Hear our voices...

Friday, 1 March 2013

GET INVOLVED! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!

No matter how indifferent we pretend to be, we want to make a difference! We want to leave our footprints on the sands of time. However little we are able to contribute, the seed we sow is capable of growing into a big tree. This tree in its turn would have seeds that will make other trees… a single tree CAN start a forest!

The plight of girls in Developing countries hasn’t changed. Girls are still being denied education, yet history has shown time and again that educating women is the one thing that makes sense! If half the population is denied the means to contribute towards nation building how will an aspiring nation develop?

Every girl wants to play a part in developing her community; education gives her the ability to do so. Please help create change. Our target of sponsoring 1000 girls through secondary schooling in their own communities is not ambitious. The ripple effect however, will blow your mind! These girls will go on to support boys and girls in their 1000 communities, who will go on to support 1000s of others in other communities…do you start to get the picture? It is a fact that nearly 90% of income earned by girls go to their families and community.

Let’s change this

 
 
To this

 

Please give what you can. Most importantly, get your school, family, friends, organisation etc involved!

Let change start with you! Help make every girl count.

Click below to donate

Email: ladi.dariya@yahoo.co.ukto arrange a speaking engagement/assembly.

THANK YOU!

Monday, 11 February 2013

A Week to Celebrate Africa

Students at Wimbledon High School set aside a week in November to Celebrate Africa. The week highlighted the plight of children and young people and that of girls and women. Students wrote poetry, did art pieces and displayed these for parents and teachers to view.

Pictures of African scenes, families and every day life were also donated by a very generous photographer for display in the school's auditorium.

As part of the school's 'making a difference policy', Ladi and her team were invited to speak to the students about the difficulties of growing up as a girl in rural Africa. Parents  and pupils donated generously to support the education of girls in Africa. The school has also committed to making this an annual event as part of the school's anniversary celebration.



What a fantastic opportunity for the girls whose lives will be transformed by the generosity of this school!

Thursday, 13 September 2012

Eltham Hill makes a massive difference!

Tim Layton and I were invited to Eltham Hill Technology College for Girls (soon to be Eltham Hill School) for their 'Make a Difference Day' in support of the CCLEF's 'Thousand Schools for a Thousand Girls' Initiative and what a difference they made!

From dancing, to cheerleading, to fashion shows and lots more, the girls made such an impression. These girls, who do not cease to amaze, also donated their old school uniforms to be sold as textile to enable them raise enough to put a girl or more through secondary school! They are providing an opportunity for these girls to have the chance of a better life...the chance that society denies them!





From angelic singing, to steel pans and sing-alongs...it was delightful. A triumph!

A huge 'thank you' beyond words!!

Sunday, 11 March 2012

BURNTWOOD'S BIG WALK TO SCHOOL!











What an amazing day Saturday the 10th of March was! The Burntwood's big walk to school started from the Rwandan High Commission at Seymour Place central London, to Burntwood School in South West London. Seven miles of good natured banter and lots of laughs among friends, family and teachers all for a good cause. Burntwood's walk is to raise sponsorship money for the two girls they are putting through secondary school in Rwanda through the CCLEF's TSTG Initiative. Lots of young children took part (including 4 months old Anna in her pram).  What an amazing achievement!

Friday, 3 February 2012

31/01/2012

An amazing day at the City of London School for Girls! The atmosphere, the buzz, the spirit! What a day. Keep it going girls, we can change the world for other girls!

Thursday, 17 November 2011

JustGiving- Support Us!


1000 Girls just like Us

School Children in the UK are Agents of Change!  
The CCLEF has seen this time and again; young people are not only leaders 
of tomorrow but also leaders of today!
 
Support us today!


In 1988, 
the students of Burntwood School in Wandsworth, South West London 
were touched by the plight of Beatrice from Kenya and I, a girl from a large 
polygamous family. My father had died leaving three wives and many children 
with no means of livelihood. I was selling bean cake and child-minding and 
walked 20km to and from school in a bid to get an education. 

In an unbelievable spirit of generosity,
 children from Burntwood School, some of whom were from economically 
disadvantaged backgrounds themselves, offered to support Beatrice and I 
through secondary school. They raised money through a variety of 
ingenious and fun activities to ensure that their peers in these 
faraway countries had a chance at a better life.  

I now have a Masters in Management 
and work to support girls to achieve their full potential. In 2010, 
I visited Burntwood School to thank them personally for ensuring that 
Beatrice and I had a life and a future. In their characteristic spirit of generosity, 
the students of this school then again offered to support two girls from Rwanda 
through secondary schooling!

What if,
we could find a thousand schools to each support one girl? 
What a splendid revolution we would start!  You do not need a lot 
of money to make a difference, get your school involved, do fun stuff 
and raise money to help change the course of history. 

You are capable 
of starting a massive wheel of change, you cannot leave it to someone else; 
you can cause change to happen! 

Sponsor a girl today
and see the difference you would make to lives, communities and nations.
From Pakistan to Papua New Guinea, Guyana to The Gambia, 
Bangladesh to Botswana, The Solomon Islands to St Vincent 
and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago to Tanzania, Ghana to 
Grenada and beyond, the girl child needs your help and support! 

Join us in being part of the 
Thousand Schools for a Thousand Girls Initiative!
You can help support these wonderful girls by clicking  here.


