house -- bricks made of mud, a dirt floor and a corrugated metal roof -- stands as a reminder that Mariama lives in one of the five poorest countries in the world. There is no electricity or running water, so Mariama must walk each morning to a nearby well, which was provided by UNICEF. Before this well was built, she had to walk 2 km for water, which left her little time to prepare for class.

UNICEF has been working to help girls like Mariama excel in school by providing training for teachers. In this video, UNICEF correspondent Thomas Nybo reports on how UNICEF-supported programmes make it easier for girls to attend school.

To read the full story, visit: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/guineabissau_43069.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• UNICEF
• girls
• education
• Guinea-Bissau

[Bandido100cara]

Everything the reporter says from 0:47 - 0:55 does not translate to what this girl said.

What she meant by "...n'ta corta arroz, n'ta rinca mancarra, n'ta suta arroz e n'tissi pa nha mamé", is that she "cuts rice, uproots peanuts from the ground, mills rice (removing chaffs - the outer husks of the grain -by continuously hitting bundles of rice with a stick), and I bring them to my mother."

Basically, she's talking about her tasks... she didn't say nothing about wanting to be a teacher.

[xxalyybabiixx]

wow, i almost cryed when i saw this video. I am a 19year old girl from Guinea Bissau, i currently sttend the university of Rhode Island, and this video means a lot to me... Things are so bad there right now...

[candle65t]

@Bandido100cara I noticed this also...

[candle65t]

@mcrarmy1

I lived in Guinea Bissau and recently returned home. There still are very few schools in the village i was in, but people really are wanting more to be made. If you have more questions, feel free to ask ;).

[celmamanga]

I live there for two years I love Guinea Bissau.

[mcrarmy1]

hey i am doing a project now specifically focusing on Guinea Bissau's education system. is there anything you could tell me please regarding the education system now/currently-

thank you!

[WheelHouseSEVEN]

H1 B100c

i am not disputing your translation... just saw the narration a little differently. the narrator doesnt seem he is translating "verbatim" just summarizing the encounter UNICEF had with Mariama Sambu. but i see your point, the audio/video timing can lead people... thanks

[FootinMouthDisease]

Thanks folks

Nice to see some signal to the noise ratio, with positive stories like this, which provides an insight into the work of UNICEF and the countries where projects are under way.