Excelling Against the Odds

  • P Project/Program

I Inactive

Key Information

This project aimed to support 16,480 marginalised girls in remote areas of Ethiopia who faced challenges of early marriage, street-life and heavy domestic work. It encouraged them to regularly attend primary and secondary school by creating stimulating and appropriate classrooms. It also equipped them with functional literacy and numeracy by providing teachers with training and mentoring necessary to tailor their teaching to the needs of individual girls. It empowered girls by offering life skills and raising their aspirations. As well as supporting individual girls, the project aimed to influence wider social change around issues of gender in Ethiopian society by instigating a ‘Girls’ Movement’. This movement is led by young female leaders of all age groups, who lead local campaigns promoting the value of girls’ education.

Lead Implementing Organization(s)

Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethiopia

Activity URL

https://girlseducationchallenge.org/projects/project/excelling-against-the-odds/

Government Affiliation

Non-governmental program

Years

2017 - 2021

Partner(s)

Ministry Affiliation

Unknown

Funder(s)

FCDO funds this program through the Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC)

COVID-19 Response

Adapted

Geographic Scope

National

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Post-secondary
  • Primary completion
  • Secondary completion

Other

  • Remote Learning
  • Transition from school to work

Other skills

  • Life skills/sexuality education
  • Vocational training

Quality

  • Curricula/lesson plans
  • School quality
  • School violence
  • Teacher training

Skills

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy

Cross-cutting areas

  • Early/child marriage
  • Empowerment
  • Gender equality
  • Mentorship
  • Other cultural practices
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs
  • WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene)

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Girls in school, Teachers - female, Teachers - male, Youth

Age

7 - 18

School Enrolment Status

All in school

School Level

  • Lower primary
  • Upper primary
  • Lower secondary
  • Upper secondary
  • Vocational

Other populations reached

  • Brothers
  • Fathers
  • Mothers
  • Other caregivers

Participants include

  • Orphans and vulnerable children

Program Approaches Back to Top

Facilities construction/improvement

  • Construction/improvement of schools

Learning while working

  • Apprenticeship/internship
  • Vocational training
  • Work-study

Life skills education

  • Gender, rights and power

Reducing economic barriers

  • Addressing cost of school supplies
  • Scholarships/stipends for school fees

School-related gender-based violence

  • Anti-violence policies and codes of conduct
  • Safe and welcoming schools
  • Support in and around schools (e.g. peer counseling, adult-to-student counseling)

Teaching

  • In-service teacher training – gender-responsive pedagogy
  • In-service teacher training – pedagogy general

Tutoring/strengthening academic skills

  • Literacy - in the classroom
  • Literacy - outside the classroom
  • Numeracy - in the classroom
  • Numeracy - outside the classroom
  • Tutoring - general

Women's empowerment programs

  • Advocacy/action
  • Leadership training

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
  • Improved social and emotional learning/skills and mindsets
  • Increased progression to secondary school
  • Increased school completion (general)
  • Increased test scores
  • Increased years of schooling
  • Reduced absenteeism

Cross-cutting goals

  • Improved mental health
  • Increased agency and empowerment