Major Trade Hub Learning Event a success

September 19, 2023

1 min read

Co-investment partners, USAID, multilateral organizations and government officials learned about the USAID West Africa Trade & Investment Hub’s significant contributions to bolster economic growth, investment opportunities and employment during it hybrid Learning Event in Abuja, Nigeria, Sept. 6 & 7.

More than 75 in-person attendees, and many more online, participated in the two-day “Leveraging Private Sector Engagement to Promote Sustainable Impact” that reflected on the progress and successes of the USAID-supported, five-year program.

Through an innovative public-private partnership, the Trade Hub has provided co-investment grants to 93 companies and organizations in West Africa to focus on boosting exports, generating sustainable employment opportunities, addressing climate change, improving food security and more.

For four years, the Trade Hub has generated more than 60,000 new jobs, generated $158 million in exports and attracted in excess of $319 million in private sector investment.

WACOT Rice Nigeria’s Team lead by Habiba Sulaiman the head of Strategic Partnerships at the Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group.

Affiong Williams, founder and CEO of Reel Fruit, the largest fruit processing, packaging, and marketing company in Nigeria, showcasing her products to the Acting Mission Director.

R-L : Alladjodjo Dieu-Donne, CEO Promo Fruits in Togo (Grantee); Shadi Saleh, CEO Caspian in Liberia (Grantee) and Issifou Dabo, Promo Fruit, discussing possible partnerships.

USAID REWARD II: Locally conceived & driven solutions to regional challenges

September 18, 2023

1 min read

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Reacting to Early Warning and Response Data II (USAID REWARD II) program provides grants to local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Benin, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Togo to help prevent and mitigate electoral violence and promote peace social cohesion.

Comments in this video are of the speakers and may not represent the positions of the U.S. government. REWARD II is implemented by Creative Associates International on behalf of USAID.

Regional Challenges, Local Solutions — 26-minute documentary

September 18, 2023

1 min read

Comments in this video are of the speakers and may not represent the positions of the U.S. government. REWARD II is implemented by Creative Associates International on behalf of USAID.

Democracy Day 2023: Local solutions to the rising tide of authoritarianism

September 18, 2023

5 min read

Burkina Faso is a challenging country for civil society and citizens who are promoters of democracy, its ideals and the institutions that support its growth. Two successive coups have pushed the country from “partly free” to “not free” on Freedom House’s list of “Freedom in the World 2023.”

Indeed, USAID cautions that “modest development gains in Burkina Faso are threatened by political instability, violent extremism, internal displacement and the impacts of climate change.” The agency lists the country as one of the poorest in the world, with high rates of illiteracy and malnutrition.

Karl Jean Louis, Chief of Party of the USAID-supported Inclusive Governance for Resilience, which is implemented by Creative and local partners, says, “Burkina Faso is a complex situation where democratic norms, values and institutions are under attack through organized campaigns.”

“The perception of democracy in Burkina Faso is that it is linked with Western values, and in those Western countries people may more easily see the benefits of the democratic process,” Jean Louis says. “Unfortunately, in Burkina Faso there are too few concrete results of democracy that people can see. The current government in Burkina is very popular, even while it continues to shrink citizens’ freedom of expression and monitors CSOs, especially those organizations that are promoting democracy.”

Burkina Faso is not unique. “More than one-third of the world’s population live under authoritarian rule,” the Economist Intelligence Unit’s most recent report said, which listed Burkina Faso as “authoritarian.” Slightly more than 43 percent of the countries analyzed have “democracies.”

Promoting and strengthening democratic ideals and institutions among citizens, as well as the non-governmental guardrails like civil society organizations.

A colleague of ACPE NGO, which is supported by Creative/USAID, performs local dance with villagers during a field visit in Kita, Mali on June 13, 2023.

U.N. Secretary General António Guterres’ 2023 Democracy Day message said, “the walls are closing in on civic spaces. Mis- and disinformation are poisoning public discourse, polarizing communities and eroding trust in institutions.”

Addressing these challenges, as well as building trust among communities, being inclusive and strengthening institutions to become responsive to residents’ needs, require nuanced and contextually appropriate approaches to complex local situations, says Susan Kemp, Creative’s Governance Practice Area Director.

