FAWE Annual Report 2014

ANNUAL REPORT2014

ANNUAL REPORT

Impacting Lives through Education...

CONTENT Acronyms and Abbreviations

The Board

2 4

Message from the Chair and the Executive Director 5

Section 1: Executive Summary

7

Section 2: Introduction

9

Section 3: My FAWE Story

12

Section 4: Key Performance and Achievements 2014

15

Section 5: Voice of Hope

30

Section 6: 2014 Financial Highlights

33

2014 Resources Partners

40

Acronyms and Abbreviations ADB ADEA AGAIP AIDS AIMS-NEI ANCEFA ASRH AU AUC CiC CIES COE COMEDAF CSOs CSPR DANIDA DFC DRC ECOSOCC EDUCAIDS EFA FAWE FAWEGAM FAWEK FAWEMA FAWENC FAWERC FAWESOM FAWEU FAWEZI FENU FK Norway GEC GFW GIMAC GIZ HIV ICT IDB JAR JPAL MDG MOU MTN NCs NCU NGO NGOCC NGOGCN OCA OSISA RH Clinics

African Development Bank Association for the Development of Education in Africa Association for Group and Individual Psychotherapy Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome African Institute for Mathematical Sciences-Next Einstein Initiative Africa Network Campaign on Education For All Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health African Union African Union Commission Children in Crisis Comparative and International Education Society Centres of Excellence Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union Civil Society Organizations Civil Society for Poverty Reduction Danish International Development Agency Design for Change Democratic Republic of Congo Economic, Social and Cultural Council Education and HIV & AIDS Education for All Forum for African Women Educationalists FAWE The Gambia FAWE Kenya FAWE Malawi FAWE National Chapters FAWE Regional Secretariat FAWE Somalia FAWE Uganda FAWE Zimbabwe Forum for Education NGOs in Uganda Fredskorpset Norway, meaning: Peace Corps Norway Global Education Conference Global Fund for Women Gender Is My Agenda Campaign German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation Human Immunodeficiency Virus Information, Communication and Technology Islamic Development Bank Joint Annual Review Jameel Poverty Action Lab Millennium Development Goals Memorandum of Understanding Mobile Telephone Networks National Chapters Northern Caribbean University Non-Governmental Organization Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Council NGO Gender Coordination Network Organisational Capacity Assessment Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa Reproductive Health Clinics

2

Acronyms and Abbreviations STEM UNDP UNESCO UNGEI UNICEF US/AGSP USA USAID UWW VGIF WLSA ZANEC ZTE

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics United Nations Development Programme United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative United Nations Children’s Fund US Ambassadors’ Girls’ Scholarship Program United States of America United States Agency for International Development United Way World Wide Virginia Gilder Sleeve Fund Women and Law in Southern Africa Zambia National Education Coalition Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment Corporation

OUR VISION A world in which all African girls have access to education, perform well and complete their studies, and gender disparities in education are eliminated.

OUR MISSION To promote gender equity and equality in education in Africa by fostering positive policies, practices and attitudes towards girls’ education.

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The Board

PROF. CHRISTINE DRANZOA Chairperson

HON. MARIE LYDIA TOTO RAHARIMALALA Vice-Chairperson

HON. FAY CHUNG

HON. AICHA BAH DIALLO

SENATOR IYABO ANISULOWO PROF. NAANA J. OPOKU

PROF. ROSALIE KAMA-NIAMAYOUA

MRS. AMICOLEH MBAYE HON. ROSE GAHIRU

HON. ALICE TIENDREBEOGO

MS. MWATUMU JASMINE MALALE PROF. MARY WALINGO MS. HENDRINA DOROBA

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Message from the Chair and the Executive Director

FROM THE CHAIR AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The year 2014 was a period to harness lessons learnt over time, as well as celebrate the big and the small wins of the FAWE network. Throughout the year, FAWE amplified the education campaign towards strengthening discussions around Africa’s accountability on the progress toward MDGs and EFA goals. In addition, FAWE significantly enhanced its engagement in the post-2015 discourse. Informed by its Strategic Plan 2013-2017, the FAWE network continued to lobby for issues of women and girls’ education in sub-Saharan Africa, to get the world’s attention and have the same issues prioritized and sustained in the global agenda.

In 2014, FAWE made great progress in enabling communities to overcome the complex barriers facing girls in Africa, by increasing the numbers of students who access quality education. This is a result of a remarkable progress in strengthening an enabling environment that FAWE successfully achieved by engaging several national governments to develop and adopt gender-responsive policies and programs.

