Campanha de leitura na Nigéria recebe aplausos da comunidade internacional

Junho 12, 2018

1 minutos de leitura

Mais do que 150 funcionários nigerianos eleitos e nomeados, diplomatas, especialistas em desenvolvimento e outros apresentaram em Abuja dois curtas-metragens para promover a alfabetização e a frequência escolar entre crianças em dois estados do norte da Nigéria.

Exibido em junho 6, 2018, durante o “Desenvolvimento Humanitário, Paz Nexo,”esses filmes produzidos localmente pela Iniciativa de Educação do Norte Plus contar histórias de pais com pouca ou nenhuma alfabetização que, mesmo assim, incentivam seus filhos a ler, uma jovem que muitas vezes perde a educação devido à falta de higiene na sua escola e nas comunidades que trabalham em conjunto para melhorar a educação das crianças locais.

Entre os participantes da festa de exibição estavam: NÓS. Embaixador na Nigéria Stuart Symington; Diretor de Missão da USAID, Stephen M. Haykin; Diretor do Banco Mundial na Nigéria, Rachid Benmessaoud; Vice-presidente executivo de programas da Creative Associates International, Earl Gast; e Coordenador Humanitário Chefe na Nigéria, Ayoade Alakija

Em escolas e centros de aprendizagem, o Iniciativa de Educação do Norte Plus programa visa melhorar o acesso e a qualidade da educação e aumentar a alfabetização de milhões de crianças nigerianas nos estados de Bauchi e Sokoto. Financiado por USAID, Northern Education Initiative Plus é um programa de cinco anos.

A campanha de uma semana “Desenvolvimento Humanitário e Paz Nexo” evento foi organizado pela Centro de coordenação de emergência em parceria com o Banco Mundial e sob os auspícios do Ministério do Orçamento e Planeamento Nacional. Estiveram presentes mais de 200 pessoas.

Clique abaixo para ver os destaques do evento.

Para saber mais sobre o trabalho da Creative na Nigéria, por favor Clique aqui.

Fotos do Centro de Coordenação de Emergência.

Nigéria: Lutador de rua nas redes sociais promove os direitos das mulheres

Poderia 18, 2018

1 minutos de leitura

Social media advocate Zara Kareto works on behalf of women’s rights in Northeastern Nigeria.

Um futuro igual: A esperança de um pai para suas filhas

Poderia 10, 2018

Por Natalie Lovenburg

5 minutos de leitura

A wide grin spreads across Ahmad Yahya’s face as he talks about his oldest daughter, Husbanatu. Her love for learning makes him immensely proud.

“She is following the footsteps of her mother,” says Yahya, who is the father to four girls in primary school. “Education first starts at home, and we are working with our daughters so they grow up in a different environment in Nigeria.”

A police officer in the remote region of Gidan Madi in Nigeria’s Sokoto state, Yahya says he and his wife, who followed her own dreams to acquire a higher degree, are teaching their children to value education and to reach for their goals.

Father of female student in Sokoto state, Nigéria. — Yahaya Ahmed, father of primary student Husbanatu, wants all of his daughters to receive a quality education. Foto de Erick Gibson

“Whenever a woman has a degree, she has choices,”ele diz. “I want my girls to receive an education and to have multiple degrees. If they want to marry a man of their choice, there is no problem. But my hope is that they prioritize education and attend university.”

Nine-year-old Husbanatu is one of more than 487,000 young students in northern Nigeria improving their reading and writing skills through an early grade reading program called Vamos ler! (Vamos ler! em Hauçá).

Financiado pelo NÓS. Agência de Desenvolvimento Internacional, o Iniciativa de Educação do Norte Plus o projeto está sendo implementado em escolas formais e não formais nos estados de Sokoto e Bauchi, na Nigéria, com o objetivo de melhorar as habilidades de leitura por mais de 1.4 milhões de alunos do ensino fundamental. O projeto é implementado pela Creative Associates International.

Making strides in girls’ education

Along with improving early grade reading and writing skills, the Northern Education Initiative Plus project works with civil society organizations to identify women groups to serve as community partners in improving access to education for girls.

Do 57 milhões de crianças fora da escola no mundo, mais do que 10.5 milhão deles estão na Nigéria. Sobre 60 por cento of those out-of-school children are girls.

Female primary students in Sokoto state, Nigéria — Female primary students in Sokoto state are accessing education with the Northern Education Initiative Plus program. Foto de Natalie Lovenburg

Working closely with communities, the project identifies drivers of gender disparities, ensures that positive role models exist for both girls and boys, advocates for gender equality in education and encourages equal educational opportunities for all children.

Mallam Auwalu Muhammad Ango, Husbanatu’s teacher, says the primary school in the Tangaza Local Government Area where the girl attends classes collaborates with parents to ensure they put more effort into educating their children – especially young girls.

“The number of female children attending school has grown and the girls have given more effort into learning how to read and write,”ele diz.

The school’s efforts to engage female students and their parents is an important step in tackling Nigeria’s gender inequality. In remote areas of Nigeria, educating girls has been a challenge.

Farming families often prioritize working in the fields over receiving an education. Entrenched cultural and gender norms make accessing education even more difficult for Nigerian girls. Casamento precoce, safety concerns and the unwillingness of families to support their education keep female students out of the classroom.

Ango, who has been a teacher for more than 19 years and currently teaches Grade 3, says the local school authority has implemented new gender-focused initiatives to ensure more female students stay in the classroom and get a quality education.

“There is a school committee that helps mentor female students who are from poor families. They cover the cost of school uniforms and even provide washing detergent, and support in other ways, so that the girls are prepared and eager to come to school,” says Ango.

He adds that the school committee and other community members are facilitating positive change, gaining more support from parents and creating a clear path for female students to access education.

Designing gender-inclusive textbooks

Sokoto has some of the world’s biggest gaps in education, com more than a half of the state’s primary school-age children out-of-school. A recent survey found that 80 por cento of Sokoto’s Grade 3 pupils cannot read a single word. Children are not learning, even if they are in the classroom. For female students, accessing education is even more difficult.

To improve learning outcomes in Sokoto, the Northern Education Initiative Plus delivered more than 1.6 million early grade reading teaching and learning materials in Sokoto that promote gender quality, increased access and conflict sensitivity.

