Thirteen female students who were on the verge of dropping out of school due to financial constraints have support from a local NGO to pursue their ambition.

Girls Education Initiative of Ghana, GEIG, is assisting the under-privileged junior high school students in the Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions up to tertiary level.

Fourteen- year old Martha Frimpong of Esreso D/A 2 JHS in Kumasi, is one of the beneficiaries.

She stayed out of school to sell water to support her widowed mother - who trades in cassava - to make a living and support the family.

Martha’s father died when she was just five years, leaving her mother to struggle to raise money to cater for her five children.

The unfortunate possibility of dropping out of school to join many children already on the streets was becoming obvious for Martha and 12 others until local NGO, GEIG, intervened.

She and the other beneficiaries explained to Luv News the exciting gesture from the organization could not have been more timely.

“We are excited by what GEIG has done for us. They have paid our school fees and given us books.

“My teachers used to punish me because I owe. I used to sacrifice my feeding me for books and go hungry. Their help is really a relief to us”, Martha explained.

Some of the parents of these lucky children were grateful.

The scholarship package for the girls, some of whom have special needs, covers financial and tuition support.

Seven students from Ashanti and six from Greater Accra Regions have benefited from the scheme since its inception two years ago.

Founder of the NGO, Elizabeth Akua Nyakoah-Patterson, says it is her dream to advance the cause of female child education.

“The motivation is to give opportunities to girls who need genuine help, those who are disabled or have special abilities and just need that little push from someone”, she said.

Ms. Patterson and her team are hopeful to expand the organisation’s dream nationwide.

“The need is not just in Kumasi and Accra but almost every part of the country so it my hope we expand to other regions soon but we need support.”

Meanwhile, her efforts toward girl child education have attracted many admirations from all over the world earning her a number of nominations.