To ensure knowledge packaging for shared learning especially regarding gender and education, FAWE Regional Office has strengthened its management information system and intensified support to member chapters, in order to capture good practices in girls’ education from within and without the network’s scope. FAWE documents such milestones with an aim to keep track of and improve its interventions as well as to encourage sector stakeholders to scale up successful models across Africa.

The year 2014 was a period to harness lessons learnt over time, as well as celebrate the big and the small wins of the FAWE network. Throughout the year, FAWE amplified the education campaign towards strengthening discussions around Africa’s accountability on the progress toward MDGs and EFA goals. In addition, FAWE significantly enhanced its engagement in the post-2015 discourse. Informed by its Strategic Plan 2013-2017, the FAWE network continued to lobby for issues of women and girls’ education in sub-Saharan Africa, to get the world’s attention and have the same issues prioritized and sustained in the global agenda.

We maintain consistent practices across the network by setting up strong coordination mechanisms and establishing broad goals, policies and standards of practice, which national chapters adapt to their individual situations. Examples include: developing and rolling out a Child Protection Policy; revision of program models and modules; exploring staff exchange programs between chapters for learning purposes; strengthening governance structures based on good global practices; harnessing and leveraging strengths within the network in innovative ways to support others in adapting to changing times, amongst other efforts outlined in this report.

The present challenges notwithstanding, the need to advocate and campaign for girls’ education remains paramount. This report outlines the results that FAWE network has achieved despite the qualms and queries that emerge in girls’ education in Africa.

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Message from the Chair and the Executive Director We have strengthened our partnership development and identified new linkages with like-minded individuals, groups, and organizations towards strengthening our network to make FAWE more effective on the girls’ education platform and advance the impacts beyond FAWE chapters.

FAWE celebrated its 21st anniversary in 2014. This was a hallmark of publicity and networking; an impact that was also catalysed by the outcomes of FAWE’s general assembly meeting.

The network also laid foundation for partnerships with corporate entities like Microsoft, Asus, CISCO and development partners like FK Norway, AIMS, and Aga Khan Foundation among others.

PROF. CHRISTINE DRANZOA Chairperson

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FAWE endeavours to invest in such linkages to strengthen its efforts and ultimately increase the impacts of its key demonstrative interventions.

As we turn a new calendar page into 2015, we shall build on the foundations laid out in 2014, to influence the development and final ratification of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We believe that educating girls means the world: with more educated women who are empowered, earn more income, have fewer children, provide better health care and education to themselves and their children. These attributes can lift households, communities, nations and the African Continent out of poverty!

HENDRINA DOROBA Executive Director

Section 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Executive Summary As the world stands on the threshold of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Education for All goals (EFA) completion deadline of 2015, FAWE joined the community of state and non-state actors to review the progress sub-Saharan African countries have made towards fulfilling the six EFA goals; and to strategize on critical engagements and initiatives to influence the post-2015 education agenda.

In its various consultative processes on Education for All, FAWE noted with concern, the increase in violence against children and education personnel; re-affirmed the right of every child, youth and adult to have protected access to schools and to learn in a safe and health-enhancing environment; recognized that war, conflict, natural disasters, disruptive influence of emergencies and forced migration of populations can deprive entire generations of access to education and the full realization of the right to education. FAWE also acknowledged that of the 57 million children of primary school going age currently out of school, half live in countries affected by the aforementioned crises.

Lastly, FAWE illustrated how life-skills education and mentoring have enhanced retention rates for girls at risk of dropping out of school; effectiveness of partnerships with local communities on addressing harmful cultural practices; and the various innovations that have impacted learning and teaching processes.

The 2014 Annual Report brings together the work undertaken by the whole network in the period of January 2014 to December 2014. It highlights key results measured against the targets set in the 2014 Annual Work Plan and budget, in addition to recounting the main bottlenecks that hindered progress in some areas as well as how the challenges were addressed.

In its advocacy and communication engagements with governments, non-state actors and with sub-regional, continental and global entities, FAWE’s key contribution has been that of highlighting inequalities in schooling, the deficiencies that still exist in education policy and practice as well as their consequential impact on the gender equality goal in education. With the same tenacity, FAWE collated from its work at institutional level and in grassroots communities – the evidence of how gender-responsive approaches and interventions have worked to reduce gender disparities in schooling.

The report further rationalizes partnerships and coalitions entered into and agreements sealed with national and regional networks besides the global partnership opportunities explored. The report also highlights the progress made in building the FAWE alumni fraternity and their anticipated value-addition to FAWE’s overall goal.