Em designing o vamos ler! (Vamos ler! em Hauçá, students’ mother tongue language) curriculum and learning and teaching materials, the project closely collaborated with Nigeria’s Local Government Education Authorities, Conselhos de educação básica universal do estado, State Agencies for Mass Education and State Ministries of Education.

For Abdulkadiri Dilani Shehu, Executive Chairman of Local Government in Sokoto state, o Vamos ler learning and teaching materials and teacher training are having a positive influence and bringing communities together.

Abdulkadir Dilani Shehu, Chairman, Wurno local government area, Sokoto state. — Abdulkadir Dilani Shehu, Chairman of Wurno local government area in Sokoto state, says education is key to success. Foto de Erick Gibson

“Education is important for the development of a community. Sem isso, society cannot progress,”diz Shehu. “We are seeing drastic change and parents are giving full support to their children. They prepare them to come to school and the children are actually learning to read and write.”

To ensure the learning materials were effective for all students, the Northern Education Initiative Plus project and Governo nigeriano joined efforts to assess gender dynamics and worked to create gender-sensitive content with embedded local culture and traditions. The learning and teaching materials were also evaluated to determine their effectiveness for building phonics skills and fluency.

Joy du Plessis, Senior Reading Specialist with Creative, diz o Vamos ler! learning and teaching materials aim to reflect strong, curioso, lively and active girls and boys – especially girls.

“The images in the books show boys and girls being equal,”diz du Plessis, who navigated the curriculum design process with writer, ilustradores, language specialists and government officials in Nigeria. “The drawings communicate cooperation, independência, curiosidade, amizade, cultural norms and problem-solving.”

In the third year of a five-year project, A Northern Education Initiative Plus distribuiu mais de 4 milhões de livros didáticos lidos para alunos e professores nos estados de Bauchi e Sokoto, providing an equal opportunity for girls and boys to learn in their own mother tongue language.

Before children had access to Vamos ler! livros, Ango says the classroom environment was ineffective and students weren’t learning. No entanto, o Vamos ler currículo, textbooks and teaching training have provided a renewed focus on learning.

“Students would go from primary 1 to primary 6 and not know how to even write or read their name,”ele diz. “We see a lot of change with the children, especialmente meninas. You can sit with a child and ask him or her about the lessons, and they are eager to learn and understand. The books have entered our hearts and minds.”

Líder de desenvolvimento internacional nomeado vice-presidente executivo de programas

Poderia 3, 2018

3 minutos de leitura

One of the leaders in global development, Conde Gast, has been appointed Executive Vice President for Programs of Creative Associates International, a role that will have him lead the implementation of all programs, the company announced today.

Gast, who was Senior Vice President since June 2016, will now oversee three Divisions—Education, Economic Growth and Communities in Transition—which currently have programmatic activities in more than 30 countries from Afghanistan to Honduras.

Gast spent more than two decades with the U.S. Agência para o Desenvolvimento Internacional. Appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, in April 2012he was sworn in as the Assistant Administrator for USAID’s Africa Bureau, which at that time had program resources of more than $8 billion covering nearly 50 países. After retiring from USAID, Gast was a Senior International Advisor at Covington & Burling, LLP, em Washington, DC, where he co-led the firm’s Africa Practice.

Leland Kruvant, Presidente e CEO da Creative, said the promotion of Gast from Senior Vice President to Executive Vice President for Programs is part of the company’s strategic plan and accommodates the organization’s growth resulting from new business.

“Earl is an exceptionally talented professional who combines unmatched development experience with superior management expertise,”diz Kruvant. “Earl is well respected by our clients, partners and host governments.”

In this new role, Gast will have strategic and operational responsibility for programs, as well as building and maintaining positive relations with Creative’s current and future clients in the U.S. governo, Europe and elsewhere. He will also lead Creative’s Africa and Middle East and North Africa strategies.

A successful career in global development

Na Criativa, Gast has led the Education Division and the Economic Growth Division, helping to refocus their efforts. Desde então, the company has won new education contracts in Nigeria, Etiópia e outros lugares.

During his tenure as USAID’s Assistant Administrator, Gast initiated new partnerships and Presidential initiatives, including Power Africa and Trade Africa, and leveraged funds from multiple global organizations to achieve greater scale and results. He also worked across U.S. government agencies and with the White House to draft the President’s Strategy for Africa.

Prior to his nomination as Assistant Administrator, Gast served as USAID’s Mission Director in Afghanistan, which was providing $4 billion in assistance to increase stability in the country.

Gast was one of the first USAID employees stationed in Iraq, onde, as the mission’s deputy director from April 2003 to March 2004, he helped launch operations and manage a $2.2 billion reconstruction program in the country. After a successful tour in Iraq, he served as the USAID representative to the U.N. agencies in Rome in 2004.

De 2005 para 2008, Gast was the regional mission director for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, and from 2008 para 2010 he was named as USAID’s Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Africa.

Gast began his career with USAID in 1990 as a project development officer for USAID/Philippines.

He earned numerous awards and commendations for his dedicated service. Most prominently, he received USAID’s Award for Heroism in 2004 e, em 2003, the Distinguished Unit Award for his work in Iraq. Gast also received the C. Herbert Rees Award in 1999.

Gast earned a master’s degree in political science and Middle East studies in 1987 from The George Washington University.

He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in history and criminal law. In addition to his native English, Gast speaks Russian and Arabic.

Pergunte aos especialistas: O estado de direito em um contexto africano

abril 26, 2018

7 minutos de leitura

Strengthening the rule of law is a challenge for many African nations grappling with the grave challenges facing their citizens, including mass displacement, food insecurity and conflict.

Leaders on the continent and the international community, no entanto, are making rule of law a priority for the future and a key pillar of continued growth.

Em 2013, the African Union adopted its Agenda 2063, a 50-year strategic framework for the socio-economic development of the continent. Its third of seven “aspirations” focuses on good governance, respeito pelos direitos humanos, justice and the rule of law. Among its target benchmarks for 2023: Pelo menos 70 percent of people consider the judiciary to be independent and fair, perceive that they have free access to justice and believe that there exists a culture of respect for human rights, the rule of law and due process.

To talk more in-depth about the rule of law in Africa and how it relates to women, I turned to Achieng Akumu, who is the Director of Advocacy Partnerships for Planned Parenthood Global. Akumu oversees a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies for the advancement of women’s empowerment through health rights in Burkina Faso, Uganda and Senegal.

A seguir, são trechos de nossa troca, which is the third in a series of interviews with fellow rule of law experts and practitioners.

