If women have an income, they will invest a higher proportion of that income in their children than men do. So you do get those societal returns very quickly. Ann Cotton childhighincome Change image and share on social
The culture of philanthropy is alive and very well in Africa. International aid strengthens and extends it, but in the communities where I have spent time, it is all-pervasive. Ann Cotton africaaidalive Change image and share on social
Never take your eye off the ball. Always remember that you and everyone on the team is the servant of the cause - in our case, girls' education and young women's leadership in Africa. Ann Cotton africaballcase Change image and share on social
In the family pattern, men support boys and women support girls, and because women have far fewer financial resources, there is less money to invest in girls. Ann Cotton boyfamilyfew Change image and share on social
When I first worked in Zimbabwe, I was a complete novice. I was doing a study, and I continued to learn more and more through the years. And where I have learned most is in the village, from the communities. Ann Cotton communitycompletecontinue share on social
To expose the hardships experienced by children who are deprived of the right to attend school, Camfed has produced a series of films about educational exclusion. 'Every Child Belongs in School' provides a glimpse into the lives of children who have been forced by poverty to leave school at a very young age and take a difficult life path. Ann Cotton ageattendbelong share on social
If you can't send your daughter to school when you know it will help her, you feel a sense of failure, and you feel that failure deeply. Ann Cotton daughterdeeplyfailure Change image and share on social
Poverty is more than a material experience; it's a psychological state as well, one that is infused with anxiety. And decision-making is very complex because every decision you make has an impact on your future and survival. Ann Cotton anxietycomplexdecision share on social
Girls' education is a human right. And along with its fundamental justice, it promises so much for the individual, for her family, for society, for all of us. Ann Cotton educationfamilyfundamental Change image and share on social
I hear, 'But why do poor people make such bad decisions?' But actually, their decision-making can be far more complex than that of the better-off in many ways. They're not financially illiterate: they're constantly weighing up choices based on the reality of poverty. Somehow the international development community has resisted accepting this. Ann Cotton acceptbadbase share on social