While providing a commentary on the progress made towards realizing the organisation’s 2014 objectives, the report also elaborates on the FAWE network’s collaborations with other like-minded organisations in pursuit of sustainable development goals.

Specifically, FAWE demonstrated the value of comprehensive scholarship design, second-chance schooling opportunities for out-of-school girls and boys through scholarships and technical as well as vocational training.

Furthermore, FAWE highlighted the effect of such interventions on women’s career expectations, the potential and ability of girls to excel in Science and related fields.

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Section 2

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

1. About FAWE

Comprehensive Scholarship package: we provide bursaries and other related support services to disadvantaged girls and selected boys to support access to and completion of a full cycle of primary or secondary education.

The Forum for African Women Educationalists is the leading Pan-African NGO working to empower girls and women through gender-responsive education in sub-Saharan Africa.

Policy Advocacy: we engage in policy advocacy and build awareness and consensus at the global, regional, and national and community levels on the socio-economic advantages of investing in girls’ education. We have been able to make great strides especially in achieving our advocacy agenda; ensured that gender is integrated into national teacher curricula in Ethiopia and Malawi and through forging strategic partnerships and collaborations with like-minded organizations geared towards achieving the Education for All (EFA) goals.

FAWE envisions a world in which all African girls have access to education, perform well and complete their studies, and gender disparities in education are eliminated.

Our mission is to promote gender equity and equality in education in Africa by fostering positive policies, practices and attitudes towards girls’ education.

2. Our Work

Targeted programmes and projects: we design and implement programmes and projects which address specific contexts and issues affecting girls’ education such as girls’ clubs, HIV/AIDS programmes, sexual and reproductive health programmes, Mothers’ Clubs, technical and vocational education and training, as well as education of out-of-school girls in conflict and post-conflict situations.

We improve access to education, provide quality of education, and inspire girls to stay in school and perform well. Furthermore, we encourage governments, international organisations and local communities to enact policies and provide positive learning environments that treat girls and boys equally.

FAWE has developed interventions that aim to provide greater educational opportunities for girls, these include:

“FAWE has helped more than 15 Million girls and women to access education and improve their social and economic status.’’

Research: we undertake research on issues related to gender and education in sub-Saharan Africa to buttress our advocacy work and more effectively direct our programme activities.

Demonstrative models: we use practical interventions to demonstrate what works in enhancing girls’ access, performance and retention in education in Africa. We have established the Centre of Excellence School Model in girls’ education; established Tuseme Youth Empowerment programmes in schools; modelled Gender-Responsive Pedagogy for teachers and school managers and promoted Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology in girls’ education.

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Introduction

3. Where we work

4. How we work

We work through National Chapters (NCs) operating in 33 countries in East, West, Central and Southern Africa.

Our programmes and projects are implemented through a network of 34 chapters (Tanzania and Zanzibar operate as independent entities). We work in strong collaboration and partnership with local and national governments. We also nurture and sustain strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations. As a result, we have realised great progress especially in our advocacy agenda toward achieving the Education for All goals in several African countries.

Through the NCs, we have been able to form a network of partners in education across the continent, with a recognised capacity to enhance the education of girls and women at all levels and to improve their life chances. It is estimated that through FAWE’s efforts so far, more than 15 Million girls and women have been able to access education and improve their social and economic status over the past two decades.

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Section 3

my Fawe STORY

My FAWE Story

My name is Fatuma. I am from Ethiopia and I am 22 years old. I am in the graduating class at Hawassa University, Ethiopia, studying Applied Biology, and I am one of the FAWE Ethiopia / David & Lucile Packard Foundation beneficiaries.

I was born in Eastern Ethiopia in the historic town of Harar. My father died when I was only a child and my mother had to take over all family responsibilities. She began a small business, baking Injera (Ethiopian bread), in addition to doing manual laundry and house cleaning for other families. However the earnings from her triple efforts never met our insatiable needs.

Again, home was my next destination!

I was keen to pursue my studies but mom having no options, had to release me to my third foster family.

It would be another rocky stance and I opted for another chance with a forth family! The lady in this family was an encouragement and my star began to shine with a 90% score in the Grade 8 national examination. I was the best in my class yet still struggled to get fees for the subsequent grades. I eventually completed Grade 10.

I was then adopted into another family. While there, I longed to know how to read and write, and often times, asked their children to help me read pieces of wrapping papers meant for the litter bin. This thirst for literacy attracted the lady of the house. She helped me enrol at a nearby school and I was happy to attend grade one at the age of seven years!

