Sisters for Sisters' Education

  • P Project/Program

I Inactive

Key Information

The first phase of Sisters for Sisters supported thousands of girls from marginalised communities to improve their school attendance and participation, by pairing them with volunteer ‘Big Sisters’ – female mentors who offer encouragement, accountability, and essential information on sexual and reproductive health issues. Now, we’re building on the project’s successes to date, continuing to support the same cohort of girls as they navigate adolescence and start to make their way in the world. We’re empowering girls to recognise that they have choices and agency when it comes to their future – including deciding whether to continue their education, and choosing when to get married and have children. The program recognizes that change needs to happen at multiple levels, so their innovative approach embeds volunteers in various points of society, forming a ‘holistic web of support’ around vulnerable girls.

Lead Implementing Organization(s)

Location(s)

South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

Nepal, Nigeria

Activity URL

https://www.vsointernational.org/our-work/inclusive-education/system-strengthening/sisters-for-sisters

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2017 - 2020

Partner(s)

Aasaman Nepal, Global Action Nepal, and British Council Nepal

Ministry Affiliation

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Nepal

Funder(s)

Not applicable or unknown

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

  • Post-secondary
  • Primary to secondary transition
  • Secondary completion

Other skills

  • Life skills/sexuality education
  • Rights/empowerment education

Cross-cutting areas

  • Adolescent pregnancy/childbearing
  • Early/child marriage
  • Empowerment
  • Gender equality
  • Menstrual hygiene management
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Girls in school, Youth

Age

11 - 19

School Enrolment Status

All in school

School Level

  • Upper primary
  • Lower secondary
  • Upper secondary

Other populations reached

Not applicable or unknown

Participants include

Not applicable or unknown

Program Approaches Back to Top

Health and childcare services

  • Sexual and reproductive health services (including family planning)

Life skills education

  • Sexual and reproductive health (including puberty education)

Mentoring/psychosocial support

  • Adult (non-teacher) mentors

Women's empowerment programs

  • Empowerment training

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Gender parity and non-discrimination are promoted at all subjects/education levels
  • Increased school completion (general)

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health
  • Improved understanding of sexual harassment, coercion, and consent
  • Increased agency and empowerment
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms
  • Reduced adolescent pregnancy/childbearing
  • Reduced child marriage
  • Reduced school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV)