I do this for my daughters

March 5, 2014

3 min read

Fatima Zahra Tahiri is the Communications Officer for Creative’s Improving Training for Quality Advancement in National Education program in Morocco. In honor of International Women’s Day 2014, we asked for her thoughts on women in her country and her profession, and what inspires her.

Question: Please explain in what ways your program involves women.

Answer: The ITQANE project focuses on improving the teacher training program in Morocco. It’s really about using the trainings as a way to improve the whole education system. The program involves many women – whether it be teacher trainers, teachers, school inspectors, community members, even young female students. They all benefit from this program and the improved educational opportunities its seen take shape.

I have worked in many of Creative’s education programs here in Morocco, and gender has always been considered a priority. For example, every time we organized a training, we would ask our partner to invite female participants. We would have these women participating, but they could not make decisions. This area was reserved to men. It was very frustrating. Thankfully, I’ve seen some changes recently, where women are given a voice by Government and private sector too.

Q: As a woman, what is it like to work on these issues?

A: This is my story…working in a country where men’s voice is premium is not easy at all. But, looking at the eyes of those little girls going every morning to the school to learn, thinking of them that they could be some day very important decision makers, that makes me work even harder. I am a mother, and I don’t want any of my girls to be sitting in her house waiting for her husband to bring her food or anything else…I want them to be independent and able to speak up for their rights with no fear.

In order to achieve this result, the shortest way would be through education. Teach the little boy how to respect those around him, including women. If we start this in preschool and we go on, once at 18, the boy will have no problem working with his peers, regardless of gender. This change of culture and behavior could affect the labor market as well. Men and women will benefit from the same chances and opportunities to get a job and there will be no jobs reserved for MEN and others for WOMEN.

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An uphill battle worth fighting

March 5, 2014

3 min read

Noy Villalobos

Noy Villalobos is the Chief of Party for the CONVIVE! program in Honduras. In honor of International Women’s Day 2014, we asked for her thoughts on women in her country and her profession, and what inspires her.

Question: Please explain in what ways your program involves women.

Answer: Simply put, our program would fail without women. Women in the communities we serve are the glue that binds them. The program is promoting the adoption of non-traditional roles for women and emboldening them to become decision-makers. Women as heads of schools, patronato representatives, directors of health posts, church leaders, and members of the police, among many others, are at the vanguard in combating violence at the local level, restoring communities’ sense of normalcy, pride and dignity. Our program recognizes their immense potential, talent and resourcefulness to serve as community mobilizers and build the relationships with government institutions to benefit their development and safety.

Q: As a woman, what is it like to work on these issues?

A: Working on these issues is a remarkable opportunity and an exciting challenge. Leading a team to improve and strengthen the male-dominated security sector through the exploration of new approaches and non-traditional tactics to reduce violence is at times an uphill battle. It requires determination, passion and continued evaluation, assessment and re-direction. The methods used in the past have not proven to be the most efficient or productive, but combined with new ideas, or innovative approaches, we are having a positive effect. In driving these ideas forward, as a woman, I make a conscious effort to be sensitive to the direct and indirect impact of these actions on families and especially women, who are more frequently becoming victims of violence in Honduras.

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TEDx encourages a different kind of Wednesday in Aden

January 21, 2014

4 min read

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TEDx encourages a different kind of Wednesday in Aden

By Maggie Farrand

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The event took place on a Wednesday – a day typically associated with civil disobedience in Aden, a port city in the south of Yemen. But on this particular Wednesday, December 11, hundreds found their seats in the conference room of Aden’s Mercure Hotel and listened instead to speakers who have the ideas and passion to better their community and country.

The audience of 300 had gathered for the inaugural TEDx event in Aden, an independent offshoot of the now-famous talks on “ideas worth spreading,” launched by nonprofit TED more than 25 years ago in California.

More than 4,000 TEDx events have taken place in 126 countries since the first event in 2009.

