About A2Empowerment
We provide scholarships and educational support to girls and women in Cameroon so that they may increase their knowledge and empower themselves to lead healthier, more productive lives.
A2Empowerment is a nonprofit company dedicated to empowering women through education. Since its founding in 2008, the company has awarded over 2,350 educational scholarships to young women in Cameroon. Recipients are chosen based on need and merit, with a priority placed on selecting young women in the later years of high school when they are at a higher risk of dropping out. This year approximately $80 USD will cover tuition, fees, and supplies for a year of school.
A2Empowerment partners with World Economy Skills and Agro Development, or WESAD, to administer our program in Cameroon. WESAD trains our Cameroonian mentors to identify applicants, award scholarships, and advise recipients throughout the school year. Scholarship recipients are expected to meet monthly with their mentors and other scholarship recipients clustered in their area. Groups follow the Girl Boss curriculum developed by Launch Girls to gain entrepreneurial and work-readiness mindsets and skills specifically identified to equip adolescent girls to take charge of their future and successfully transition from school to work.
We plan to continue and improve this program, sustain support for current recipients who qualify, and expand the program to additional students.
A2Empowerment has awarded more than 2,350 scholarships across Cameroon since 2008
Scholarships
Our selection and award process is constantly evolving to best meet the needs of our students. Our partners in Cameroon begin publicizing opportunities in January of each year. Completed applications, due in March, include:
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A questionnaire
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A report card
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A recommendation letter (optional)
Applications are reviewed and rated by A2Empowerment and WESAD leadership. Recipients are selected based on the ranking of written responses on their application, school performance, and recommendations. Mentors are informed of the recipients in early June and emailed a certificate to award to each young woman. Contracts outlining expectations are signed by scholarship recipients and her main guardian.
Board of Directors
Honorary Board of Directors
Our History
In 2008, Anne Rapin and Anne Cheung were inspired to start A2Empowerment by Rapin’s prior experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer stationed in Cameroon, where she witnessed the injustices faced by girls and women in her village. The pair worked with the Peace Corps to provide need- and merit-based scholarships for young women in the Adamaoua Region at high risk of dropping out of school. The project was embraced by Peace Corps Volunteers and continued to grow.
Since 2018, A2Empowerment has shifted away from working with Peace Corps to build our sustainability and capacity by working with trusted Cameroonian advisors to mentor and support our students. Program alumnae are the future of the program, serving as mentors and leaders of A2Empowerment. Thanks to them, we have been able to continue providing scholarships through the COVID-19 pandemic and to grow our network of empowered young women throughout Cameroon to increase our impact.
In 2024, A2Empowerment partnered with WESAD to administer our program in Cameroon and bring the Girl Boss curriculum, developed by Launch Girls, to the girls and women we serve.
Partnerships
From our beginnings in the Admaoua Region, our work has expanded to the furthest reaches of Cameroon. As we have grown, our network has expanded to include international development organizations in Cameroon and the United States that strengthen our work, including:
