The Virtuous Cycle of Girls’ Education

  • P Project/Program

I Inactive

Key Information

Camfed International's project aimed to enable 269,390 marginalised girls to transition to, progress through and succeed at secondary school. It then helped them to transition from school to a secure and fulfilling livelihood. Girls that graduate from school were encouraged to lead initiatives to support girls' education within their communities and join forces with district and national authorities to drive change at a wider scale, ultimately re-setting the context for future generations of girls. Camfed International has interventions in Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe that combine to create a regional ‘community of practice’.

Activities

  • Learner Guide Programme where Learner Guides (local young women who are recent school graduates) provided support to improve the educational achievements of marginalised girls, expanding their life choices, and enabling them to become 'edu-preneurs'

  • A life skills curriculum (My Better World) delivered by Learner Guides to improve confidence and rights awareness

  • A programme of transition and learning support for post-school girls through Learner Guides which incorporated financial literacy, sexual and reproductive health education, and entrepreneurship

  • Low-cost, self-study resources such as Learning to Learn in English and e-readers to directly address the major issue with English as a language of instruction

  • Improved teacher motivation, engagement and the attendance through centres that accommodate teacher support, trainings and meetings

  • Individualised tracking system that followed beneficiary girls through and beyond school to assess the impact of the project

  • Access to Kiva loans to enable business start-ups


Lead Implementing Organization(s)

Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Government Affiliation

Unknown

Years

2017 - 2022

Ministry Affiliation

N/A

COVID-19 Response

Unknown

Geographic Scope

Global / regional

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Primary completion
  • Primary to secondary transition
  • Secondary completion
  • Secondary Enrollment

Other skills

  • Financial literacy
  • Life skills/sexuality education

Cross-cutting areas

  • Economic/livelihoods (including savings/financial inclusion, etc.)
  • Empowerment
  • Gender equality
  • Mentorship
  • Other aspects of sexual and reproductive health

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Girls in school, Youth

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

All in school

School Level

  • Upper primary
  • Lower secondary
  • Upper secondary

Other populations reached

  • Teachers - female
  • Teachers - male

Participants include

Not applicable or unknown

Program Approaches Back to Top

Educational Technology

  • Digital devices for the purposes of studying, learning
  • Digital learning materials/programs

Life skills education

  • Sexual and reproductive health (including puberty education)

Mentoring/psychosocial support

  • Peer mentors

Reducing economic barriers

  • Financial literacy training

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Increased grade attainment
  • Increased primary school completion
  • Increased progression to secondary school
  • Increased school completion (general)
  • Increased secondary school completion
  • Increased secondary school enrolment
  • Increased years of schooling

Cross-cutting goals

  • Improved financial literacy and savings
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health