Twin sisters Angeline and Angelina are two of the bright stars in our Education is Power program in Burkina Faso, and their smiles and confident energy are just the beginning.
The sisters entered the program in the fall of 2023, when they were beginning Grade 8. At the time, neither girl knew whether her family would be able to afford the school fees and other expenses needed to keep her in the classroom.
Three years later, the sisters have reached an important milestone. They have completed Grade 10 and passed Burkina Faso’s Brevet d’Études du Premier Cycle (BEPC) exam. The BEPC marks the completion of lower secondary school, which encompasses Grades 7 through 10 in Burkina Faso. It is the students’ first official secondary school diploma and qualifies them to continue into upper secondary school or pursue vocational education. For Angeline and Angelina, passing the exam represents much more than an academic achievement. It is the culmination of three years of hard work and proof that a future that once felt uncertain is now within reach.
An Education at Risk
Angeline and Angelina at home with their parents.
Before joining Education is Power, Angeline and Angelina consistently ranked among the top students in their classes. Their academic ability was clear, but remaining in school was never guaranteed. “We would come to school unsure how long we could stay in the year because our mother was always looking for money to pay our fees,” they shared. “She often went into debt.”
The financial strain affected the entire family, and their father even considered withdrawing the girls from school altogether. “I had no hope that I would be able to finish my studies,” Angelina said. Their experience reflects a difficult reality. Talent and determination alone are not always enough to keep a student in school. When a family cannot afford tuition and other education expenses, even a promising student may be forced to leave the classroom.
From Uncertainty to Peace of Mind
Through Education is Power, Angeline and Angelina received the support they needed to continue their education. That support did more than cover school costs. It lifted a persistent burden from their family. Both sisters say the greatest change has been the peace of mind the program has brought to their home. Their mother no longer has to take on debt or seek help from others to keep her daughters in school. “She no longer has to ask others for help to pay school fees and expenses,” Angelina explained.
With their education secure, the sisters have been able to focus on learning. They are thriving at school, building friendships with their classmates, and participating in the additional activities offered through Education is Power.
Angeline receives a prize during a game at an Education is Power student workshop.
Although they have grown up side by side, Angeline and Angelina have distinct personalities and ambitions. They continue to look out for one another, but insist on never sitting together in the same classroom.
A Milestone That Opens New Doors
Passing the BEPC gives the sisters choices that once seemed out of reach. They can now continue into upper secondary school, which covers Grades 11 through 13 in Burkina Faso. Angelina already has a clear goal in mind. She hopes to continue her studies through a master’s degree and beyond. “I’d like to be a doctor one day,” she said.
Angeline and Angelina share a smile while studying together at home.
Angeline is still exploring where her path might lead, but she knows what she hopes her future will make possible. “I want to learn how to make money to buy things, and also to travel,” she said. Her ambitions are also rooted in caring for the people closest to her. “I want to help my mother, and support anyone in our family who falls sick.” Their dreams are different, but both now have the opportunity to keep learning and decide what comes next.
You Can Help Write the Next Chapter
When Angeline and Angelina entered the Education is Power program in Grade 8, they were strong students facing the possibility of leaving school for financial reasons. Their mother went into debt trying to cover their expenses, their father considered withdrawing them, and the girls could not be certain they would finish each school year. Today, they hold their first official secondary school diploma and are eligible to take the next step in their education.
Angeline and Angelina, together with our Education Coordinator in Burkina Faso, Sakinatou Nana.
This is the impact of Education is Power. Support for a student does more than pay school fees. It relieves pressure on an entire family, gives a young person the stability to concentrate on learning, and keeps the door open to the opportunities that education can provide. For Angeline and Angelina, that open door now leads toward upper secondary school and futures filled with possibilities they once feared they might never have the chance to pursue.