TEDx expanded to Aden this year thanks to support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Creative Associates International’s Community Livelihoods Project (CLP), which reduces instability in some of Yemen’s most difficult areas through community-based initiatives and services like job creation, economic growth opportunities and basic healthcare and education. CLP is funded by USAID.

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New program to combat child labor in Morocco

January 8, 2014

3 min read

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New program to combat child labor in Morocco

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Jan. 8, 2014 – A $5-million program will prevent and reduce child labor and help youth of legal working age secure decent employment in Morocco.

“Providing safe and productive work alternatives is key to a promising future for children and a more stable society,” says Charito Kruvant, President and CEO of Creative. “Our expertise with education and community partnerships in Morocco and elsewhere will be leveraged to benefit the country’s most vulnerable children.”

Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the four-year program aims to reduce child labor in the region of Marrakesh-Tensift-Al-Haouz by working with communities—particularly youth—and the government to promote quality educational and learning opportunities for residents younger than age 15. It will also provide safe and productive employment alternatives for youth of legal working age, which is 15 and older.

In Marrakesh-Tensift-Al Haouz, dropout rates for primary and secondary school are among the highest in the country. Unfortunately, children are routinely used as agricultural and domestic laborers, and in some cases as sex workers.

Up to 14 percent of the region’s 100,000 poor and vulnerable children are already working or are at great risk of becoming child laborers.

Sean Carroll, Senior Director of the division that will implement the project, says: “We are excited to work with the U.S. and Moroccan governments, the private sector and civil society to ensure youth in the Marrakesh-Tensift-Al Haouz region have quality education and meaningful work opportunities.”

Though Morocco has had significant success in addressing child labor—the number of working children dropped from 518,000 in 1999 to 92,000 in 2012—problems continue.

Child labor laws are often ignored by business owners and current regulations do not give inspectors full access to many of the places children are most often employed. Domestic work regulations are not often enforced, while in rural areas children remain a staple of the farm labor force.

Creative’s multifaceted response

Building on more than 10 years’ experience with education in Morocco, Creative will work jointly with youth, parents, schools, communities and the government to increase school attendance and mitigate early drop out.

Young adults will receive vocational training and referral assistance that links jobseekers with a network of service providers, while youth entrepreneurs will build their skills through classes and coaching.

Simultaneously, the program will promote household resilience by promoting families’ access to social services, micro-lending and saving programs and other activities.

Civil society organizations will receive training to generate awareness of the services available to youth and their families and risks and forms of child labor, while becoming advocates for changes to national child labor laws.

Creative’s strategy relies on a strong network of local and international partners.

Three Moroccan organizations—Association Bayti, Association Al Karam and Association Institute Nationale de Solidarité avec les Femmes en Détresse (INSAF)—and three international organizations— Aid to Artisans, International Initiative to End Child Labor and Kuder—are part of the project.

Creative will also leverage existing relationships formed while implementing the Improving Training for Quality Advancement in National Education program, which improves teachers’ pedagogical practice, prevents middle school dropouts and develops innovative and practical teacher training materials. It is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Funding for this project was provided by the United States Department of Labor. This material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States Government.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”sidebar-primary”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Volunteering to spotlight youth in Honduras

December 5, 2013

7 min read

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Volunteering to spotlight youth in Honduras

Creative Associates International

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When Eli Pineda began taking psychology classes at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, the homicide rate in neighborhoods a short walk beyond campus was at a record high. By the time he enrolled as a senior this year, it had surged another 30 percent.

Tegucigalpa remains one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world, a designation that mars the daily lives of its residents with fear and loss.

Young people are the most common perpetrators—and victims—of the violence. For 23-year-old Pineda, they’re also the best hope of turning it around.

To do his part in leading positive change in his own community and country, he volunteers with the Youth Against Violence movement that is active in Honduras and six other Central American countries.

The movement is working on the issue of violence prevention, and putting pressure on decision-makers to make changes for the country. Creative Associates International, with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development, was instrumental in launching the movements in the seven Central American countries.

