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Achievements and lesson learned implementing the Girls’ Education Challenge in Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

More than 277,000 girls and young women have seen a tangible difference in their lives as a result of two CAMFED projects implemented under UK Aid’s Girls’ Education Challenge – Transitions (GEC-T) in peri-urban and rural districts of Tanzania, and rural districts of Zambia and Zimbabwe, especially as a result of the introduction and scaling of our Learner Guide program

The impact achieved is a culmination of nine years of work and investment under the Girls’ Education Challenge, which – for CAMFED – began in 2013 and ended in January 2022.

The projects were central to developing and delivering our wider organizational strategy, and served as a powerful demonstration of our collective ability to respond quickly and effectively to the additional challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

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The virtuous cycle of girls' education: Girls learn, succeed, and lead change for the next generation

This final reflections piece, developed in partnership with the GEC-T team, gives an overview of both CAMFED projects (“Girls learn, succeed, and lead” implemented in peri-urban districts in Tanzania and “The virtuous cycle of girls’ education” implemented in rural Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) in the context of our strategic plan.

It outlines the adaptations we made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, key achievements, headline numbers, and important points of learning. The stories and expertise of the girls and young women we serve, and the leaders they’ve become, bring our community-led transformational work to life. 

Read the CAMFED GEC reflections piece
The CAMFED vision tells a message of sustainability of what it does. When girls are educated and valued in the community, they use their knowledge and skills to help families tackle poverty.
Community Development Committee member, Zambia

Our impact: "The virtuous cycle of girls’ education"

This project, implemented in rural Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, resulted in:

  • >270K

    A total of 270,845 girls being supported to attend and thrive in secondary school. 88,061 in Tanzania, 10,205 in Zambia, and 172,579 in Zimbabwe.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

  • 98%

    An average of 98% of students returning to school after pandemic related closures. 100% in Tanzania, 97% in Zambia, and 96% in Zimbabwe.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

  • 102K

    102,492 girls supported into employment, enterprise or further education: 27,549 in Tanzania and 74,943 in Zimbabwe.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

  • 194K

    An additional 194,030 girls benefiting from community and CAMFED Association initiatives to help them attend school, such as provision of money, food, toiletries, clothes, shoes or school supplies.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

CAMFED program activities supported schools and districts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the education sector. The evidence is that students loved to come to school when they reopened because of the support provided by the CAMFED organization.
Teacher Mentor, Tanzania

Our impact: “Girls learn, succeed, and lead”

This project, implemented in peri-urban districts in Tanzania, resulted in:

  • 7K

    A total of 7,009 girls being supported to attend and thrive in secondary school.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

  • 100%

    100% of students returning to school after pandemic related closures.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

  • 2.8K

    2,816 girls supported into post-school pathways of employment, enterprise, or further education.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

  • >65K

    69,534 community and school leaders trained in areas such as child protection, catch-up learning strategies and guidance & counselling to support vulnerable students.

    GEC-T/CAMFED 2022

Meet the girls and young women stepping up to the challenges in their communities

The selection of stories, blogs and news items below highlights the broader impact of the GEC's investment in girls' education and women's leadership and livelihoods.

Website_story_-_landscape_PETRONELLA

StoryZimbabwe

Petronella

“As Learner Guides, we take an interest in each and every child’s life as a whole. We become the friend and sister they need, creating the necessary support structure until they finish school.”

Sophia-Profile-Thumbnail

FilmTanzania

Video: Meet Sophia – Learner Guide from Tanzania

“Life is hard and there are long distances from home to school. I know the challenges students face going to school. Girls like me can support students because we have lived these challenges.”

Dotto-Story-Thumbnail

FilmTanzania

Video: Meet Learner Guide Dotto in Tanzania

“The My Better World program gave me the ability to lead a class and discover the problems of children. It has kept the students close to me, when they face challenges they come to me to tell me.

blog_listing-2021-06-02_9

BlogZambia

We can’t afford to lose our future leaders – it’s in our power to keep girls learning and safe from abuse

“As a Learner Guide I am a motivator, a role model to pupils in schools, and also in my wider community. I have developed new skills, including facilitation and public speaking skills. These are very important skills, which will help me in my future career.”

Morebie-Moreblessing-648064-CAMA-Zim-Tertiary-Graduate-Economist_3_Dec-2021

StoryZimbabwe

Moreblessing (Morebie)

“I got the support I needed, and the motivation to make sure that each and every child like me gets access to education…I am excited that I am directly contributing to the goal of reaching 5 million girls by 2025!”

Website_story_-_landscape_PRISCA_Susans_mother

StoryZambia

Prisca

“I describe Suzen as an advocate for change as she speaks on behalf of the community on topics such as gender-based violence, early marriages, teenage pregnancies and child protection. She is always looking out for vulnerable children, the elderly and the disabled.”

Mariam-Mariamu-Salehe-Juma-865969-CAMA-entrepreneur-Shinyanga-TZ-February-2022_IMG_20220223_134354

StoryTanzania

Mariam

After I completed my studies, I trained as a Learner Guide. I returned to my former school to deliver life skills and self-development sessions. The topic of entrepreneurship got me interested in starting my own business so I could help my sister in turn.”

Because of the CAMFED Association (CAMA) network, we became more than sisters and came up together to fight the common enemy which is poverty. No CAMA member would suffer in the presence of other
CAMA members.
CAMFED Association member

Global recognition of CAMFED's programs

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NewsGlobal

COP26: Watch our sisterhood of leaders for girls’ education and climate action

“I am super excited for this opportunity to represent our Sisterhood for climate action, share our experiences with the world, and send a message to global leaders to make education investment a priority at COP26.” – Forget Shareka

Alicia-Herbert-OBE-Fiona-Mavhinga-Pauline-Rose-Jesus College-Yidan-Conference-7-Oct-2021-Chris-Loades-Yidan-_4X3A0457

BlogGlobal

A ‘revolution in data’ is needed to create an equitable future through education

In October 2021, The REAL Centre at the University of Cambridge with the Yidan Prize Foundation and CAMFED announced a new partnership at the conference: Creating an Equitable Future Through Education.

camfed_website_news_feature_image_yidan_prize

NewsGlobal

Yidan Prize for Education Development awarded to CAMFED Co-Executives

The Yidan Prize Foundation, dedicated to a creating a better world through education, named CAMFED Co-Executives Angeline Murimirwa and Lucy Lake as 2020 laureates of the Yidan Prize for Education Development, the world’s largest prize in education.

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NewsTanzania

Watch Devex conversation #2: Good governance for girls’ education

A Devex conversation with CAMFED explores how to create an enabling environment for good governance for girls’ education, and how girls’ education, in turn, helps to support good governance.

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NewsGlobal

CAMFED awarded 2021 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize

We are thrilled that CAMFED has been awarded the 2021 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the world’s largest annual humanitarian award presented to a nonprofit in recognition of extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering.

Thank you to our generous recent donors

Together we are breaking the cycle of poverty

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Alan Wilson £57.4

Terina Martinez $26.6

Robin Gregory £5.4

Kate Machin $16

Jane Baker $3

Elaine Portzel $3

John Lamb $13

Harriet S Littleton $5.6

Emiliano Conde $403

Amy Michelle Cresswell $5.6

Timothy Pearson $42.4

Francesca Trabacca $5.6

Jacquiline Giden $3

Quinton Cole-Gillard $21.4

Akshata Rudrapatna $13