I love that Batonga takes an informed and data-driven approach to empowering young women and girls. They make sure that donor funds reach the populations that need support most.
Working with the Batonga Foundation as a consultant and seeing the impact their programs have on the adolescent girls and young women of Benin has been truly inspiring. Programs that provide mentorship and business coaching to create a path to a secure future for participants and the dedication of the staff makes it a very special organization. The planned expansion into Senegal to reach even more girls and young women, while initiating more men and boys engagement to support them is a model to replicate. Congratulations on being the only African organization to be awarded prizes in the 2022 MIT Solve Global Competition.
I have been working with Batonga for the last 3 years
I have to admit that my immersive experience with them help me and my team deepen our knowledge, commitment, and willingness.
we are witnessing in real-time the great work the foundation is doing "in the trenches"
I've been working with nonprofits for close to 30 years now and have seen all the wonderful work that they achieve, but also the challenges with organizations built more on passion/conviction than on profit. It's not easy to make it work efficiently from donor to the people served. Batonga is a rare example of when it's working flawlessly. They are a great example of how to structure a nonprofit.
Batonga Foundation is an amazing organization doing a lot to promote girls rights and support women to be independent economically in Bénin. Batonga has proofed over the year their expertise in community engagement and also contribution in social development of thousands of households. With the extension in Senegal Batonga is making its footprint on girls right promotion over the continent. Thanks for the wonderful work.
Batonga Foundation is the first organization who build her approch with and for the people theirvare serving.The team is veryvdedicate for the work,very close with the people non the ground and respect the human dignité of the beneficiairies.
This organization always innovate for the wellbeing of the staff and the pomulation in all the villages
The policy of safeguarding make the adolescent girls and the young women more confident.
Batonga is exceptional in that it is both an African led grassroots initiative and a global advocacy mechanism. This is because of it's amazing founder and President Angelique Kidjo, who has deoted her life to using her fame as a grammy winning singer and her world stage to highlighting the importance of helping socially marginalized women and girls. I have been moved and inspired by seeing these programs in action on the ground, transforming communities through education, jobs and shifting mindsets to include women and girls! It is an honor to be on the board and see the programs changing lives.
Batonga is a small but mighty organization who delivers authentic work and truly impactful programs. It has been wonderful to see the work up close in Benin and talk to so many of the young women whose lives have been changed. They are now economically independent, and equipped with the skills and agency they need to access and maintain sustainable livelihoods. Batonga is making a huge difference, and leading others on the path to lifting the hardest-to-reach girls in Africa out of poverty. I would recommend this non profit to anyone who wishes to invest or support young African women and girls!
Batonga's mission is so unique and really focuses on the actual needs of the young women and girls in their programs. They're small and nimble and thoughtful and I really love their work!
I have watched firsthand as Batonga has grown into a model on girls empowerment through dedicated staff, innovative programming, and a founder whose passion and commitment is unparalleled.
Batonga focuses on girls and young women who have no access to traditional educational. Today across Benin thousands of young women participate in Batonga programs where they learn how to become entrepreneurs and support themselves.
Significantly, in Batonga villages, boys and young men now view their female colleagues with increased respect. With a modest per girl investment, Batonga is producing long term benefits.
Previous Stories
Batonga is lead by Angelique Kidjo who uses her status as an African superstar to reach out to vulnerable girls and remind them that they can succeed. Batonga provides programming designed for their clientele and works to ensure that the girls who have been left behind by other development efforts can gain critical life skills.
Batonga Foundation is a wonderful organization doing great work! They are dedicated and focused to their mission and making a difference in Benin!
Batonga ensures that no girl in Benin in a state of vulnerability ever is left behind or forgotten. Their organization promotes collaboration among many other nonprofits, governmental organizations, and corporations. Their incredibly unique and compelling mission is deserving of recognition!
From the moment we began working together, I've truly been blown away by Batonga's thoughtfulness in all aspects of their organization. They're an incredible team with a great mission, a strong vision and the passion needed to make it all possible.