During summer vacation, I worked as a parking attendant accumulating 200 birr ($12) in wages.

This enabled be to buy educational materials and register for Grade 11. Later the mother of one of my teachers took me in. I attended classes during schooldays and washed clothes during weekends to earn a coin. I successfully went through Grade 11 but had to leave that home due to a new breed of difficulties.

It was the beginning of school yet a continuation of arduous tasks: I had to tend their younger children and take up endless domestic chores. This meant I would be late for school and occasionally skip lessons all together. That imposition pushed me back to my poor mother who was unfortunately unable to keep me in school.

I faced an inevitable ‘transfer’ to my second adopted family, who drew their income from making traditional utensils. They sent me back to school but with it came more responsibilities. Apart from nursing their younger children and escorting them to school, I was recruited as a sales assistant in that family’s utensils trade. The manifold duties notwithstanding, I managed to sail through to grade 7 but later bowed out of that household due to insults from the man of the house.

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With Grade 11 settled, I was focused on Grade 12 and ultimately high school education. I needed another family and got a seventh one, being the last before FAWE fully adopted me. In the seventh home, I had to fend for fees by doing laundry for others. Finally, I took my Higher Education Entrance Qualification Examination, excelled and qualified for an admission at Hawassa University’s Applied Biology Department. College at last!

However poverty would follow me to campus. The poor brain lacked even bus fare to transport it to college, which was a two-day road trip away. Needs and complex needs still pursued me on campus.

My FAWE Story

I applied to the administration of my town for financial support and fortunately, I received some money from the administration and from friends and neighbors. I bought new clothes and was left with some money for my transport and educational supplies.

Using the little money I had been given and what I had earned myself, I started my studies at the university. Three months later, I saw a notice posted on the board about FAWE-Ethiopia’s plan to support economically challenged female university students.

I applied for this assistance immediately. My application was accepted and I became one of the beneficiaries of FAWE-Ethiopia’s scholarship project.

Had I not received this opportunity, definitely I would have dropped out of university and lost the chance that I had sacrificed my whole life for.

Despite all the problems I have gone through, I have challenged the challenges and remain a courageous girl. Thanks to Allah, FAWE and David & Lucille Packard Foundation, I am now a third year distinction student having scored a cumulative GPA of 3.8.

The FAWE Ethiopia program includes provision of a monthly stipend, mentoring, and components on reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, human rights and Tuseme, a self-empowerment tool for young people that means “Let’s speak out”. In secondary school, there was no access to information about reproductive health. I used to be absent from school during menstruation because I did not know what to do and could not afford to buy sanitary pads. Some of my classmates became pregnant and dropped out of school due to lack of information on reproduction.

I had to buy educational materials among other personal needs - on my own. Unlike the outside world, the university did not have any openings and I had to put my studies before a far away job search.

Luckily my town administration was offering bursaries at the time. I applied and benefitted. That was my source of fare, clothes and educational supplies.

However my cares crashed the cash by the day!

Three months later, I spotted an announcement on the notice board, inviting economically challenged female university students to apply for support from the FAWE-Ethiopia’s scholarship project.

A poor pen needs no training in penning such requests, fast! My application was accepted and my education secured!

FAWE held my fragile hands and steadily settled me for a full university course, which had previously appeared like a mirage – an elusive dream that seemed to fade away at every dawn break. The support from FAWE gave me a reason to smile back at my long thorny and winding journey toward an education.

Thanks to FAWE and David & Lucille Packard Foundation, I am now a third year distinction student having scored a cumulative GPA of 3.8. They have given me a hope and a future!

FAWE just proved to be that critical step on my educational ladder. Upon my graduation I would like to support FAWE Ethiopia as a volunteer staff for some time. When I secure a job, I would like to return the favour by supporting other economically challenged female university students, as much as I will be able to. It will be an honour to extend this benefit to other struggling students. Unto such I say, do not lose hope, be courageous and keep the faith help will reach you some day as it did me through FAWE!

Since FAWE Ethiopia intervened on reproductive health at Hawassa University, I have been empowered and have good access to reliable information and services on reproduction and sexuality. There is now a multipurpose kiosk at Hawassa University.

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Section 4

KEY PERFORMANCE & ACHIEVEMENT 2014

Key Performance & Achievement 2014

1. To enable girls across Africa to access high quality education, complete schooling, and perform well at all levels.

2. To ensure knowledge and learning of gender and education are managed and shared for the benefit of all working in this field.