Jenny Murphy: When donors talk about women’s issues, they have traditionally focused on violence against women and girls. But that’s only one part of a larger picture. In your work, where else do you see an intersection between rule of law and violence against women and girls?

Achieng Akumu: In regard to women’s empowerment, I can clearly see the effect of clashing laws and customs across Africa. Constitutions claim to respect women’s rights, but when it comes to actual enforcement, implementation and application, the political will is not there.

It’s about educating the public and getting the laws applied. We have to educate the population so they’re informed about their rights and they’re informed about how to exercise those rights. Whether it’s discriminatory practices based on HIV/AIDS or violence against women and girls, where do people seek their recourse? It’s not just about laws on the books and people having access, but also how people seek recourse that is fair and equitable.

That’s what women’s empowerment and the legal reform movement should center on ensuring that once people are educated and these institutions are in place, then access continues and improves over time, reaching all populations, not just some segments.

There is a real opportunity now with the Sustainable Development Goals (ODS), particularly SDG 16: Paz, Justice and Strong Institutions. At the center of the SDG goals, apart from youth, there is a focus on a woman’s right to a good life. A good life for women is basically about being able to make choices.

Murphy: You have worked in Africa for many years, including as a rule of law advisor to USAID. Speaking more broadly, what do you see as the biggest challenges to rule of law in Africa?

Akumu: One of the most unfortunate trends has been conflict and terrorism activity. You don’t have as many conflicts on the continent as in the past, but there are still too many that displace enormous amounts of people. Sudão do Sul, República Centro-Africana, Nigeria and Somalia display that there is no normalcy in people’s lives. So it’s still about conflict prevention and it’s about security sector reforms. In many countries you have various actors causing chaos and confusion and not allowing nation states to properly develop or people to access and live better lives.

You also have the very serious migration crisis, which is due to a lack of employment opportunities in these countries. And I hate to say it, but corruption is a serious issue as well. The wealth is not being shared or invested in critical sectors where you can have true economic growth and proper development for nation states.

One other piece that’s critical is the heads of state don’t limit themselves to constitutional terms. We’ve seen it in so many countries, such as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The heads of state, despite constitutional provisions, have decided it’s not time for term limits, and that their country requires their leadership and their leadership alone.

Murphy: Can you talk more about the effects of a government that refuses to relinquish power?

Akumu: It is an unfortunate trend that has been adopted and is being practiced in Africa, and it has hindered democracy. And development is limited when everything is focused on trying to overcome those obstacles that hinder growth and don’t allow for democracy to take root. Rule of law development suffers because of the lack of enforcement and the lack of adherence to democratic principles.

I’m excited about what’s going on in Senegal, where they seem to have a progressive president. He’s trying to institutionalize democratic practices like accountability and transparency and really spur economic growth. But this is a continent of 54 países, and I can only mention a few that seem to be moving in the right direction, such as Senegal, Botsuana, Namibia and Ghana – and Ghana is still a question mark.

Murphy: With these complexities and challenges, how does a donor or implementer design programs that can move the rule of law forward?

Akumu: Political will is the currency here. If you don’t have political will, it does not translate across all sectors and rule of law cannot take root. Rule of law not cannot be isolated, compartmentalized or segregated. So design is very difficult, and I think for me, the question has always been about how we create that political will.

We know very well you can’t just work on rule of law or just work on the justice sector. Rule of law is about supporting all governments, all aspects of governments and all the institutions that are supposed to be part of governments. Então, the design work has been flawed, whether you’re in Latin America, Africa or Southeast Asia.

What has worked for me is when we linked rule of law to economic growth. Because everyone wants to have a better life. When you have leadership that understands and appreciates that, you can link rule of law to those legal reforms that are needed for key economic activities. That’s where I always went. I always looked at the national economic development plans and tried to see where rule of law could fit in.

Murphy: Why is it so important for the development initiatives to understand and respond to the local context?

Akumu: You have to know the environment you’re working in, and you have to know the people on the ground and the local culture. The Western world has moved away from traditional or customary laws that still exist in Africa and in other parts of the world. On the continent, we have this mix of civil and common law, as well as the customary law, so the program design effort must take all of that into account.

When you’re working with rule of law in Africa, you can’t just think about the courts and the legislature and the executive. When you’re talking about enforcement, adaptation and adherence, there are all kinds of traditions and customs at the local level. Many people don’t relate to the formal laws and feel those are perhaps only for politicians or people who live in cities. So you have parallel systems in place in many countries to this day, em 2018.

It’s been an uphill battle to understand that you cannot just design an initiative and expect it to be in place and solve all the problems of a country in five to 10 anos. All we can do is help plant a seed and ensure that the right people are in country, because the implementers should be local, and it should be the people that live this, breathe this.

Murphy: What do you see as the biggest challenges to rule of law development in the next few years?

Akumu: It comes down to proper investments and investing in people improving their lives. Mismanagement of funds, corruption, poor decision-making and lack of education have not allowed for progressive rule of law development to take root. Do 54 countries on this continent, I can only name about five that have done it right, where people are living good lives, there’s real dialogue, key institutions are involved and all those pillars of democracy come together.

You can find the first two installations of the Ask the Experts Q&A series and more info about Creative’s rule of law work here:

P&A with Hamid Khan, Diretor Adjunto do Estado de Direito Colaborativo da Universidade da Carolina do Sul
P&A with Don Chisholm, Director of the Justice and Citizen Security Office at the U.S. Agência de Desenvolvimento Internacional no México
Read more about Creative’s approach to rule of law

Nota do editor: The opinions expressed by the interviewees are theirs and do not necessarily imply endorsement by Creative Associates International.

Ser um modelo é o principal motivador para educadoras na Nigéria

abril 24, 2018

Por Natalie Lovenburg

5 minutos de leitura

Educadoras que trabalham em centros de aprendizagem não formais no nordeste da Nigéria são mais motivados do que os homens para ensinar aos alunos em risco a partir de uma sensação de ser modelos, Embora as mulheres sejam mais frequentemente desencorajadas do ensino por causa das pressões familiares, Um novo estudo encontrado.

Pesquisadores do As mulheres sais lideram Programa de Practicum e Escola Universitária Americana da Nigéria (Aun) descobri que 100 Porcentagem de mulheres achava que ser um modelo era sua principal motivação, comparado com 88.7 porcentagem de homens, para o trabalho deles como facilitadores de aprendizagem. A Creative Associates International fez uma parceria com as duas universidades no projeto.

