CAMFED has been working to eradicate rural poverty and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa for almost 20 years already. The organisation concentrates its involvement on the education of girls and the empowerment of young women. The supported girls not only receive school fees and books – they are supported throughout the whole of their schooling, so that they can successfully complete their education and can look forward to a successful future. Over a million children in the poorest regions of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana and Tanzania have been supported by CAMFED to date. CAMFED is exemplary in its incorporation in the local community. The passing down of knowledge from one generation to the next is also very important to the organisation. Today, successful formerly supported school leavers cooperate in the programmes.
 
www.camfed.org

Since 2008 the Roger Federer Foundation has been supporting Camfed in Tansania. Due to financial and humanitarian needs the partnership shifted down to Zimbabwe. In September 2011 began the support on a three-year project that will benefit 39,300 children in preschool and the early grades of primary school in rural areas of Zimbabwe. The project was awarded a grant of CHF 930,000 and will focus on the districts of Matopo and Shurugwi. With a focus on improving early childhood education and care, the project activities include:

• Improving the quality of the physical learning environment for 3,600 children in primary schools and pre-school early childhood development classes.
• Assisting 17,100 orphans and disadvantaged children in 60 primary schools with grants for school essentials, such as stationery, shoes and clothing.
• Reaching 39,300 children and their families with health and hygiene information through Cama, a network of young female graduates from rural communities.
• Reducing child hunger in 20 schools by providing meals for primary school and pre-school children through community-managed, sustainable school feeding programmes.
• Training 2,000 school, community and district representatives on child health and child welfare, particularly for children in the preschool and early primary grades.
• Training 60 teacher mentors at each school on child protection of preschool children.
• Producing a training package on child health and welfare for use in schools and rural communities.