I have worked with the DC office of Batonga as a fundraising consultant. In my role, I have been invited into the innerworkings of many NGOs. At Batonga, what I appreciate is the innovative use of technology and the sheer determination to find those girls and young women who exist off the paved road, where other groups and development dollars would never reach -- either because of geography, capacity or will. I also love their desire and talent in partnering, so that the technology and program they utilize is adopted far and wide, multiplying their impact. They aren't concerned about what's proprietary, rather what works. I also love that this is an organization founded by a woman from Africa, and that in itself is an incredible source of inspiration that reaches all the way to that young girl finally getting her chance.
Batonga has been able to evolve its model which has targeted vulnerable girls at the secondary level well before others focused on this critical population. Batonga's approach is evidence-driven and uses data through asset mapping to customize its efforts to identify and reach the most marginalized girls. It sources and adapts successful tools, technologies and strategies (so not re-inventing, but adapting, what works) from others and has a very robust partnership strategy to expand its efforts. It is championed by one of the most dynamic African influencers, Angelique Kidjo, who uses her voices and multiple platforms to champion girls and women's issues.
Its hard to find an organization as committed to supporting women's education in Africa as The Batonga Foundation. Watching their hard work to empower young girls and women through secondary and higher education is absolutely inspiring.
Batonga does some of the most innovative work in the field of girls education. I am continually impressed by their efforts.
I have been involved with Batonga from the beginning- This is the most passionate, committed group of people and board and it is an honor to also help make the lives of those young Girls in Benin a bit better thanks to the countless efforts of this foundation and the co founder, Angelique Kidjo. Integrity and activism go together-that is what Batonga is about.
We've travelled a few times to Benin and had a chance to meet some of the girls supported by the Foundation and we saw through the years their life and their self confidence improved significantly!
The Batonga Foundation is an amazing organization empowering the young women of Africa to not only change their own lives dramatically, but the lives of their families and community. This foundation and the work they do reaches far beyond the individual, by educating and supporting these girls, they are boosting their country’s health and economics, providing a more enriched life for all.
The Batonga Foundation is a super lean and efficient organization plus it targets Africa's challenges by equipping real change agents - in the form of Africa's own girls! When I work with or donate to Batonga, I feel confident that my efforts and dollars are making the biggest possible impact.
Amazing organization and Executive Director doing great things and transforming women's lives in Africa.
The Batonga Foundation is doing an amazing job sponsoring vulnerable girls in Africa in need of an education. The Foundation is tackling several key problems that lead to the majority of women in sub Saharan Africa to be uneducated or under educated. By providing solutions to these problems, like transportation, school supplies, uniforms, tuition, and sanitary bathroom facilities, Batonga Foundations is making headway in making the future brighter, one girl at a time. Since the Batonga Foundation does not have any employees in Africa and instead partners with NGOs already in the area, Batonga is providing the resources while these groups implement the necessary changes in their community.
The Batonga Foundation is an incredible organization committed to providing girls in Africa the foundation to higher learning. Their innovative thinking is one of many ways to bring awareness and empowerment to the future of the African culture.
The Batonga Foundation is both incredibly innovative and unique, with a mission unlike any other organization. Its commitment to empower young girls and women through secondary and higher education is multifaceted and comprehensive. The Batonga Foundation should be an example to other nonprofit organizations on the best ways to reach its target community while inspiring those who want to create change.
The Batonga Foundation does a wonderful job providing education to young girls in Africa. It is a critical organization that not only empowers young girls to dream of a future, despite their circumstances, but it also helps make it a reality.
The Batonga Foundation is committed to ensuring girls in Africa receive an education. This not only changes the trajectory of a girl's life, it can change the course of the nations in Africa by stimulating economic growth as well. The Batonga Foundation sees that vision and works to realize it, that's why it's top rated.
A great nonprofit dedicated to combatting any and every imaginable obstacle to girls' education. The Batonga Foundation will stop at nothing to keep its girls in school!
The Batonga Foundation is a jewel of an organization that has yet to tap its potential for helping to educate girls in Africa. I was introduced to Batongal more than a year when a friend invited me to attend a fundraiser for the organization. After hearing the remarks of those in attendance, I was impressed with its mission. A few months later I offered to assist Batonga. The challenges currently facing Batonga is the development of a strategic plan that will address future fundraising strategies that will allow the organization to hire at least some additional staff members; a plan of action for expanding the board; the development of a data base of donors and alumni; and the development of marketing materials that clearly tells the story of the wonderful work that this small organization is doing to change the lives of girls in Africa.