“Creative uses a people-centered governance approach, convening citizens, civil society groups, the private sector and government officials to engage in dialogue and build trust; facilitating spaces for communities — including underrepresented populations — to voice their needs, perspectives and priorities; and supporting actors across the governance system to partner in addressing citizen needs to strengthen responsive governance,” Kemp says.

“This requires staying attuned to contextual shifts and strengthening the capacity of actors to gather and use data and engage with one another to facilitate meaningful participation, inclusion, transparency and accountability.”

In Burkina Faso, Louis says the USAID-supported Inclusive Governance for Resilience project is working with more than 10 community-based organizations and plans to double that number in the coming months to advocate for community needs and counter threats to their democracy.

“Working with local CSOs, we are carefully crafting training activities and community radio civic education programs to reinforce the norms and values of democracy,” he says. “These programs will also help us to capture the public’s perception about democracy and democratic institutions.”

Louis is aware of the local situation and actors — and ensuring that government officials are involved in the process, too. “To avoid problems, we are carefully crafting our messages and ensuring that local authorities also play a role in all our efforts,” he says.

In addition to Burkina Faso, Creative’s teams are working with diverse local partners in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Ethiopia, Syria and elsewhere to strengthen institutions, services and civil society. Led primarily by local staff and organizations, their efforts are focused on shifting behaviors and norms, combat mis- and disinformation and promote inclusion and meaningful participation in countries’ governance processes. (Please see our question-and-answer story with the Honduras Sembrando Esperanza team.)

While not all programs are developed specifically to address governance or democracy per se, many projects have components and activities that strengthen those ideals and institutions given the importance of governance for peace, stability, and violence prevention.

In West Africa, the five-country USAID Reacting to Early Warning and Response Data in West Africa, better known as REWARD II, has prioritized a return to democracy during the past five years as part of the solution to the rising tide of violent extremism, disenfranchisement, poor government services and disinformation.

REWARD II’s Chief of Party, Alimou Diallo, says the team focused on challenges related to peace, security and democratic process in Benin, Togo, Guinea, Mali and Niger. It issued more than 200 locally driven and implemented grants to support the priorities of each community — including educating and registering internally displaced persons to participate in Mali’s elections and including youth in local decision making in Benin.

A meeting organized by NAGARI NGO with the city council and community members, supported by CREATIVE/USAID at the town hall of Zinder, Niger on June 7, 2023.

“The design stage focused on working with the stakeholders in country to identify their priorities,” says Diallo. “So that consultation was able to identify the basic needs and priorities in terms of peace, security and development. And the project implementation process was also designed to make sure that it fits into existing processes and the countries’ institutional infrastructures. Where they are weak, we strengthen them and [support their development] where these do not exist.”

Diallo says the approach from the initial phase was key to the program’s successful results. Working with USAID in West Africa, REWARD II sought local civil society organizations instead of larger national or international groups as implementing partners. “That turned out to be very positive because they understood the context and they knew the issues and they were able to navigate around all the challenges and implement successful programming,” Diallo says. (Learn more about REWARD II in this short documentary.)

When the world celebrated Democracy Day 2023 in September, its theme was “Empowering the Next Generation,” which was one of the core principles during REWARD II’s five years of locally focused program programming. In Benin, one NGO worked to better engage youth in civic affairs.

“Youth always think that the authorities need to do everything for them,” says Christian Houegnanfode, youth leader in the community of Ifangni, Benin. “One of our objectives is to tackle the problem of youth reluctance to involve themselves in the management of the community’s wellbeing. Today, thanks to the project, we’ve noticed that some of the youth do want to learn and get involved.”

Houegnanfode says local NGO-led training focused on elections and youth were a significant step forward. “Elections are always a big moment during which things can take a turn,” he says. Through these trainings, “we were able to notice a positive change in the attitude of the people with regards to the elections. We also noticed some positive impacts amidst the community.”

A veteran teacher in Somalia learns new ways to support young readers

September 6, 2023

By Alinor Osman

3 min read

Ali Mohamed has been an educator in Mogadishu since 1975. He has seen decades of conflict, schools destroyed, and educators and students displaced. Despite the challenges, children come to his classroom each September looking to learn how to read the new books in their backpacks. 

