It’s simple, really. Girls’ Education South Sudan is an NGO here that has had a lot of success in improving girls’ school retention rates by paying them a small grant (around $20) and paying their schools a grant too. The girls often use the money for books, shoes, a uniform, family food or hygiene items. Schools often use their money for improved equipment and supplies. Here’s one example of the impact from Juba Technical Secondary School: 86 girls in 2014. 114 in 2015. And this year, 150. So while the graph in the Head Teacher’s office looks a little dry, it contains a story of changed lives.

-Robyn Dixon