On this International Volunteer Day 2013, Creative presents a conversation with Pineda about what drives him to volunteer, what the youth movement is doing in Honduras, and what it’s like to be a young person there.

All seven country coordinators from the Youth Against Violence Movement in Central America will be in Washington, D.C. to present their efforts at an event hosted by Creative, USAID, and the World Bank on December 11.

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Yemen schools rebuilt to welcome back students

December 3, 2013

2 min read

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Yemen schools rebuilt to welcome back students

By Creative Associates International

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Students of the Khadijah School now enjoy their newly renovated school. © Mohammed Al-Sanabani/CLP

During the 2011 political crisis in Yemen, militants seized control of the southern governorate of Abyan. Many of them set up camps in schools, particularly in the capital, Zingibar.

More than 200,000 residents fled to nearby governorates as clashes between Islamic militants and security forces, government airstrikes, banditry and illegal checkpoints made Abyan a no man’s land.

In mid-2012, the new transitional government launched a new military action and, after a month, took back control of Abyan. The fighting left many schools badly damaged and littered with unexploded bombs left behind by retreating militants.

USAID, through the Community Livelihoods Project (CLP), was the first donor to help rehabilitate schools in Abyan as part of its effort to increase access to education in crisis and conflict environments as well as to address the local causes of instability in some of Yemen’s most difficult areas. Working in partnership with the Yemeni government, CLP made the schools safe again for students.

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Yemen hospital gets a fresh start

December 3, 2013

2 min read

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Yemen hospital gets a fresh start

By Creative Associates International

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Exterior of renovated hospital — The Al Rawdah Hospital after major renovations.

Today as Dr. AbduSamad Abu Taleb walks the halls of the Al Rawdah Hospital, he can finally smile. After 22 years as the hospital manager, he is seeing the buildings and equipment get an upgrade thanks to a USAID-funded renovation of his Sana’a-based hospital.

The Al-Rawdah Hospital, in the highly populated northern part of Yemen’s capital, was first constructed in 1967 as a dispensary. It evolved into a hospital in the 1990s. In 2005, a new building was constructed to serve as the maternity wing, but it fell short of its intended purpose.

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Creating a safe space on Universal Children’s Day

November 20, 2013

5 min read

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Creating a safe space on Universal Children’s Day

By Jennifer Brookland and Maggie Farrand

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The smiling face of a young child in Honduras at one of Creative’s Outreach Centers. The Centers reduce local crime while providing youth with a safe space to gather and receive training. © David Escobar.

There is energy and hope in the smiles of children – even when they live amidst insecurity and violence. Too often, kids are vulnerable to exploitation, at risk of dropping out of school and made to feel small.

Creative Associates International is dedicated to extending access to education for these children. Education is even more important and needed in areas of conflict; that is where Creative specializes, ensuring children have the opportunities they deserve.

Creative’s successful post-conflict education work began in 1989 in Central America, where it used education to complement disarmament, demobilization and repatriation of youth combatants and their families into society.

Since then, it has implemented critical education interventions in more than 26 conflict, post-conflict and crisis-affected countries—including Afghanistan, Iraq, Uganda, South Sudan, Honduras and Yemen. Today, Creative has ongoing education projects in nine countries.

See how Creative’s current projects in Yemen, Central America, Nigeria and Jordan are carving out safe spaces for kids >

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Moroccan classrooms go interactive

November 6, 2013

2 min read

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Moroccan classrooms go interactive

By Creative Associates International

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Math teacher Saloua Ben Fethalla says her students now play an active role in the classroom. © USAID/J. Harris

Saloua Ben Fethalla is a math teacher at Almajd School in Tahannaout, Morocco, a picturesque rural town at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. Her 13-year-old students are just beginning middle school.

Until recently, the class of over 40 students would sit in rows, straining to listen as Fethalla lectured. With classes this size, it was difficult for students to work in teams and for teachers to provide one-on-one coaching to students. Traditional rote learning, not comprehension, was the norm.