The USAID-funded Bar ama Baro program, meaning Teach or Learn in Somali, has been working with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education to get more students in the classroom. Bar ama Baro provides accelerated basic education so students who dropped out of or never attended the formal school system can catch up on fundamental skills like literacy and numeracy.

Ali Mohamed works with a student in class.

Sharpening literacy education skills

As headteacher of Mogadishu Primary and Secondary School, Mohamed is dedicated to the professional development of his teachers and to ensuring the school is doing everything it can to help students succeed. In 2021, the school began offering Bar Ama Baro’s accelerated basic education program (ABE) after its formal school day to support more children, recognizing the urgent need for alternative education pathways for children who are from marginalized communities and poor families. 

Teachers at Bar ama Baro schools were trained on innovative literacy techniques, student-centric teaching methodologies, and adaptable strategies. Given that the accelerated education students are typically older than formal school students at the same grade level and have faced ongoing insecurity, like conflict and displacement, teachers need to be well prepared to tailor their approach to the diverse learning needs of their students.

“These newfound skills enabled us to cultivate positive student interactions, employ age-appropriate techniques, and foster a secure learning environment that amplifies our students’ learning outcomes,” says Mohamed.

Bringing reading in reach with a strong curriculum

Every component of USAID’s Bar ama Baro program was designed to effectively teach children at an accelerated pace so students can complete the eight-year primary cycle in just four years and then enter the formal school system. In its 4th implementation year, the program has enrolled over 100 thousand Accelerated Basic Education students in 444 schools, trained 2660 teachers and headteachers and distributed more than half a million teaching and learning materials.

To ensure that the ABE students have a thorough grounding in reading skills, the accelerated basic education curriculum in the first level (equivalent to grades 1-2) devotes a third of the teaching time to learning Somali.

The curriculum introduces letters and sounds based on their frequency and has taken a leveled approach to reading texts, building in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This approach utilizes the experience that the older accelerated education students bring with them, including an enhanced vocabulary, familiarity with cultural stories and songs, and the reading skills they may already have picked up from Quranic schools or at home.

The reading and writing skills not only build on each other throughout the levels in Somali but are also replicated across Arabic and English subjects. This strong foundation in reading and writing skills benefits all subjects in the curriculum.

“This curriculum’s impact will endure, benefiting numerous generations in our country,” says Mohamed.

Books and teacher guides that make reading fun

Another aspect of the program that proved to be a game changer is the newly developed textbooks and teacher guides. These resources have become indispensable assets for both educators and students. 

Mohamed notes that these guides empower teachers to craft lesson plans that maximize student engagement. Textbooks also serve as avenues for students to practice both in the classroom and at home, effectively enhancing their literacy and numeracy skills. To further augment students’ numeracy abilities, the program introduced supplementary reading materials seamlessly integrated into the Accelerated Basic Education curriculum. 

“The fusion of textbooks and engaging supplementary reading materials has yielded an astonishing transformation in our students’ literacy skills within a matter of months,” says Mohamed.

Somalia has one of the lowest school enrollment rates globally, with approximately 4.4 million children out of school. In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education, as well as Federal Member States Ministries of Education, local communities, and committed educators like Mohamed, the Bar ama Baro program strives to elevate the literacy rate by providing quality education access to over 100 thousand out-of-school children and youth across 31 districts in the Hirshabelle, Southwest, Jubaland States, and Banadir Region.

Four lessons from 20 years of literacy work

September 5, 2023

4 min read

My literacy journey began 20 years ago as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Niger. It was there that I saw the dynamics of literacy up close and how a few key elements can make all the difference for young learners. In the decades since, I’ve seen these fundamentals of literacy hold true and play out in the countries where I have worked.

Language and literacy are intricately intertwined

The village where I lived on the edge of the Sahara was mostly Hausa-speaking. Hausa was used in the market, on the radio and tv, and for most business. However, French is the national language in Niger and the language of instruction.

One day, some of my neighbor kids recited a beautiful poem in French that they had learned at school. When I asked them what it meant, each one of them proceeded to shrug their shoulders and say they had no idea.

I have always loved languages and recognized the power of language, but it was not until that moment that I realized the critical role that language plays in literacy; because how can a child understand a text in a language they do not speak?

