Evelyn Chuabe Scholarship & Mentorship Initiative (ECSMI)

Restoring education, dignity, and opportunity for displaced girls and young women

The Evelyn Chuabe Scholarship & Mentorship Initiative (ECSMI) is the flagship education programme of Girls HerRising. It supports displaced girls and young women to complete secondary school, pursue higher education, or gain practical skills for economic independence, despite the barriers created by conflict, poverty, and displacement.

ECSMI exists because education is often the first casualty of crisis, yet it remains the strongest pathway to resilience, dignity, and leadership.

For girls displaced by Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis and other forms of instability, staying in school is rarely a matter of effort alone. Even modest tuition fees, the lack of learning materials, or pressure to contribute to household survival can permanently end a girl’s education. ECSMI intervenes at this critical point, ensuring that displacement does not define a girl’s future.

Our Ambition

By 2030, our ambition is to support 1,000 displaced girls and young women forced out of school by the Anglophone Crisis to complete higher education or acquire technical and vocational skills that lead to economic independence. This ambition reflects both the scale of need and our commitment to building long-term, sustainable education pathways for displaced girls and young women.

Our Approach

ECSMI is built on the belief that education must be accessible, sustained, and supported. We combine financial access with mentorship, skills development, and community to help girls not only enrol, but succeed, graduate, and move forward with confidence.

Two Education Pathways

Academic Pathway

We provide renewable scholarships for displaced girls to:

- Complete secondary school

- Pursue undergraduate studies at state universities in Cameroon

Priority is given to fields that prepare young women to lead and solve community challenges, including education, STEM, health, environmental sciences, and other development-related disciplines.

Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

For girls and young women pursuing skills-based pathways, we support training in market-relevant trades such as:

- Tailoring and fashion design
- Hairdressing and beauty services
- Catering and hospitality
- Agriculture and agribusiness
- ICT and other practical skills

These pathways equip graduates to start small businesses or secure sustainable employment.

All ECSMI scholars, both academic and vocational benefit from a holistic support package that includes:

- Tuition or training fees
- Learning materials, uniforms, and vocational toolkits
- Digital inclusion (mobile devices, data, and basic digital literacy where possible)
- Mentorship, peer networks, and leadership development
- By pairing financial access with learning materials, guidance, and community, ECSMI transforms education from a distant hope into
a sustained journey; from enrolment to graduation and beyond.

In Their Words:

Mengnjoh Blessing Berinyuy

ECSMI Scholar

“I worked as a house help for two years to save money for university, but it still wasn’t enough. The little I saved could barely cover rent or food. Thanks to ECSMI, I finally have the support I need. I can now focus on my education without constantly worrying about how I’ll survive.”

Mundi Schneider

ECSMI Scholar

When the crisis forced us to flee, I thought my education was over. I did everything I could to keep learning. Being selected for the ECSMI scholarship felt like someone finally saw how hard I was trying. Now I have a reason to keep going and to believe in what’s possible.

Beyond the Classroom: Leadership & Sisterhood

Once a year, ECSMI scholars come together in person for the ECSMI Leadership and Empowerment Retreat. This gathering creates space for:

- Healing and reflection
- Peer connection and sisterhood
- Confidence-building and goal setting
- Leadership, life skills, and future planning
- It is a powerful reminder to each scholar that she is not alone, and that her voice, education, and aspirations matter.

Learn more about the ECSMI Godparent Initiative

By pairing financial access with mentorship, digital skills, and career pathways, ECSMI turns education from a distant hope into a sustained journey, from enrollment to graduation, and onward into leadership and economic independence.

Once a year, our scholars come together in person to connect, share their stories, and draw strength from a supportive sisterhood. It is a space to heal, reflect, and reimagine their futures, building the confidence, clarity, and skills they need to turn their dreams into bold, tangible action and lead change in their communities.

Become a Godparent and help a displaced girl stay in school and complete her education.

Learn more about the ECSMI Godparent Initiative

Learn more

We are the only organization in Cameroon dedicated exclusively to supporting internally displaced girls and young women affected by the Anglophone Crisis.

Get in touch with us

girlsherrising@gmail.com

+237672377935

Quick Links

ECSMI Scholarship

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ECSMI Godparent Initiative

Girls' Voices