Improving Girls’ Education

1. Background

This project was started in 2012 at Ambasel woreda, South Wollo Zone with the objective of supporting girls from destitute families who were desperate to continue their education after grade 8. The girls have very good performance in their education. Since its commencement IFSO supported 48 girls with all the basic services, including their educational facilities and 30 of them joined university (of which 16 graduated in the mid 2019) and the remaining 18 girls attended TVET. Currently, the Organization has been supporting 30 girls in a hostel with basic services and educational supports, including supporting the remaining14 university students.

2. Annual Plan Vs. Achievements

In 2019 budget year, the major project activities implemented include the following:

Providing Food Items for Hostel Girls

During the period the necessary food items and material inputs were purchased for 30 hostel girls and put in use. As usual 5 members of the committee have actively involved in the purchase and control of the food items.

Providing hygienic and cleaning materials for the Hostel

In the reporting period the purchase of necessary hygienic materials provided to 30 hostel girls. Besides, cleaning materials and equipments were made available for the hostel and utilized.

Health Care Support for Hostel Girls

During the period 26 students were sick (different internally body and physical problems). Among these 23 students were taken to private clinics and Wuchale health station and finally they recovered from their illness. The problem of 3 girls was related to evil spirit. As a result, 3 of them were helped to stay at Wurgesa town (st. Georges), taking holy water (religious solution). After medical treatment the girls became well again.

Provision of sport wears and educational material

In the reporting period, 30 school girls, living in the hostel, provided with complete sport wears, shoes and T- shirts. Besides, educational materials and uniform given for these girls.

Figure 10: Girls put on their sport wears, T-shirt & Shoes

Figure 11: Girls receiving educational materials

Besides, 120 primary school children living with their destitute families were refunded for the educational materials and uniform they used.

Figure 12: Primary school students receiving money for educational services

Supporting Girls’ after school study

The hostel mother has been supporting girls to use their time to study individually as well as in group every day, and made discussions on common academic issues. Moreover, the project coordinator and experts from woreda concerned government offices visited students and gave them advice to motivate them.

Figure 13: Hostel girls during group study and discussion

Providing Tutorial Support

In the reporting period, tutorial service given to all hostel girls, twice a week (for a period of 2 hours). The subjects focused for the tutorial sessions were English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, History and Economics. The tutorial class has been provided by 6 teachers of the respective subjects, selected from Wuchale 17 Secondary and Preparatory School. The tutorial class has helped the girls to enhance their performance better.

Figure 14: Students attending tutorial class

Monthly Financial Support for University Students

In the reporting period, efforts have been made to follow up 30 girls who joined university by IFSO through telephone call in order to check if they are attending their education properly. Each of them have received their monthly allowance of birr 400 to cover some of their educational and communication expenses in their campus life. In 2019 academic year 16 students are graduated with encouraging results in different disciplines and 2 of them are employed in Addis Ababa and Wollo Universities. Now, IFSO is supporting only 14 students attending their university education.

Hostel maintenance facilitated

In the reporting period the maintenance of floors and ceilings of 4 rooms were made and 8 rooms painted. Besides, 14 partially and 3 totally damaged beds, 3 windows were maintained. The finishing work of the dining room is also made.

Fig. 14: The dining room before and after maintenance

1.2.Activities not planned but performed

In the reporting period power interruption was frequent in the project sites that affected the study program of hostel girls. As a result, IFSO immediately purchased four solar panel kits and installed.