Some of the poorest countries of the world are located in West Africa. These countries will often see only 15% of teen girls graduate from high school. There are many obstacles for girls in poor families, and even more, for girls who find themselves orphaned or abandoned. Women in these circumstances are often at risk of being marginalized by society. By providing young women with opportunities they are able to see obstacles removed in front of them, with the goal of becoming change agents in their communities. Dorcas House was created in 2008 as residential 2-year transformative program for girls between the ages of 17 and 25. There is a four-fold program, which includes: vocational training, educational foundations, life skills, and spiritual/ethical education. Girls are selected based on need and desire to come. Each year there are 20-22 women at the center, divided into a 2-year program. Some of the activities include, sewing, cloth dying, clothing construction, soap-making, gardening, animal husbandry, cooking and cleaning, Bible study and Scripture memory. Each girl receives a sewing machine at the conclusion of the 2-year program. The staff at Dorcas House are local believers who are dedicated to seeing the girls provided with a safe and quality program. Steve and Amy Nehlsen, former missionaries to West Africa for 22 years, serve on the board of Dorcas House as ministry partners and U.S. representatives. Partners that give financially to Dorcas House through Friends in Action, help to cover the financial needs of housing, feeding, health needs, staffing and carrying out the program. The monthly budget for Dorcas House is approximately $1500.