Infelizmente, aproximadamente 30 Porcentagem das mulheres foi desencorajada do ensino por suas famílias ou comunidades, em comparação com apenas 8.3 porcentagem de homens.

Estes são dois da chave Resultados da pesquisa Lançado em abril 17 Durante uma apresentação de Sais e Aun, chamado "Habilitando e capacitando os facilitadores do aprendizado feminino no nordeste da Nigéria".

Facilitadores de aprendizagem são adultos que foram selecionados pelas comunidades para educar as crianças, particularmente estudantes em risco, como nigerianos deslocados internamente. Durante cinco dias de treinamento intenso, Os facilitadores são ensinados a criar um ambiente de aprendizado amigável e acolhedor para as crianças muitas vezes traumatizadas, incorporando atividades em grupo e recreação, uma ruptura com os ambientes de aula geralmente mais formais da maioria das salas de aula nigerianas.

Os facilitadores aprendem técnicas que criam um ambiente centrado no aluno, em vez de depender de palestras, notas no quadro-negro e memorização.

Três pesquisadores da SAIS Georgia Jewett, Emily Weiss e fechou Yow focou em examinar a educação das meninas, analisando especificamente como aumentar o impacto durante o curto- e a longo prazo, avaliando as barreiras à entrada que as mulheres enfrentam para se tornarem educadores. Eles também desenvolveram recomendações sobre como superar essas barreiras para o criativo replicar em uma escala maior.

Com o objetivo de identificar abordagens eficazes para garantir a inclusão de mulheres na sala de aula, A equipe de estudantes de pós-graduação da SAIS trabalhou em estreita colaboração com o Creative and Aun em um projeto de pesquisa de nove meses. A pesquisa foi liderada por Kent Davis-Packard, Doutorado., O coordenador líder das mulheres da SAIS e professor adjunto de estudos do Oriente Médio e teoria global e história.

Pesquisadores da SAIS Emily Weiss, Georgia Jewett e fechando. — Pesquisadores da SAIS Emily Weiss, Georgia Jewett e Yow apresentou suas descobertas de um projeto de pesquisa de nove meses que avaliou as barreiras que as mulheres na Nigéria enfrentam em se tornarem educadores.

Recrutamento e recursos: dois elementos -chave

Ao apresentar suas descobertas na Creative, Os pesquisadores da SAIS destacaram que garantir a educação de qualidade no nordeste da Nigéria é um desafio significativo. Os recursos estão espalhados mais finos e os facilitadores e professores de aprendizado não estão adequadamente equipados para lidar com a crise de aprendizado - especialmente para educadores femininas.

Ao recrutar facilitadores de aprendizado ou professores no país, Candidatas qualificadas são muitas vezes muito pequenas. A retenção de professores é a Nigéria está repleta de barreiras de acesso. Normas culturais, casamento precoce, má infraestrutura, Falta de transporte e resistência dos colegas do sexo masculino mantêm as educadoras fora do sistema educacional, disseram os pesquisadores.

Ao discutir intervenções específicas para preencher a lacuna de gênero, Emily Weiss, Um dos estudantes de pós -graduação, disse, “Enquanto os projetos educacionais existentes dependem efetivamente de iniciativas comunitárias de baixo para cima para recrutar professores, Mulheres rurais geralmente não têm acesso a redes profissionais e sociais. Como resultado, Eles perdem oportunidades importantes para se conectar com os recrutadores. ”

Para resolver este gargalo, Os três pesquisadores sugeriram descentralizar o processo de recrutamento e empregar mais mulheres em unidades de recrutamento para identificar melhor as candidatas qualificadas com uma participação pessoal na melhoria do acesso à educação para meninas em sua comunidade.

Junto com a descentralização do processo de recrutamento, Os pesquisadores recomendaram o estabelecimento de relacionamentos com faculdades locais, Promovendo mulheres em posições de liderança e redes de apoio a pares, e aumentar a segurança escolar como abordagens para garantir a participação das mulheres na educação.

Apesar da variedade de desafios, Os pesquisadores descobriram que "ser facilitador de aprendizado feminino deu às mulheres um senso de propósito" e a abordagem não formal de aprendizado do Creative estava tendo resultados positivos em comunidades. Eles observaram que as atitudes culturais estão mudando para as mulheres que trabalham fora de casa.

"Há muito otimismo de homens e mulheres em torno de mais mulheres na Nigéria entrando na força de trabalho para contribuir com a renda familiar e aumentar o crescimento econômico do país,- disse Weiss.

Os pesquisadores observaram que a programação existente do Creative aumentou a participação do facilitador de aprendizado feminino, particularmente em áreas rurais, e pode continuar a ativar e capacitar as mulheres na Nigéria com análise contínua e intervenções baseadas em evidências.

Pesquisas e entrevistas fornecem detalhes

Para abordar essa diferença de gênero no nordeste da Nigéria, Os pesquisadores da SAIS e da AUN viajaram para o nordeste da Nigéria em janeiro 2018 Para reunir dados qualitativos e quantitativos sobre as barreiras e incentivos, as facilitadoras de aprendizado feminino enfrentam o dia-a-dia.

Liderado por Professor eu pergunto a Nwankor, Associado de pesquisa visitante e professor adjunto de estudos africanos em SAIS e consultor dos estudantes de pós -graduação na Nigéria, a equipe pesquisada 114 professores, discussões de grupo focal de LED com sobre 147 participantes, e conduzido 24 Entrevistas com informantes-chave com líderes tradicionais e religiosos, Oficiais do governo e especialistas em educação.

Nwankwor disse que, ao incluir os alunos da AUN local nas atividades de coleta de dados, A capacidade local cresceu e aumentou as chances de sucesso programático e sustentabilidade. Os estudantes nigerianos foram capazes de desenvolver habilidades práticas de pesquisa, incluindo rigorosas técnicas de entrevistas e métodos analíticos de dados.

Ponte a lacuna educacional

Do 57 milhões de crianças fora da escola no mundo, mais do que 10.5 milhão deles estão na Nigéria. No nordeste da Nigéria, A taxa de presença no nível primário é 43 porcentagem para meninas e 46 porcentagem para meninos. Comparativamente, 85 porcentagem de meninas e meninos frequentar a escola igualmente na região sul do país.

