CARE Canada

Purpose

The project aims to improve access to quality education in Somalia for marginalized girls and adolescent girls between the ages of 10 to 19, including nomadic girls, girls with disabilities and/or affected by conflict and/or violence. To encourage girls’ enrolment and retention, the project works with religious leaders, parents, men and boys to address barriers that hamper the demand for and access to education for girls, while strengthening the capacity of the government, schools and teachers to provide inclusive and gender-responsive education for girls. Project activities include: (1) renovating schools to improve water and sanitation for menstrual hygiene management; (2) rehabilitating accelerated learning spaces for re-integrating out-of-school girls into the education system; (3) providing scholarships from the most marginalized groups to cover tuition and basic school supplies; (4) supporting girls’ empowerment forums in schools that promote girls’ rights and agency as well as boys’ forums working on positive masculinity and gender equality; (5) training teachers on quality, inclusive, gender-sensitive curriculum delivery, including improved methodologies in literacy and numeracy teaching as well as techniques to support crisis-affected students facing mental health issues; and (6) supporting women’s rights organizations and adolescent girls’ organizations in their advocacy for girls’ quality education.