Reading comprehension requires decoding and language comprehension

To read with comprehension, one must both understand the language being read AND be able to interpret the symbols on the page into the sounds they make, otherwise known as decoding. Both skills are required, and one alone is not sufficient.

Imagine for example a child who has a large vocabulary in Spanish and then is handed a book in Spanish. If he has never learned to decode the words on the page, even though his understanding of Spanish is perfect, his reading comprehension will be null.

Now imagine a child who already knows how to read in their home language of Mam. When this child is presented with a text in Spanish, even though they already know how to decode in Mam, since they do not understand Spanish, their reading comprehension will be zero. Children must develop both decoding and language comprehension to become skilled readers.  

Literacy is in fact rocket science

Okay, maybe not literally rocket science, but so often we hear that literacy is not really all that complicated when in fact this could not be farther from the truth. Although language ability comes naturally to humans, and babies learn speech through listening and observing those around them, the same is not true for literacy.

You cannot just surround a child with books or read to a child and expect them to learn to read. Literacy is a science — and although we are still learning more every day about how learning to read happens in the brain and the most effective strategies to support reading development, we know so much more now about the science of reading and how to facilitate reading with comprehension.

Literacy does not happen in a vacuum

In an ideal world, children are spoken to with rich language from the time they are in the womb, interesting reading materials in a language they understand abound in their homes and communities, they are read to frequently by siblings and parents, attend schools with full bellies, have teachers who are trained to teach reading, and experience school in a safe setting where they are protected and able to just be children.

After 20 years of working in international development, I know that most children must try to learn to read in the midst of circumstances far from this ideal.

Literacy interventions must help teachers follow the science of reading but at the same time they will be much more effective if they also ensure students have access to books, collaborate with school feeding programs to make sure students are well nourished, and work with parents to understand how they can support reading at home from the very earliest days.

Putting literacy to work

Supporting children to learn to read in languages they speak and understand is core to our model, and we are putting it in practice in places like Ethiopia, Nigeria and Somalia.

We provide reading materials in the languages children speak, train teachers in the science of reading, and bundle our reading programs with other complementary activities such as psycho-social support for children who have experienced trauma, as is the case in many of the crisis-affected areas where Creative works.

We also work to strengthen education systems in every country where we operate as this is the only way that reading improvements will be sustained over time.

Although much has been done, there are still millions of children attending school and attempting to learn to read in languages they do not speak and without books to support them, and there are teachers who have never been trained on how the science of reading can be implemented in a classroom.

I am reconfirming my commitment to ensuring that, 20 years from now, I will see a world where children are given the opportunity they need to learn to read by the very education systems that were meant to support them.

Rebecca Stone is the Director of Creative’s Education Technical Unit.

Bridging the gap from direct implementation to technical assistance 

August 30, 2023

By Cory Heyman

3 min read

Everyone rose when the Honorable Executive Governor entered the receiving hall. He and an entourage of officials moved swiftly through the room with press cameras trailing behind to welcome our delegation back to Sokoto.

As the Governor shook hands with Leland Kruvant, Creative’s President and CEO, the Governor recalled a previous visit some years ago and expressed his gratitude for Creative’s ongoing work in the state.

I was heartened that, within a compressed day of meetings, the Governor pledged to release funding for early grade teaching and learning materials and his Highness, the Waziri of Sokoto, pledged full support for early grade reading on behalf of his Excellency, the Sultan. Council members of the Nigerian Califate also pledged to reinforce messages about the importance of financial investments in early grade reading to their communities. 

These are important indicators of local commitment that make our LEARN to Read (LEARN) project’s technical assistance approach possible.

A decade of progress in Nigeria 

The path from direct implementation to technical assistance requires long-term investment.

Creative previously implemented USAID’s Northern Education Initiative and NEI Plus projects in Sokoto and Bauchi states that were touted as enormous successes. The projects provided teaching and learning materials, teacher training, and monitoring and assistance of school support officers.

The uptake of new student-centered, structured lessons was high, and early grade reading assessments showed substantial improvement in student reading achievement before COVID. The formula for reading instruction in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and English was working — reliably replicable with larger numbers of teachers and schools.