Com base na disparidade da educação nas duas regiões, a pesquisa focada no USAID-financiado e implementado de forma criativa Resposta à crise educacional e Iniciativa de Educação do Norte Plus Projeto nos estados nigerianos de Adamawa e Bauchi. Esses programas fazem parte da experiência da Creative em educação em conflito.

O Resultados da pesquisa ajudará a moldar as abordagens eficazes do programa e ajudar a combater a divisão de gênero da Nigéria. Fora de 144 países, A Nigéria é classificada 122 Ao abordar as disparidades baseadas em gênero em quatro áreas principais: saúde, educação, economia e política, de acordo com o Relatório Global de Gap Gap por Fórum Econômico Mundial.

Professor eu pergunto a Nwankor, Associado de pesquisa visitante e professor adjunto de estudos africanos na SAIS. — Professor eu pergunto a Nwankor, Associado de pesquisa visitante e professor adjunto de estudos africanos na SAIS e consultor dos Studetns, compartilhou a importância dos resultados da pesquisa e como melhorar a programação educacional na Nigéria.

Durante a apresentação da pesquisa, Prosscesoror está do lado do lado do fim., “Mulheres e questões de gênero não devem ser colocados por último. Na virada do século, Nossa esperança é que a igualdade de gênero seja normalizada na Nigéria e em todo o mundo. ”

Juntando -se à discussão, Charito Kruvant, Fundador e presidente do conselho da Creative, disse, “Para abordar as questões globais mais complexas, como a desigualdade de gênero, É fundamental colaborar com instituições acadêmicas que tenham as ferramentas e o conhecimento para ter mais impacto. ”

A importância do aprendizado emocional social

Os pesquisadores destacaram o benefício de incluir Aprendizagem sócio-emocional no currículo educacional, especialmente em ambientes de emergência. Os entrevistados disseram que era "muito importante" ter treinamento de aprendizado emocional social para abordar assuntos sensíveis como a igualdade de gênero, trauma sexual e higiene feminina com estudantes.

Os resultados da pesquisa também apontaram para o impacto positivo de estabelecer Coalizões comunitárias Para se envolver com os residentes. O projeto fez esforços deliberados para incluir mulheres nas coalizões comunitárias, especialmente em posições de liderança, e dar a eles a chance de contribuir para a tomada de decisão em suas comunidades.

Em sua apresentação na Creative, Os pesquisadores da SAIS examinaram uma série de abordagens para apoiar as mulheres profissionalmente, economicamente e socialmente, refinando modelos de programas de educação.

Nigéria: Novos livros didáticos viram a página da alfabetização na língua materna

abril 13, 2018

1 minutos de leitura

Milhões de crianças nigerianas não têm acesso a uma educação de qualidade. Falta de motivação dos professores e apoio dos pais, aliados à insuficiência de materiais de aprendizagem e ensino contribuíram para esta lacuna educacional. Abrindo caminho para uma educação básica de qualidade, a Northern Education Initiative Plus, financiada pela USAID, desenvolveu um programa de leitura nas primeiras séries chamado Mu Karanta! (Vamos ler!) para ajudar os alunos a aprender a ler em Hausa, sua língua materna, e depois faça a transição para o inglês. Veja como o programa está abrindo oportunidades através da alfabetização.

Um futuro igual: A esperança de um pai para suas filhas

O Programa Northern Education Initiative Plus na Nigéria colabora com professores, pais e comunidades devem dar prioridade à educação das crianças – especialmente das raparigas.

Leia a história completa

Remodelando a educação, um livro de cada vez

Para Yazidu Sahabi, de 10 anos, um programa de leitura para as primeiras séries chamado Let's Read! no norte da Nigéria está a aumentar a sua motivação para melhorar as suas competências de alfabetização e colocá-lo no caminho do sucesso.

Leia a história completa

Novos resumos de políticas educacionais para ajudar a melhorar a aprendizagem na Nigéria

Em colaboração com parceiros do governo federal e estadual, o projeto Northern Education Initiative Plus desenvolveu os três resumos de políticas.

Leia a história completa

Nigéria: Um novo capítulo para a alfabetização no norte da Nigéria

abril 13, 2018

1 minutos de leitura

The Northern Education Initiative Plus program is expanding access to education for children in Nigeria, while also improving the quality of instruction in the country’s remote northern regions of Bauchi and Sokoto.

Documentary on Nigeria wins top honors in international film festival

abril 11, 2018

3 minutos de leitura

USAID, VOA & Creative collaborated on breakout film

Washington, DC. – The film “Boko Haram: Journey from Evil” earned the top honor in the international documentary category from the prestigious New York Festivals World’s Best TV & Films.

The one-hour documentary on Nigeria, which competed against entries from more than 40 países, was honored in Las Vegas April 10 during the National Association of Broadcasters’ annual convention. Award-winning British-Nigerian actor David Oyelowo, best known for his role as Martin Luther King Jr. no 2014 film “Selma,” narrated the documentary.

Financiado pelos EUA. Agência para o Desenvolvimento Internacional Escritório de Iniciativas de Transição and jointly produced by Voice of America and Creative, the documentary profiles the heroic efforts of everyday Nigerians who are building up their communities in the face of attacks by Boko Haram, a terrorist group that has killed, kidnapped and displaced millions of people in Nigeria and surrounding countries.

“This compelling documentary was a collaboration among organizations that saw the power of telling the stories of resilience and hope," disse Leland Kruvant, Presidente e CEO da Creative. “It is an honor to be part of this important project.”

Photographer Fati Abubakar accepts award. — Photographer Fati Abubakar, whose work in Borno state was portrayed in the film, accepts the award at the New York TV and Film Awards on April 10.

“A Labor of Love”

VOA Producer Beth Mendelson traveled with her colleagues to Las Vegas to receive the award.

“My deep appreciation to the New York Festivals for this incredible recognition for the documentary,” said Mendelson at the award event in Las Vegas. “This was indeed a labor of love. You rarely in your professional career get an opportunity to produce a film that is so timely and has the global impact of Boko Haram: Journey from Evil.”

Joining Mendelson at the awards ceremony was fotógrafo Fati Abubakar, who was profiled in the documentary. She traveled from Maiduguri, Borno State in Nigeria, which has been a focal point of Boko Haram attacks. Dela portraits of the people of Borno demonstrate the resilience and strength of citizens and communities against Boko Haram.

