Cycle for Plan: Keeping adolescent girls in school by constructing boarding housing in Zambia SUMMARY 
Having realized that the distance to schools has continuously been a challenge to education for girls, and has contributed to a number of teenage pregnancies and child marriages, Plan International Zambia has started implementing the Yes I Do program in the Eastern Province, where the highest number of child marriages occur. One of the pillars of the Yes I Do program is Education and Economic empowerment which seeks to offer an alternative to child marriage to the girls. The Cycle for Plan Zambia project (2017-2021) seeks to contribute to keeping the girls in school through constructing two dormitories near schools. The dormitories will offer accommodation to girls during school days, hence reducing the renting of houses in the community as well as walking long distances which makes them vulnerable to Sexual and Gender Based Violence. As a contribution to the National Campaign, Plan International Zambia has started implementing the Yes I Do program in the Eastern Province, where the highest Child Marriage prevalence rates occur. One of the pillars of the YID program is Education and Economic empowerment which seeks to offer an alternative to child marriage to the girls. Having realized that distance to the schools has continuously posed as a challenge to the continued education for girls, and has contributed to a number of teenage pregnancies and child marriage, the project intends to construct dormitories for girls in two locations in Chadiza and Petauke. In addition to the distance to schools, the girls suffer a lot of abuse either in the homes, along the way to schools and in the communities where they seek shelter during the weekly boarding. This has also contributed to the girls dropping out of school as they run away from such abuse. The dormitories will offer accommodation to girls during school days, hence reduce on the renting of houses in the community, thereby leaving them vulnerable to the men in the community. Construct 2 boarding houses with capacity of 30 in-built double deck bed spaces to accommodate 60 girls at a time: these will be installed wit:
a.	8 high level solar panels with complete set of 8 batteries and 8 inventors; 
b.	60 double lockers; 
c.	2 girl friendly VIP latrines with three (3) holes connected to a complete disposal system including wash rooms on the other side; 
d.	2 submersible pumps and mount 2 five thousand litre tanks; 
e.	2 sets of 1X 7X5 metre outside kitchen unit with 4 fire places. 
f.	120 single matresses including any other item not listed in here contributed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with parents and other stakeholders.
g.      1 water borehole The target beneficiaries will be adolescent girls from 10 – 19 years in the proposed project areas. The project will benefit primarily all girls in Chadiza and Petauke catchment area and beyond.  The construction of the girl’s dormitories will create 120 bed spaces.  The facility will be a weekly boarding targeting girls that come from far reaching areas.  The community will indirectly benefit in various ways - as the saying goes, educating a girl child, is educating the whole nation. Other beneficiaries will include all boys and girls in the school and beyond, as the girls in boarding will serve as role models and it is most likely to attract even more girls to attend school and progressing to high school.