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Program to support elections, political processes in South Sudan

November 4, 2013

2 min read

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Program to support elections, political processes in South Sudan

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Nov. 5, 2013 – A new program will continue to build democratic governance in South Sudan through electoral training and boosting civil society’s role, Creative Associates International announced today.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the five-year “Systems to Uphold the Credibility and Constitutionality of Elections in South Sudan” (SUCCESS) program will push the first post-independence elections in 2015 and the implementation of the new Constitution to create more robust and mature democratic systems.

“At this pivotal moment in South Sudan’s history, we are honored to be part of another landmark election in the country,” says M. Charito Kruvant, President and CEO of Creative. “The SUCCESS program will enable South Sudanese citizens to build a more effective and responsive government.”

The implementers, led by Democracy International, also include the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, the Public International Law and Policy Group and the State University of New York Center for International Development.

Supporting peace and stability

The SUCCESS program takes a multifaceted approach that will include work with electoral authorities, political parties and national and sub-national level governance institutions, as well as civil society organizations.

Creative will support South Sudan’s National Election Commission (NEC) by providing technical assistance on all aspects of elections like electoral dispute resolution processes, management training workshops, and study tours and exchanges. Working with Democracy International, Creative will also assist the NEC in developing a conflict mitigation plan that includes an electoral security framework and conflict monitoring methodologies.

“Creative’s expertise in election management, conflict mitigation, and civil society development prepares us well for the challenges in South Sudan,” says Jeffrey Carlson, Director of Creative’s Electoral Education and Integrity Practice Area. “We’re looking forward to working with the South Sudanese on this important program.”

Building on previous experience

Creative is a recognized thought leader and practitioner in conflict prevention and management – including elections. Its widely acclaimed Best Practices in Electoral Security: A Guide for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance Programming helps stakeholders cross-reference the country context with best practices used in similar environments.

Unrelated to elections, Creative recently completed an education program in South Sudan that improved the lives of nearly 93,000 children. The program ended in September.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”sidebar-primary”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Immigrant stories: Stefan Lafloer

October 7, 2013

5 min read

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Immigrant stories: Stefan Lafloer

By Jennifer Brookland

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It was every young adult’s dream. An all-expenses paid apartment on the 39th floor of a high-rise building in downtown Chicago overlooking Lake Michigan, and a chance to kick off a career in a hot field that was so new most had never heard of it.

At the time Stefan Lafloer’s boss asked if he wanted to leave his native Germany for a two-year stint in the United States, it was a perfect moment for him. Stefan was ambitious, motivated to make a career and (maybe most fortuitously) single and of legal drinking age.

Stefan asked when he could get on a plane. A couple of weeks later, he was on a flight over the Atlantic Ocean. He knew opportunity when it presented itself.

Creative Associates International is reflecting on the contributions of immigrants to our professional and social lives, and is recognizing the significant number of “Americans by Choice at Creative” who work every day to support people in countries around the world.

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Yemen campaign to spark culture of reading

October 4, 2013

3 min read

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Yemen campaign to spark culture of reading

By Creative Associates International

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USAID Mission Director Herbie Smith talks with local media at the Yemen Reading Campaign launch event. — USAID Mission Director Herbie Smith talks with local media at the Yemen Reading Campaign launch event on Sept 28. The campaign is designed to promote a culture of reading in Yemen.

Encouraging young children to read is one of the best ways to create a better future for Yemen, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development Mission Director Herbie Smith.

Smith addressed a crowd of more than 200 people on Sept. 28 at the Educational Research Development Center in Sana’a as USAID, Creative Associates International and the Ministry of Education launched the Yemen Reading Campaign.

“Better reading skills lead to higher academic achievement for school children, who will then grow up to be knowledgeable, skilled and productive citizens of this great country,” Smith said

The campaign, designed to promote a culture of reading—particularly among children who are reading at below-grade levels—is a media thrust consisting of audiovisual messages, SMS messages and print materials.

“Reading is fun and provides children with the basis for all learning,” said Smith. “We hope that this campaign will help make Yemen a country of readers.”

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