Education matters more, especially for girls, project builds upon the success of the project “Education matters more, especially for girls”, which was implemented between February 2015 and February 2017. Through strong cooperation between schools, government and community members, that project tackled a range of barriers, which kept girls from going to school or caused them to drop out. As a result, significantly more girls now go to and stay in school and support for girls’ education has increased within the wider community. This follow up proposal encompasses a two-year timeframe, to maintain and strengthen achievements of the previous project, attend to lessons learned and expand activities to 5 new locations and 10 schools. We will upscale the approach to reach more girls (and boys) and work ever more closely with community groups and government agencies.
“Education Matters more, especially for girls”. The overall goal is to ensure that girls in the target areas attend and complete primary and secondary education. And, the aim was to overcome obstacles to girls’ education in two rural and semi-rural districts of North Shewa Zone of the Ethiopian Regional State of Amhara. Activities engaged some 2,000 girls from primary and secondary schools directly and another 10,000 people indirectly (parents, siblings, teachers and other community stakeholders).
Enhancing quality education through the power of Sport and Play
Hiwot Ethiopia has been implementing enhancing quality education through the power of sport and play in Addis Ababa and Oromia region of Northshewa zone Wuchale Woreda by the financial and technical support of Right to Play.
The project is implementing in 51 primary schools of Addis Ababa and Wuchale woreda ( 31 in Addis Ababa and 20 in Oromia region. Among others 18 schools (10 from Addis Ababa and 8 from Oromia) received direct support from the project.
The overall objective of the project is to enhancing quality education, through the power of sport and play. The focused specific objectives are:
- Enhance interactive/positive learning environment in schools
- Enhance life skills development of children and youth
- Promote inclusion and empowerment of people with disabilities and girls
- Promote gender equality, child protection and building a peaceful community
The project is deployed different implementation strategies to address target community groups:
- Providing capacity building trainings to students, teachers, PTAs, coaches and parents
- Strengthening school club capacity through providing mini-media, and sport equipments
- Organizing community mobilization sessions to discuss on the barriers of education and other related issues
- Organize advocacy campaigns to advocate on issues of safe and protective school environment, children’s right including health
Keeping Gils in school and out of early marriage
Keeping Gils in school and out of early marriage is one of the integrated projects supported by The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and Amplify change as part of their strategy to help young women receive the quality reproductive health information, services and education they need to thrive. Because villages are too far apart from one another, it is not feasible to build and more high schools. Hiwot Ethiopia has created “safe house” near high schools in three woredas in Amhara region. Girls can live in the houses while they attend high school, eliminating the daily trek to school. The project also provides support and companionship for the girls, including books and educational materials. The girls receive monthly stipends as well as reproductive health information and supplies like sanitary pads so they do not miss classes when they are menstruating.