COMING SOON: FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF #AFRICA_EDUCATES_HER CAMPAIGN, A RALLYING CALL TO GET GIRLS BACK TO SCHOOL
The African Union International Centre for Girls and Women's Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA) officially launched its #Africa Educates Her campaign on 20th September 2020. This campaign is a rallying call to African Union Member States, education stakeholders and youth to take positive actions to ensure that girls and young women return to school as they re-open.
We have so far received over 200 pledges, including creative submissions from African youth to help girls to return to school. Pledges include financial interventions, sanitary kits, and initiatives to support vulnerable girls.
let's clap our hands for these guys. They shared with us their coronavirus stories and how negatively it has affected their studies. There is no doubt that their useful feedback will contribute for the betterment of society.
Times like these – lockdown through a child’s eyes
Missing friends, school and teachers, can't go out without face masks, will repeat the academic year but enjoying spending more time with family; lockdown for children across the region has had both upsides and downsides.
Over 90% of the world’s children and students have missed out on school because of coronavirus. Children everywhere have had their lives turned upside down. Right now, their future hangs in the balance.
We spoke to children in Angola to hear how they were feeling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it was impacting their lives and their education.
COVID -19 has affected over 133 million female learners across the continent and through this campaign we seek to highlight the experiences of learners at primary, secondary and tertiary education levels during the COVID 19 related school lockdown.
We spoke to students and teachers in Angola. Over twenty girls and young ladies were interviewed.
We also count with the participation of some boys, the gospel singer Loide Paulino and two musical groups. Moreover, we had the privilege to distribute some school and bio-safety materials to girls in need.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet our musical group with the song '' Together we'll beat Covid-19.''
The real measure of success lies in what this campaign will enable schools to create the necessary conditions to protect student's life during the time of Covid-19 pandemic and also develop solutions to minimize the damage already caused by the pandemic and combining efforts to mitigate the current situation; which is by far the worst crisis of the 21st century.
We're Done With the Project. Now it's Time to Celebrate!
A total of 30 episodes were produced, and launched between August - October with a series of 25 internet broadcast webisodes.
Thousands of students from the university education and transition classes of the I and II cycles of secondary education returned to classes last Monday (05), throughout the country. Unfortunately, ninety-seven teachers from Luanda, who underwent the molecular biology test (RT-PCR), last week, tested positive for Covid-19.
So far, Angola’s Covid-19 figures show 6,031 positive cases, 212 deaths, 2,685 recoveries and 3,134 active patients.
Thanks largely to many of you here! We are not saying good bye, we will come back soon with new webisodes.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet our dancers Nicha, Catia and Engracia!
[These teenagers are students of the second level]
Campaign report
It was a fantastic short edition of only 5 series but with a great social impact. Our campaign aims to identify illiterate and girls with disabilities in such a way that it supports building an inclusive society for all.
During this journey, we witnessed chilling stories of girls with serious health and social problems. Some of them are orphans living in extreme poverty and have more than one type of disability, be it learning or physical, including some of them are homeless people.
30% of the girls and women interviewed never had the opportunity to attend school. In the other 70%, the majority stayed in school for less than two years and did not finish pre-class, they dropped out due to learning disabilities and health problems. Only one girl managed to enter high school but dropped out because of the extreme poverty that hit her after her father's death.
Up to 20% of women globally live with a disability. Girls and women of all ages with any form of disability are generally among the most vulnerable and marginalized of society. Moreover, women and girls with disabilities are 2-3 times more likely to be victims of physical and sexual abuse than women without disabilities. In addition “the global literacy rate for adults with disabilities is as low as 3 per cent, and 1 per cent for women with disabilities, according to a 1998 UNDP study” (UN DPI fact sheet).
Having a nice weekend class with children
Unfortunately, some pre-schools in Angola are open air and classes may take place under a tree, so when the weather is bad, classes are cancelled. This is the result of civil war that destroyed and looted many schools.
Globally, 263 million children between the ages of 6 and 17 are out of school, 61 million of which are of primary school age (6-11 years) *. More than half of the total figure live in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. Girls with disabilities experience attacks and exploitation at much higher rates than other children. Both disability inclusion and gender equality are key factors in achieving including education as both gender and disability are significant factors of exclusion.
22% of the world’s poorest people have a disability. Women and girls with disabilities often face triple discrimination; being female, having a disability and being among the poorest of the poor. Women with disabilities face additional barriers to achieving their sexual and reproductive health rights.
Time to Sing - Faith and Hope
A moving tribute to our amazing gospel singer Filismina. She has been singing for us in many of our programs!
Meet our participants!
“We think the outside world does not really understand what the real difficulty is for women with a disability. This extremely vulnerable group continue to face exclusion from education and risks such as sexual violence - perhaps because they are seen as ‘helpless, asexual, and powerless’.
Therefore, we repeat again and again, for women with disability is really hard to live, so please include them.”
The heroines are here
Tonight, we are presenting a conclusion. If you would like to know more, please click on these links to watch the real and shocking stories of these girls and explore anything that catches your attention.
By addressing the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in low and middle income countries, we not only achieve the human rights of persons with disabilities, but everyone benefits from their contribution.
This is why inclusion, across all development sectors, is important. Empowering persons with disabilities, including women and girls so they can receive a worthwhile education, access health and rehabilitation services, gain a livelihood and participate fully in society, is essential to ending the cycle of poverty and disability.
We sincerely hope that you will find more people to sponsor girls' education today. Your generosity and your gift will help children, adults, and families rise above adversity and thrive.No matter the amount, your donation makes a difference.
Have a great day!
Thank you very much.
Sofonie Dala at AU/CIEFFA 3rd Youth Capacity Building Workshop on Girls'Education in Africa. Accra, Ghana 2019.
