Impact Summary
Good Shepherd Sustainable Learning Foundation expands access to high-quality secondary/high school education for underserved youth in Cameroon through Good Shepherd Academy in Bafut.
The Academy is a model for low-cost/high-impact education in Africa.
The school boasts both a rigorous academic program and an award-winning sustainable agriculture program. By combining safe housing and student support, students can complete secondary education and transfer successfully to university or living-wage employment.
Who We Serve
- 85 students currently enrolled
- 55% of student body is female
- 36% of students receive a full or partial scholarship
- Priority given to orphans and girls
Outcomes & Evidence of Impact
- 100% graduation rate to date
- 100% national Level A exam pass rate
- All graduates have progressed to university
- Cost per student is approximately $1,000/year, demonstrating a highly cost-effective educational model.
Sustainability
The program is sustained through a combination of:
- Grants
- Family foundations
- Individual donors
Key institutional supporters include:
- Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
- Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida
Why This Work Matters
In a context where access to secondary education is limited by poverty and gender inequality, Good Shepherd Academy demonstrates that targeted investment can produce successful outcomes at a modest cost.
The model shows how funding can unlock opportunity and begin the long process of eradicating poverty in this corner of the globe through a firm educational foundation for underserved youth.
“Investing in education is the most cost effective way to drive economic development, improve skills and opportunities for young women and men, to unlock progress on all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and to prevent conflict and sustain peace.”
United Nations Secretay-General António Guterres
UN Global Education First Initiative
I want to learn how to manage our land and crops, to grow organic produce, and to help save the Cameroonian environment. Good Shepherd Academy can teach me that skill to sustain my own life and the lives of others.
– Evaristus
Only 14 out of 100 Cameroonian Youth graduate from secondary/high school. You can help change this »
