In a classroom at Tshivulukilu Primary School in the Democratic Republic of Congo, students listen attentively to the lesson. Among them, 11-year-old Grâce, with an attentive gaze, raises her hand with confidence. Yet not so long ago, her seat remained empty.

The eldest of six siblings, Grâce spent her days helping her mother at home, juggling household chores and family responsibilities. School became a distant prospect, almost out of reach. “When I returned after my absences, I couldn’t follow along anymore… I felt lost,” she confides.

Her case is far from unique. Like many girls in the province of Kasaï, she faced realities deeply rooted in this socio-cultural environment: the burden of domestic chores, family instability, early marriage, and persistent social norms. All these factors gradually push girls away from the classroom.

Here, only 58% of children attend primary school, and girls are most at risk of dropping out. Yet, like Grâce, some are now beginning to reclaim their place—and write a different story.

Faced with this situation, Henriette Mulumba, her teacher, decided to take action: she visited Grâce’s home, spoke with her mother, Julie Mangenda, raised her awareness, and insisted that she continue her studies.

“Before, I thought girls should stay at home. But I’ve come to understand that school is important for her future,” explains Grâce’s mother.

Things are beginning to change as the government pursues gender equality goals with targeted funding from GPE's Girls’ Education Accelerator and implementation support from Agence française de développement (AFD) and UNICEF.

In each of the 100 schools participating in the GPE-funded program, concrete solutions are taking shape, designed to meet the needs of communities and, step by step, remove the barriers to schooling for the most marginalized girls, who face multiple and intersecting forms of vulnerability that hinder their access to and retention in school.

It was with this newfound momentum that Grâce found her way back to school. She goes there every day, even though the academic gap that has widened over the years remains very real.

Thanks to remedial classes in reading and math, held several times a week after school, her academic performance is improving.

“The remedial classes have really helped me catch up on what I missed due to my many absences; now I understand things better,” she explains.

“She used to be shy… now she participates and stands out in the classroom,” explains Henriette, her teacher.

Grâce no longer misses school, and her grades have improved significantly. Little by little, she is regaining self-confidence.

The program provides material support as well. Grâce is one of over 33,000 children who have received school kits, consisting of notebooks, pens and school bags—a seemingly simple element, but one that is crucial to helping them stay in school.

Within the community, women’s associations also play a key and catalytic role in implementing this initiative. They raise awareness among families and support girls throughout their educational journey.

The program helps women's associations establish income-generating activities, enabling them to provide direct support to schools. “40% of the profits from these activities are dedicated to supporting schools and the most vulnerable children,” Henriette emphasizes.

In the 100 schools involved, gardens have gradually transformed students’ daily lives. Among the rows of vegetables, lessons come to life in a new way: children learn by growing, observing and experimenting.

Through these activities, they gain hands-on experience with the basics of nutrition while contributing to their school’s community.

The harvests, sold locally, generate income that supports the schools’ operations. Ultimately, these gardens will also help improve students’ diets and nutritional status.

Behind these figures are lives being transformed and futures being redefined. The barriers that once hindered girls’ access to education are receding, giving way to new, fairer and more promising opportunities.

However, the program does not stop with the students. It is gradually transforming the entire educational ecosystem. In classrooms, more than 700 teachers have been trained in gender-sensitive teaching methods and in supporting students facing difficulties.

In schools and communities, mechanisms have been established to prevent gender-based violence and closely monitor absenteeism, particularly among girls.

Thanks to these joint efforts, girls are gradually finding their place in school—a place to learn, grow and envision a different future for themselves.

Today, Grâce is a diligent student. She loves math and dreams of becoming a doctor.

Investing in girls’ education is about much more than just enabling them to go to school: it’s about broadening their horizons and transforming their futures.

It’s about nurturing their confidence, strengthening their independence, and giving them a stronger voice within their families and communities. It’s also about offering them better life prospects, with increased access to decent work.

Finally, it promotes better health and nutrition for the next generation, while helping to break the cycle of early marriage and pregnancy.

In Kasaï, these changes are no longer just promises. They are already underway… and can be seen, every day, in the lives of young girls like Grâce.