It made sense to shift the next project, LEARN, toward technical assistance. LEARN would help the Ministry of Education and receptive state ministries adopt the historically successful approach.

Passing the torch from direct implementation to technical assistance 

This change has yielded important results. LEARN has helped the national government to adopt a National Reading Framework as well as central guidance for assessing and monitoring student reading performance. These are no easy tasks in a country with a strong federalist system in which most educational policies are determined at the state and local levels.  

LEARN has also helped individual states build effective reading strategies into their own curricular guidance. In addition to Bauchi and Sokoto, seven new states have expressed interest in the approach and receiving on-demand support from the LEARN project. 

Despite hurdles — like the pandemic creating an extended gap in programming and national elections diverting attention away from education — LEARN has supported local stakeholders to take ownership of this important literacy work.

This requires advocacy about the importance of early grade reading with new education officials, many of whom were just elected a few months ago, as well as guidance about how to shore up state-approved curriculum and teacher training to help children learn to read.

Challenges to moving towards technical assistance 

Graduating to a technical assistance model is a great achievement and a sign of programs that have done well. However, challenges are a part of the process.

In Nigeria, for example, states have struggled to provide new textbooks and maintain professional development continuity for teachers and school support officers. USAID and LEARN are continuing their longstanding relationship with governments to navigate these growing pains.

At the same time, it is individual state victories — such as financial commitments from new Governors, public pronouncements from traditional and religious leaders, and genuine progress in student reading outcomes — that build momentum for more states and local governments to follow similar paths for millions more children to learn to read.

17-year-old goes from shoe shiner to first-time student

August 6, 2023

By Alinor Osman

3 min read

Hussein Sheik Sidow, age 17, is the oldest in his level two accelerated basic education class, but he is not discouraged by the age gap between him and his peers.

Hussein spent his childhood with his parents and 17 siblings in Bula Ahmed Cigow village in the Middle Shabelle region. Life in the village revolved around farming and herding animals, and there was no hope of going to school.

When Hussein came to Mogadishu to live with his older brother in 2021, his brother dissuaded him from pursuing an education and advised him to work to support his family back in the village. Hussein began to work as a shoe shiner, but in the back of his mind he always wanted to go to school one day, and he felt disheartened whenever he saw someone his age or younger wearing a uniform on their way to school.

Hussein, left, works with a classmate in his Level 2 accelerated basic education class. Photo by: Abdirahman Mohamed

After several months of shining shoes in Mogadishu, Hussein’s fortune changed when his friend, another shoe shiner, missed work. He returned the next day and told Hussein that he had enrolled in a free education program. Excited by the news, Hussein asked his friend to take him to Mujama Umulqura school to see if there was an opportunity available for him too. He met with the headteacher, who told him to come back the next day to enroll and take a placement test.

Bar ama Baro, meaning “Teach or Learn” in English, is an accelerated education program implemented by USAID in Somalia in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education and Federal Member States’ Ministries of Education. The program expands access to quality accelerated basic education for out-of-school children to advance the government’s vision of ensuring all Somali children have access to quality education.

“I never really thought that I would get the opportunity to go to school and be in class studying,” says Hussein. “Education is the key to success and a good life. I feel like I finally got a chance to change my life — and the lives of my family — for the better.”

Accelerated basic education allows out-of-school children and youth to complete the eight-year primary cycle in four years and then transition into the formal school system or earn a government recognized certificate. Bar ama Baro has reached over 100,000 children in Somalia to date.

Once enrolled, Hussein was motivated to catch up on the education he had missed. He worked tirelessly to excel in his studies and quickly became one of the top-performing students in his class. Hussein still works as a shoe shiner in the morning and attends his classes in the afternoon, carrying his books with him to study and do homework whenever he does not have customers.

Hussein has gained knowledge, skills and confidence that have transformed his mindset and given him hope for the future. He aspires to become a math teacher one day to help educate children, particularly those like him who are from poor families.

At 17, Hussein is older than his Level 2 classmates, but is not discouraged by the age gap and is eager to learn. Photo by: Abdirahman Mohamed

Ministry of Education and students in Somalia rise to the challenge, concluding end-of-year exams

July 3, 2023

By Alinor Osman

2 min read

More than 88,000 Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) students in the country recently concluded their end-of-year examinations, marking a significant achievement for both the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education (MoECHE) and the students themselves.