Raising money for

Commonwealth Countries League Education Fund

Charity Registration No. 1048908
Commonwealth Countries League Education Fund
The CCLEF brings hope of a better future through its secondary/high school sponsorship scheme. Over 400 bright but needy girls from 25 countries benefit annually. Sponsorship is individually tailored to meet their requirements, eg tuition fees, books, transport, boarding and examination fees. Contact and funding is channelled via the headteacher.

THE LAUNCH OF TSTG!




















10 May 2011    

FORMER HOUSE OF COMMONS SPEAKER LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE 
SECONDARY SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP SCHEME FOR GIRLS 

Former Speaker in the House of Commons Baroness Betty Boothroyd and the 
first Asian woman to be given a peerage Baroness Shreela Flather today started 
a campaign to  enroll 1000 secondary schools across the UK to an initiative 
“1000 schools for 1000 girls” set up by The Commonwealth Countries League 
Education Fund. 

Each UK school that enrolls will encourage each of their pupils to raise one 
pound a year. A school of 500 pupils will raise £500 a year which will be enough 
money to send one or more girls in a commonwealth country such as 
Bangladesh, Belize or Ghana to school for a year. By enrolling 1000 schools the 
aim is to raise enough funds to put at least 1000 girls in the developing world 
through secondary school.  

Thirteen UK schools have already expressed a desire to enroll and today’s call is 
hoping that 1000 UK secondary schools will sign up by the end of the summer. 

The initiative was launched in the House of Commons Jubilee room today by its 
Patron Baroness Flather, the first Asian woman to receive a peerage. Former 
speaker of the House of Commons Baroness Betty Boothroyd and Nick Boles, 
Parliamentary Private Secretary to Schools Minister Nick Gibb- representing the 
Minister of State for Education Mr. Michael Gove, both spoke passionately about 
how the initiative can change lives and communities in the developing world. A 
number of secondary schools from across the UK were in the audience.

Baroness Flather said: 

“The beauty of this initiative is that it is practical and simple. By each pupil having 
to raise just one pound a year there is every chance that the scheme will 
succeed. 

“Each girl that is educated by this initiative will act as a catalyst for change in 
their community and country.  

“Young people in the UK want to help and connect with their peers around the 
world and this initiative helps tap into that spirit.” 


Ladi Dariya, fundraiser and former beneficiary of the fund, said: 

“Burntwood School in Wandsworth raised money to send me to school in Nigeria. 
The students that raised money for me changed my life and in turn I was able to 
make a huge difference to the people around me. Education is the gift that keeps 
giving.” 

Head teacher of Burntwood School in Wandsworth, Helen Dorfman has signed 
up the school to this brand new initiative and the school has raised funds and 
committed to support two girls in Rwanda for 5 years. Speaking on behalf of the 
head teacher, deputy head teacher Charles Harper emphasized Burntwood’s 
long standing tradition in supporting charities that make a difference to lives. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
The Commonwealth Countries League (CCL) Education Fund aims are to 
promote the education and advancement of women throughout the 
Commonwealth as a contributory factor in the alleviation of world poverty.  

To date, the Fund has sponsored over 4,000 girls in more than 30 Commonwealth 
countries giving them the opportunity to achieve their ambitions, expand their 
horizons and take their rightful place in the community. Many have gone on to 
careers in medicine, teaching, tourism, telecommunications and accountancy. 
Others work in libraries, the legal system, the computer industry and 
forestry/agriculture. All have developed skills benefiting themselves, their families 
and their communities; many have a status previously denied to them. The work 
continues – from Pakistan to Papua New Guinea, Guyana to The Gambia, 
Bangladesh to Botswana, The Solomon Islands to St Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago 
to Tanzania and Ghana to Grenada. 

The CCL has a programme of informative talks and social functions. It organises 
the annual Commonwealth Fair in association with the spouses of the 
Commonwealth High Commissioners and affiliated organisations to raise funds 
for its charitable arm, the CCL Education Fund, and administers an alumnae 
association bringing together those sponsored by the fund over the last 40 years 
with those currently sponsored. 

For further queries please contact Ladi Dariya at 
fundraising@ccl-int.org 
02034 6634874, 07828 436381 


Supporting Schools 

Burntwood School, London 
Bishop Thomas Grant School, London
South Hampstead High School, London 
Haydon School, London 
Chestnut Grove, London 
Graveney School, London 
Ernest Bevin School, London 
Lostock Hall Comm.High sch, Preston, Lancashire 
Greenwich Community college, London 
Lewisham College, London
Winchcombe School, Cheltenham 
The Community College at Thornhill, Dewsbury
Culverhay School, Bath
The Heathland School, London
Wheatley CE School, Oxfordshire
Stamford Queen Eleanor School, Stamford
The Walton Girls' High School, Grantham
Priory Ruskin Academy, Grantham
City of London School for Girls
The Charter School, London
Nottingham Girls' High School
St Catherine's, Bramley
Queenswood School, Hatfield
The Tiffin Girls' School, Surrey
Windlesham House School, West Sussex
St. Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith
Eltham Hill Technology College for Girls, Eltham
Wimbledon High School
Kingston Grammar School
Subiton High school
Putney High School
Sydenham High School
Heathfield School for Girls
Emmanuel College



PHOTOS FROM THE LAUNCH