“The documentary has captured the true image, literally and figuratively, of our community,”diz Abubakar. “Our community has faced terror and achieved triumphs. We are living and thriving despite an eight-year conflict and I am very hopeful that we will rebuild. Thank you for sharing our stories with the world.”

Na Nigéria, USAID is supporting education, econômico, humanitarian assistance and stabilization projects, entre outras iniciativas. Desde 2014, USAID has made considerable impact against insurgent groups Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa to help counter and prevent the factors that allow violent extremism to flourish, including feelings of marginalization and lack of economic opportunity.

USAID is funding a project called the North East Regional Initiative that focuses on stabilization and building resilience in communities located in the Nigerian states of Borno, Yobe and Adawama. The documentary was produced as part of the North East Regional Initiative.

Voice of America producer Beth Mendelson holds up the Gold Award. — Voice of America producer Beth Mendelson (centro) holds up the Gold Award with colleagues from Voice of America and one of the film’s protagonists Fati Abubakar (segundo da direita).

Beyond the headlines

“Boko Haram: Jornada do mal” Vai além das manchetes para trazer aos espectadores um retrato íntimo da vida no nordeste afetado pelo conflito da Nigéria. Segue as histórias de um ativista lutando pelo retorno das garotas de Chibok sequestradas, photographer Abubakar who documents hope, a huntress turned rescuer and a psychologist working to deprogram former fighters—each pushing back against the terror and destruction in their own way.

O documentary also provides a never-before-seen look inside Boko Haram’s ranks, where young boys are indoctrinated to become fighters and digressions are punishable by severe violence and death.

Uma visão interna sobre como facilitar a reforma da leitura nas primeiras séries em África

Marchar 30, 2018

Por Natalie Lovenburg

5 minutos de leitura

Students who fail to acquire basic reading skills by third grade are more likely to fall behind, fail or drop out of school. Experts say poverty, underqualified teachers, language challenges and lack of access to textbooks keep children from receiving a quality education.

“Early grade reading lays the foundation for continuous learning, future schooling, employment and overall economic success,” disse Creative Associates International's Karen Tietjen, Diretor de Sistemas Instrucionais e Governança, no Sociedade de Educação Comparada e Internacional (CIA) conferência em março 29.

On the CIES panel session called “Rolling-out and Scaling-up: The Insiders’ View of Reading Reform,” Ministry of Education representatives from Senegal, Nigéria, Mozambique and Kenya took up the topic of national early grade reading reform in their countries.

On the panel session called “Rolling-out and Scaling-up: The Insiders’ View of Reading Reform,” Ministry of Education representatives from Senegal, Nigéria, Mozambique and Kenya took up the topic of national early grade reading reform in their countries.

After student assessments revealed a literacy crisis in their countries, the ministries of education partnered with the global development community to improve learning outcomes.

The panelists said early grade reading reform must look at curriculum development, teacher training and professional development, textbook printing and delivery, among other key aspects of a robust educational system. This will be most successful when reforms are spearheaded by local ministries of education, said Tietjen, who chaired the interactive panel discussion.

“No final do dia, it is up to the individual ministries of education to make sure a reading reform program is implanted, accepted, developed and rolled-out throughout the country,"ela disse. “Trying to change a whole way of thinking and ensuring commitment to reading reform can be daunting.”

Apesar dos desafios, early grade reading programs in many African countries “are picking up the pace and education decision makers are taking hard questions head on,”disse Tietjen.

“They have vision, support and the tools for change,”ela acrescentou.

Panelists illustrated the reform process through case studies, including Northern Nigeria and Mozambique, explained below.

Curriculum: Getting to the heart of reading reform in Northern Nigeria

Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world. It is also home to diverse populations and languages and ongoing conflict, including the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern parts of the country.

“In Nigeria, there are more than 500 idiomas, which is a big challenge in our education system – especially in choosing which language to use in the classroom," disse Margaret Lawani, Doutorado., Director of the Language Center at the Conselho Nigeriano de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Educacional. “Effects of the Boko Haram Insurgency and poverty add to learning barriers and keep children out of the classroom.”

Highlighting an education project called the Iniciativa de Educação do Norte Plus, Lawani said the project uses the local language of Hausa, which is the “language of the environment” to boost learning outcomes. She outlined the education project’s reading reform strategy by ensuring government and community commitment to quality early grade reading learning and teaching materials, as well as equipping teachers to use the curriculum.

The Northern Education Initiative Plus project is training and equipping more than 45,000 teachers and learning facilitators who can reach children in formal schools and non-formal learning centers. Foto de Natalie Lovenburg.

Financiado pelo NÓS. Agência para o Desenvolvimento Internacional, the Nigerian government-led project is being implemented in formal and non-formal schools in the country’s Sokoto and Bauchi states, com o objetivo de melhorar as habilidades de leitura por mais de 2 milhões de alunos do ensino fundamental. It is led by Creative Associates International, em estreita parceria com Centro de Desenvolvimento Educacional, Universidade Estadual da Flórida and Overseas Strategic Consulting.

The project works hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Education to implement a Hausa early grade reading program for first to third grades called Vamos ler, with a transition to English in fourth grade called Let’s Read!.

Learning materials are provided free of charge, ensuring every student has access to quality education regardless of their circumstance.

“Many parents in Bauchi and Sokoto can’t afford to pay for learning materials,” explained Lawani. “The Northern Education Initiative Plus project has distributed the Vamos ler books free of charge and literacy issues are being addressed.”

Along with the mother tongue learning and teaching materials, the project works with government counterparts to improve planning, orçamento, governação, transparency and accountability and to mobilize community involvement in ensuring their children gain reading skills.

Lawani said that this community collaboration and ownership of reading reforms by federal, state and local government education officials is a critical factor in strengthening education systems, especially in a conflict and crisis-affected, multilingual environment like this.

Rethinking ineffective reading policies: A look at bilingual education in Mozambique

Home to more than 20 idiomas, bilingual education is not a new phenomenon in Mozambique.

De 1993 para 1997, Mozambique’s National Institute for Education Development implemented the first-ever rollout of bilingual early grade reading reform in the country.

But since then, Mozambique has lacked a coordinated policy approach for both Portuguese and local language instruction, disse Armindo Ngunga, Ph.D., Vice-Ministro do Ministério da Educação e Desenvolvimento Humano de Moçambique.

And despite the introduction of mother tongue language in the classroom, learning gains haven’t proved to be sustainable.