Mohamed Abbi, the Director General of MoECHE, hails the completion of the exams as a huge milestone in the Ministry’s efforts to expand access to education in the country and describes the Accelerated Basic Education program as a transformative initiative, bridging gaps in education and fostering inclusivity in Somalia.

“I congratulate all for the successful completion of the ABE examinations and the conclusion of the academic year,” he says. “The ABE program holds immense importance by offering a second chance to children who may have missed out on formal education opportunities.”

A team of MoECHE experts developed the exams in alignment with the national ABE Curriculum, ensuring that students are tested on the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout the academic year. The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bar ama Baro program has supported the successful implementation of the examination process.

Students attend class at a school in in Baidoa, Somalia, on 04 September 2022. Credit: © Ismail Taxta

The Bar ama Baro program, meaning “Teach or Learn” in English, is implemented by USAID in Somalia in partnership with the MoECHE and Federal Member States’ Ministries of Education. The program expands access to quality accelerated basic education for out-of-school children to advance the government’s vision of ensuring all Somali children have access to quality education.

For the ABE students, the end-of-year examinations evaluate their literacy and numeracy skills and determine their eligibility for progression to the next level of the ABE program or joining the formal education system. It is an opportunity for these students, who dropped out of or never attended the formal school system, to prove their academic capabilities and secure a brighter future.

Hafso Isak, a first-time ABE exam taker from Imamu Nawawi School in Walanweyn, expresses gratitude towards her teachers for their year-long guidance and dedicated revision sessions held in the final week before the exams. “This is my first examination, but our teachers have prepared us well, and I am hopeful that I will succeed in all subjects and proceed to the next level,” she says confidently.

With the support and supervision of the program and the Federal Member States’ Ministries of Education officials, the ABE teachers and head teachers will now undertake a meticulous grading process. The successful completion of the end-of-year examinations stands as a testament to the collective efforts made by the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents and the students themselves. It signifies a step forward in Somalia’s education system.

Creative one of eight implementers awarded peacebuilding IDIQ

June 13, 2023

By Ashley Williams

2 min read

Creative Associates International is one of eight implementers awarded a five-year, $800 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to improve peacebuilding and violence-prevention efforts in fragile, conflict or violence-affected countries.

“Creative has a long history of implementing peacebuilding projects in some of the most challenging environments,” says President & CEO Leland Kruvant. “We look forward to bringing our conflict and post-conflict expertise to the table to continue supporting USAID’s peace and stabilization work around the world.”

Conflict, political crises, democratic backsliding and violent extremism are among the many complex challenges that are barriers to peace. By placing communities at the center of peacebuilding efforts, Creative focuses on building local leadership, elevating diverse voices, establishing trust among residents and channeling resources as communities address underlying causes of conflict and pursue positive change.

“Peacebuilding and violence prevention are critical to achieving stable, resilient communities and regions where people can live safe, full lives,” says Sharon Van Pelt, Vice President of Creative’s Communities in Transition Division. “Centering communities and local leadership in the peacebuilding process is integral to our approach.”

USAID is eager to use the Programming for Prevention and Peacebuilding mechanism in support of the Global Fragility Act to re-imagine how to develop and carryout peacebuilding initiatives in five key locations — Haiti, Mozambique, Libya, Papua New Guinea and Coastal West Africa — and then take those experiences to other at-risk and conflict areas.

“An emphasis in these regions, using systems and evidence-based approaches, has the potential to put U.S. resources to work in a more strategic way and to address the root causes of violence and instability,” says Mystelle Ruble, Creative’s Transitions Practice Area Director. “This is an exciting opportunity for implementers and USAID to build the knowledge base on what works well and how we can apply it elsewhere.”

The Programming for Prevention and Peacebuilding IDIQ was awarded through the Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention at USAID’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization. The IDIQ has a ceiling of $800 million during five years. Each one of the IDIQ holders compete for task orders issued by USAID.

Learn more about Creative’s extensive peacebuilding work here.

Creative’s videos earn six prestigious awards in global competition

June 7, 2023

4 min read

Three videos produced by Creative Associates International about innovative field programming earned six awards – a Gold, three Silvers and two Bronzes – in one of the most prestigious global competitions in video across all screens called the Telly Awards.

