In Rwanda, about 97% of girls attend primary school, but by the time the girls hit puberty, only 25% of Rwanda’s teenage girls attend upper secondary school. Nevertheless, this number drops dramatically and only about 6-7% actually graduate from secondary school passing the national exam. And only 3% of the population in Rwanda go onto college— and from those only 33% are women.

Research has shown a critical link between nutrition and cognition, an especially important focus in Africa. By providing healthy food to the school’s kitchen, the Gashora Farm plays an important role in the physical and mental development of the girls. It also provides real-world lessons in business administration, economics and accounting, and is a springboard for entrepreneurial endeavors such as dried fruit, fruit juice, sports drinks and even peanut butter production!