Na verdade, Mozambique faces one of the highest illiteracy rates in the Southern and East Africa regions. A recent early grade reading assessment found that more than 90 percent of second graders in two northern provinces of Nampula and Zambézia could not read two words in Portuguese, a língua nacional.

"Hoje, there are serious literacy challenges in Mozambique,”disse Relógio. “We learned that kids are going to school but they aren’t learning.”

One reason for the poor performance is the difficulty in making the case for mother tongue or multilingual education, ele explicou.

“There are challenges in convincing decision makers who speak Portuguese and don’t speak mother tongue languages to prioritize multilingual education,”disse Relógio.

Como resultado, schools have gaps in resources like mother tongue learning materials, and teachers aren’t trained to effectively teach in multilingual environments.

Working alongside the Government of Mozambique to fill this learning and teaching gap, the five-year early grade literacy program called Vamos ler (Vamos Ler! em português) is building a bilingual education framework for national expansion. It aims to improve reading and writing skills for more than 800,000 estudantes em 2,800 escolas.

O programa é financiado pelo NÓS. Agência para o Desenvolvimento Internacional, e implementado pela Creative Associates International, em estreita parceria comEducação Mundial, Inc.., Consultoria Estratégica no Exterior, Institutos Americanos de Pesquisa eGrupo BlueTree.

Ngunga emphasized that in order to achieve the goal of boosting literacy in the languages children hear, speak and read at home, the program needs close collaboration and strong partnerships with and among government stakeholders. He added that this reform could have larger benefits for the country, beyond education.

“Mozambique fought for its independence and won,” said Ngunga. “We have realized that we will not achieve economic independence without first achieving intellectual independence.”

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Para visitar o CIES da Creative 2018 Centro de relatórios especiais, Clique aqui. Para uma programação completa do CIES da Creative 2018 painéis, incluindo painelistas, horários e locais, Clique aqui. Além das sessões de painel, pare no estande 54 para interagir com especialistas em educação e saber mais sobre os projetos globais da Creative. Siga-nos no Twitter @1977Criativo para atualizações ao vivo.

Novas portas abertas para a reforma da alfabetização na Nigéria, dizem especialistas do CIES

Marchar 28, 2018

Por Natalie Lovenburg

4 minutos de leitura

CIDADE DO MÉXICO - Mais do que 30 percentagem de crianças em idade escolar no norte da Nigéria não têm acesso à educação básica. Falta de motivação dos professores e apoio dos pais, aliados à insuficiência de materiais de aprendizagem e ensino contribuíram para esta lacuna educacional.

É necessária uma abordagem integrada para alcançar resultados de leitura ideais e fortalecer os sistemas educativos em ambientes complexos como a Nigéria, disse um painel de especialistas do Sociedade de Educação Comparada e Internacional (CIA) conferência em março 27.

“A falta de políticas nacionais de leitura formal na Nigéria resultou em professores que não estão preparados para ensinar o currículo do ensino primário e em alunos que não conseguem adquirir competências de alfabetização,” disse Creative Associates International's Semere Salomão, Diretor Sênior de Estratégia para África.

Para Salomão, que gerencia um projeto educacional na Nigéria chamado Iniciativa de Educação do Norte Plus, é aqui que uma “criança inteira, professor inteiro, A abordagem de toda a escola e de todo o sistema pode fazer a diferença.

Meninas nigerianas na janela da sala de aula. — O projeto Northern Education Initiative Plus está aplicando uma “criança inteira, professor inteiro, abordagem de toda a escola e de todo o sistema” para abordar factores críticos de oferta e procura que afectam a aprendizagem, ensino, envolvimento dos pais e capacidade de resposta às necessidades das crianças. Foto de Natalie Lovenburg.

Na sessão do painel denominada “Pré-Serviço, Reforma em serviço e política: Um banquinho de três pernas para resultados de leitura aprimorados e sustentados nas primeiras séries,” Solomon disse que o projeto Northern Education Initiative Plus está testemunhando mudanças positivas através de uma “abordagem abrangente para aumentar o acesso e a qualidade da educação”.

Mobilização comunitária eficaz, reforma da política de alfabetização, colaboração governamental multinível, materiais de aprendizagem e ensino melhorados e orientação e treinamento de professores são ingredientes essenciais na aplicação de uma estratégia sustentável., abordagem holística, disse Salomão, que atuou como debatedor do painel.

Financiado peloNÓS. Agência para o Desenvolvimento Internacional, oIniciativa de Educação do Norte Plus está a ser implementado em escolas formais e não formais nos estados de Sokoto e Bauchi, na Nigéria, com o objectivo de melhorar as competências de leitura para mais de 2 milhões de alunos do ensino fundamental.

A Creative implementa o programa em estreita parceria com Centro de Desenvolvimento Educacional, Universidade Estadual da Flórida e Consultoria Estratégica no Exterior.

Agora no segundo de seus cinco anos, A Northern Education Initiative Plus desenvolveu um programa abrangente chamado Vamos ler! (Vamos ler!) por ajudar os alunos a aprender a ler em Hausa, sua língua materna, e depois faça a transição para o inglês. O projeto distribuiu mais de 1.9 milhões de materiais de leitura para alunos e professores. Em todas as atividades, parceiros governamentais assumem a liderança.

“A liderança do projeto está nas mãos do governo federal, autoridades estaduais e locais,”disse Salomão. “Com colaboração constante e consulta contínua, o governo nigeriano está a facilitar o processo de fortalecimento do sistema educativo global.”

O projeto de leitura nas primeiras séries está criando um fórum onde todos os parceiros da educação podem se reunir para resolver problemas locais usando pesquisas baseadas em evidências., ele adicionou.

No CIES de educação global 2018 conferência, Semere Solomon, da Creative, destaca a abordagem de leitura nas primeiras séries do projeto Northern Education Initiative Plus.

Promover melhores resultados de aprendizagem com políticas

Representando o projeto Northern Education Initiative Plus com Semere Solomon, Bilyaminu Bello Inuwa, Especialista em leitura e padrões Hausa, delineou o processo de desenvolvimento de políticas de leitura do projeto.

“Da avaliação de leitura nas primeiras séries do projeto, descobrimos que mais do que 90 por cento das crianças na Nigéria não conseguiam ler uma única palavra,disse Inuwa. “Apontamos para essas evidências ao colaborar com o governo nigeriano para conceber políticas de leitura nas primeiras séries.”