Two videos about the USAID-supported READ II Education Recovery Activity in Ethiopia scored five of the six awards. “Trauma-Informed Education in Northern Ethiopia” earned two awards – including the top honor of Gold for script writing – and “Using Art to Overcome Trauma” earned three awards, including two Silver awards and a Bronze.

One of the two videos produced for the USAID-supported Peacebuilding, Stabilization & Reconciliation program, Artisans for Peace, earned a Silver for videography/cinematography. The Artisans for Peace initiative is implemented in collaboration with Creative Learning’s Aid to Artisans. 

Creative President & CEO Leland Kruvant commended the close collaboration among programs, communications and the communities to make these successful videos.

“The videos from Mali and Ethiopia channel the voices of people in these communities to larger audiences, each time showing that they have agency and determination to overcome obstacles in conflict and post-conflict situations,” Kruvant says. “While we are honored for the recognition of our outstanding videos, we continue to be driven by the positive results in these communities.”

Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Jim Huylebroek earned the two Silver Awards for the six-minute video about artwork as therapy in Ethiopia and the four-minute video about artisans for peace in Mali. Michael J. Zamba earned the Gold for script writing of the trauma-informed education video and a Bronze for the one on how schools are using art to help students to overcome the effects of the two-year conflict in Northern Ethiopia.

The team – including Zamba, Huylebroek, former READ II Communications Manager Habtamu Gelgel, video editor Yevgeniya “Jane” Bondar and HQ Senior Manager for Strategic Content, Ashley Williams – won a Silver for Social Impact for the artwork as therapy video and a Bronze for Social Impact for the trauma-informed education production.

Ethiopia education program’s quick pivots

The USAID-supported READ II – originally focusing on early grade reading – shifted its efforts after November 2020 when a regional conflict broke out in Ethiopia, quickly moving to address the needs of students, educators and communities in the Amhara, Afar and Tigray Regions. It was renamed READ II Education Recovery Activity.

The Activity provides training and ongoing support to teachers and community leaders on psychological first aid, psychological support and social-emotional learning to support classroom and school-level recovery and learning. School leaders receive support in creating safe and protective learning environments to lead their schools and temporary learning centers to better recover from conflict shocks. Teaching and learning can recommence, along with the development of school-level psychosocial support mechanisms.

Another video produced by Creative highlights how the READ II Education Recovery Activity used sports and recreation to support students. It was produced by Williams, filmed by Huylebroek and edited by Charlotte Bellis.

Peacebuilding Program Working in Mali

The Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation program seeks to improve prospects for long-term peace, security and reconciliation in Mali by building trust between conflict-affected communities and their governments, strengthening the ability of communities to mitigate and manage conflict, and training and empowering marginalized youth as change agents. The five-year program, which ends this summer, contributes to measurable improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness, and capacities of local communities to be more resilient to conflict and violent extremism and brings citizens and local leaders together to build peace. 

The program focuses on 43 communities, or “communes,” in the Mopti, Ségou, Gao, Kidal, Ménaka, Taoudénit and Timbuktu regions. 

 The program fosters local ownership of peacebuilding and strengthens the links and communication within and between communities and with the government, with a focus on elevating the voices and engagement of often-marginalized groups like women, youth and ethnic minorities. 

In addition to the Artisans for Peace video, Creative produced a four-minute piece about countering disinformation and misinformation in Mali. The video was filmed by Huylebroek, produced and written by Zamba and edited by Bellis. 

About the Telly Awards

Organizers of the Telly Awards said the announcement of 2023’s winners caps “a year-long celebration of creators and talent who truly stand out during a time when the ubiquity of screens brings more clutter than quality into our lives. These are the creators and innovators who spotlight diverse voices, who are building a more sustainable industry, and who break through the static with their creativity.”

This was a record-breaking year with nearly 13,000 entries from across the globe and top video and television content producers, such as Airbnb, Audible, BET Networks/BET Digital, BritBox, Disney, FEMA, Golden State Warriors, NASA, National Geographic Society, Netflix, Paramount, PBS Digital Studios and more, according to an official announcement by the Telly Awards.