Batonga is a unique organization in that they are deeply impacting the lives of more than 1,200 girls in Africa with very little resources. Because of the tools provided to Batonga girls such as scholarships, vocational training, and microfinace loans, these girls are given the opportunity to grow into healthy, independent young women actively contributing to their country's economy. I am honored to be a part of the Batonga team and am constantly impressed with the innovative, effective solutions they come up with.
Batonga is a unique organization because it not only provides change it provides sustainable change.
Batonga is a terrific Foundation that I have been proud to support. They make a big difference in the lives of women in Africa!
The work that the Batonga Foundation, under the expert and committed leadership of Angelique Kidjo, has done and is doing has already made a tremendous positive difference in the lives of hundreds of girls in five African countries. Making it possible to attain a secondary or higher education not only educates the girls, but will also affect their future families and communities. Educating these young girls and broadening their intellectual horizons is a strong step toward an enlightened Africa. What a gift Batonga gives! As a member of the Grobanites for Africa team, I made donations to sponsor girls' education, and also encouraged other Grobanites (fans of Josh Groban) to do the same. Receiving letters and pictures from my girls made me realize how their lives were changing for the better. The Batonga Foundation made our connection possible.
As Co-chair of Grobanites for Africa, I know the donations our group has made has made a difference in the lives of so many young women in Sierra Leone and throughout Africa. We receive updates and letters from the groups of girls we are able to sponsor. We know we are a part of making a difference in their lives, and they will be making a difference in their community and sharing their education with many more. Batonga makes it possible for these girls to receive that education. Girls are changing Africa and education makes the difference.
The Batonga Foundation offers a simple solution to the complex challenges in Africa. By offering education to girls and women throughout Africa, the Batonga Foundation serves as the needed support for Africa's local communities. By strengthening the knowledge base of underprivileged women, Africa’s mothers, sisters and daughters will be able to make better decisions and become empowered to lead. In every social challenge, women have led the way for major impact. The Batonga Foundation offers the tools for women to take on greater responsibilities to tackle the social challenges of Africa.
The Batonga Foundation is an incredible organization that strives to increase access to education for girls in Africa. Batonga is currently working in five African countries and has implemented multiple programs to assist girls, from providing microfinance loans to granting scholarships. My work with Batonga has shown me how effectively the Foundation has been able to partner with other organizations to create an even larger impact.
The Batonga Foundation does amazing work throughout Africa helping underprivileged girls to receive a secondary and higher education. The ability to give these girls an education has allowed them to take control of their lives and become active members of society. Working with the Batonga Foundation has been an amazing and eye opening experience. Batonga takes a comprehensive approach to female education and covers all the obstacles a girl in sub saharan Africa might face. They provide scholarships, mentoring, school supplies, and so much more. The Batonga Foundation is a great organization and has been such a joy to work with!
The Batonga Foundation is truly an incredible organization. It is very tiny, but had been able to do some fantastic things in the past and definitely has the potential to do even more amazing things in the future. The organization works in five different sub-Saharan countries (Ethiopia, Benin, Cameroon, Mali, and Sierra Leone). By partnering with organizations in those countries, Batonga is able to grant scholarships, provide vocational training, and give the girls uniforms, backpacks, and other school necessities. Helping girls stay in school against all the barriers that they face is really Batonga's main goal. An example is a young Ethiopian girl who lost her biological parents to famine at a very young age and then lost her adoptive family to HIV/AIDS. Despite such a challenging childhood, this young girl was able to complete high school and begin taking law classes through a Batonga Scholarship. She is now in her second year of school and looking forward to a bright future. In another country Batonga is working on installing wells and toilets for the girls to use. This way the schools will be more sanitary and help to decrease on diseases. Batonga realizes the unfortunate reality that so many young girls drop out of school and aims to increase educational opportunities for those girls. This is a wonderful organization and I have no doubt that it will only continue to grow and do great things.