Liderança do projeto está nas mãos da União, autoridades estaduais e locais. Com colaboração constante e consulta contínua, o governo nigeriano está a facilitar o processo de fortalecimento do sistema educativo global.
Semere Salomão, Diretor Sênior de Estratégia para África na Creative

Para melhorar os resultados de leitura nas primeiras séries, o projeto facilitou um processo participativo com os decisores políticos para implementar um exercício de mapeamento de políticas, criar três resumos de políticas e desenvolver um roteiro para projetar um Quadro Nacional de Leitura.

O três resumos de política –focado nas melhores práticas globais de programas de leitura, muitas vezes chamados de “5 Ts” (Ensino, Tempo, Língua, Texto e teste) – fornecer recomendações para melhorar leitura na primeira série.

A estreita colaboração com o governo na reforma política provou ser eficaz.

“Vimos algumas mudanças importantes na educação nos estados de Bauchi e Sokoto,disse Inuwa. “Após diálogo contínuo e apresentação de evidências, o governo nigeriano concordou em alterar o horário escolar do primeiro ao terceiro ano de cinco para dez períodos por semana em função do idioma – tanto em hausa quanto em inglês.”

A antiga política de leitura exigia apenas 30 minutos por semana de aulas de idiomas e “esse pouco tempo não vai levar seus filhos a lugar nenhum,disse Inuwa.

Para que os alunos aprendam a ler, os professores devem ser proativos e fornecer tempo adequado para que eles dominem a língua inglesa e sua língua materna, ele adicionou.

Ele também enfatizou que a mudança sustentável para melhorar a alfabetização requer uma ação sistêmica.

“Políticas de leitura devem estar em vigor para que haja consistência, melhorias sustentadas na implementação de um programa integrado de leitura precoce, e melhorar o sistema educacional nigeriano como um todo,"ele disse.

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Uma em cada cinco crianças não tem acesso à educação: Relatório da UNESCO

Marchar 12, 2018

Por Natalie Lovenburg

4 minutos de leitura

During the past five years, the global growth of the number of children in classrooms has been stagnant, according to recently published UNESCO Institute for Statistics data.

Sobre 263 million children—one in five children— adolescents and youth worldwide are out of school, the U.N. agency reported. Desde 2012, the number of school-aged children and youth in classrooms around the world has increased by only about 1 milhão a year.

“These new figures show starkly the size of the gap that needs to be closed to ensure universal access to education,” said UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay in a Comunicado de imprensa. “We need much more comprehensive and targeted approaches together with more resources to reach those children and youth who are denied the right to education, with a special emphasis on girls and on improving the quality of education for all.”

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the highest out-of-school rates for all age groups, and accounts for more than half (34 milhão) do 63 million out-of-school children of primary age, de acordo com o relatório.

Countries with the highest out-of-school rates also tend to be among the poorest countries in the world. Poverty levels are also closely linked to gender disparities in education.

O UNESCO data stresses that a business-as-usual approach will not succeed in achieving universal primary and secondary education by 2030.

Young boy in Nigerian classroom speaking. — To meet and sustain the growing demand for education, today’s teaching and learning approaches must be effective, efficient and able to address the needs of diverse populations in complex environments.

Ensuring education amid crisis

This call for new approaches is particularly critical given the swelling rates of displaced persons and refugees across the globe, including millions of school-aged children and youth, points out Eileen St.. Jorge, Diretor de Educação em Conflito na Creative, who read the published report.

For these out-of-school children and youth, gaps in education can be compounded by the trauma of conflict and displacement. Years out of school can set learners back in literacy and life skills; unhealed trauma can negatively affect their life outcomes.

“To keep children and youth in the classroom – especially in conflict and crisis environments – we need increasingly innovative approaches to minimize disruption to learning,”diz São. Jorge, adicionando isso non-formal community-based learning centers can help to provide basic education to displaced learners when formal schools are not an option.

Regardless of the forum for education, a sense of normalcy and security is particularly critical to the development of these vulnerable learners, she adds.

“It is essential for schools to create a safe environment for students to receive a quality education and to heal through psychosocial support and Social Emotional Learning,”ela diz.

In conflict-affected countries like Afeganistão e Nigéria, Creative is implementing multiple education projects that integrate Social Emotional Learning activities into their curriculum.

“By providing Aprendizagem sócio-emocional support in the classroom, educators in complex settings like Nigeria and Afghanistan, can create a powerful learning environment that fosters healing, apoiar, motivation and ultimately success of vulnerable children and youth,”diz São. Jorge. "No entanto, to achieve this we must also turn our attention to the well-being of teachers, enabling them to effectively nurture the children and youth in their classrooms.”

Empowering girls through education

UNESCO also finds that around the world, girls continue to face barriers in receiving an education.

O UNESCO figures show that in sub-Saharan Africa, girls of every school-age group are more likely to be excluded from education than boys. For every 100 boys of primary age out of school, há 123 girls denied the right to education.

Traditional attitudes and cultural beliefs, pobreza, early marriage and pregnancy and violence against women and girls, are among the many barriers that keep girls from accessing quality education.

Karen Tietjen, Diretor de Sistemas Instrucionais e Governança na Creative, points to the USAID Leia para ter sucesso project’s “whole school, professor inteiro, whole learner” approach as an example of an effective way to counter school dropouts – especially for vulnerable girls.

"Criança inteira do Creative, professor inteiro, escola inteira, abordagem de sistema inteiro ”aborda fatores críticos de oferta e demanda que afetam o aprendizado, ensino, gerenciamento, participação dos pais e capacidade de resposta às necessidades das crianças.

“When girls stop going to school because of household responsibilities, early pregnancy or other barriers, they are closing the door to a brighter future,”ela diz. “The Read to Success project in Zâmbia provided psychosocial tools and counseling support needed to help learners succeed in school and in life.”

Tietjen says the education project trained guidance and counseling teachers who also mobilized a cadre of energetic and effective youth allies to help support vulnerable students.

Chamado Agentes de Mudança, these groups of adolescents worked side by side guidance and counseling teachers to deliver important messages to their fellow classmates about staying in school, practicing healthy behaviors and making smart choices.

“With a support system, we witnessed vulnerable Zambian girls staying in school despite dealing with social, economic and psychological challenges outside of the classroom,”diz Tietjen.

“When girls have the opportunity to access quality education, they are empowered to gain the knowledge and skills needed to help break the cycle of poverty for themselves, their families and communities,”ela diz.