NARRATION: When we returned in 2006, Nanavi had suffered a devastating loss. Her father had died—leaving the family destitute.

KEKE AKODA: Since my husband’s death, I’ve been suffering. Who’ll support my children with me? The fields are all we have to live on.

MICHEL AIOUNKO: He had money, the mill operated well but when he became ill, he started to spend money to find a cure, and little by little he spent all his savings. That’s why the family now has nothing.

NANAVI TODENOU: This is my father’s corn mill. Since he died, it doesn’t work anymore. The crank shaft is broken. This is the place where my father’s storage used to be. Now it’s gone. He used to play with me. If I didn’t come back from school and it was getting dark, my father would pick me up in the village.

NARRATION: Now more than ever, her mother could use her help on the farm, but it was Nanavi’s father’s last wish that his daughter remain in school.

NANAVI: My father told me to go to school and not to rest.

NARRATION: Nanavi’s dada, Marguerite, kept an especially close watch on her in the weeks following her father’s death.

MARGUERITE TADOUGBE: I told her to keep going to school, and if she needed chalk I’d give her some. Her father’s death shouldn’t be an excuse to abandon school.

ANGELIQUE KIDJO: A l’école, a l’école, on travaille, on travaille. Jamais la paresse, jamais la paresse. Travaillons, travaillons

NARRATION: Nanavi has made it to the third grade. Her mother was able to scrape together a few dollars for chalk and supplies with help from an uncle and the school.

MICHEL: When poverty hits a family, the only thing that can fix that is school. If she’s lucky enough to go to school she can leave a nurse or a woman of the state. School is the door. If you continue with it, it’s the opportunity that allows you to come out on the other side.

NARRATION: Nanavi’s class is studying French, geography and geometry.

THEOPHILE AISSAN: Here are the shapes. Nanavi, come and choose a shape you found on page 40 of your book. Very good.

NARRATION: Regina, the médiatrice, drops by regularly to make sure the students are making suitable progress.

REGINA GUEDOU: Students, how are you? Who’s the top student in the class? Clap for him.

NARRATION: Regina is interested in all the students, but she keeps a special watch on the girls to make sure they stay in school.

REGINA: How many boys are here? How many girls are absent?

THEOPHILE: Two girls.

REGINA: Why are the two girls absent?

THEOPHILE: The girls are sick.

REGINA: They’re sick?

THEOPHILE: Yes.

NARRATION: Regina travels nearly 200 hundred miles a week to support the girls she’s taken under her wing.

REGINA: I’ve been using the same motorbike for the last five years. It breaks down constantly and that really bothers me.

NARRATION: Today she’s visiting Nanavi’s mother to show her Nanavi’s latest report card.

REGINA: Did you see how well Nanavi did this month? Every three months we give them a test to see how well they’re doing at school.

NARRATION: Regina has high hopes for Nanavi, but she’s concerned about her future.

REGINA: Her mother says she can’t keep Nanavi in school, especially in two years when it’s time for middle school. She won’t be able to afford it. So we need to do everything we can to help Nanavi stay in school.

NARRATION: For now, Nanavi has a circle of support, but costs in middle school will only increase, and next year she won’t have her dada’s help, as Marguerite is headed to middle school herself one village further away.

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