At a glance

At a glance

FAWE Centre of Excellence in Malawi recorded 100% pass rate at junior secondary with girls obtaining 97% pass rate in Biology, 95% in Physics, Maths & Agriculture. Enrolment went up with a record of 43% of girls proceeding to form four.

FAWE Regional Secretariat (RS), FAWE Uganda and FAWE Comoros, FAWE Burkina Faso, FAWE Congo, FAWE Mali, and FAWE Madagascar participated in the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL) Matchmaking conference in Paris and Burkina Faso respectively. They shared FAWE’s work on girls’ education in Africa and also learnt about randomized evaluation.

FAWE’s 2014 work plan and implementation of activities was guided by the 2013 – 2017 Strategic Plan, and therefore the years’ performance and achievements have been presented under the four strategic objectives.

3. To have a skilled, vibrant FAWE network with the capacity to deliver the strategic objectives.

4. To have strong, productive partnerships with like-minded individuals, groups, and organisations committed to gender equity and equality in education.

At a glance FAWE facilitated and collated results from an organisational capacity assessment for 14 Chapters. The results identified challenges that will be strengthened in the coming years and strengths that will be utilised to strengthen other chapters as well as shared as good practices outside of the Network.

At a glance FAWE RS in partnership with ANCEFA, Plan International, Aide Action, and UNICEF setup a platform on education to improve coordination on girls’ education in Africa.

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Key Performance & Achievement 2014

1. Enabling girls across Africa access high quality education complete schooling and perform well at all levels.

Here are some highlights: • FAWE Senegal was appointed to lead Civil Society Advocacy on advancing basic education; • FAWE DRC was selected as part of the nine leads of the newly set up Observatory on Education; • A partnership with Women Thrive Worldwide enabled us to train up to 51 participants who were comprised of FAWE National Coordinators, FAWE Board representatives and FAWE Alumni from 20 countries. These trainees will be instrumental in rolling out the training program across the network and carrying out advocacy activities in 2015.

In order to achieve this objective, FAWE promotes, facilitates and coordinates joint action across key stakeholders including families, communities, schools, local and regional authorities, national governments and girls. We have made remarkable progress in strengthening an enabling environment to support this goal. We successfully engaged governments to develop and implement genderresponsive policies and plans. Some key highlights from efforts of the National Chapters and the FAWE Members include:

At a glance

• Secured verbal commitments from the ten Ministers of Education who attended the FAWE General Assembly to support FAWE advocacy work in their respective countries. The countries represented include: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Comoros, The Gambia, Ghana, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.

• Gender in Education Policies and School re-entry policies were fronted by FAWE Uganda and FAWE Somalia respectively. FAWE Burkina Faso has also been part of the technical committee that has been reviewing education policies and national curriculum for gender responsiveness.

• FAWE Uganda continues to draw the attention of duty bearers to pertinent girls’ issues in Uganda through its dedicated “Girls Education Week.” which uses media campaign to highlight FAWE’s milestones in ensuring girls’ education.

To improve our ability to advocate successfully for the necessary changes in education policies, FAWE has strengthened its partnerships with donors and like-minded stakeholders leading to greater recognition of FAWE in various forms.

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FAWE Centre of Excellence in Malawi recorded 100% pass rate at junior secondary with girls obtaining 97% pass rate in Biology, 95% in Physics, Maths & Agriculture. Enrolment went up with a record of 43% of girls proceeding to form four.

FAWE has continued to garner community support through increased sensitization and capacity building efforts at the grassroots. For example, using the back banner of national and international commemorative events like Women’s Day celebration, World Teacher’s Day, the Day of the African Child, a total of 39,720 parents, civic leaders and community members were reached. They received information on how to protect girls’ education rights and with a special focus on eliminating gender-based violence. These efforts were done in 18 Chapters namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.

• Other innovations in this area include 621 members of mother support groups and community leaders in Malawi trained on child protection, life skills development as well as sexual and reproductive health rights. These trainings culminated into the launch of the “Gentleman search”.

Key Performance & Achievement 2014

The ‘gentleman search’ is an approach that aims to recognise adolescent boys who would advocate for protection of girls. FAWE Zambia trained a total of 690 community action groups in the use of participatory community mapping process, while FAWE Malawi trained 354 community stakeholders in advocacy. All these efforts have persuaded local communities to support FAWE’s advocacy work and have influenced the outline and implementation of concrete plans to put to action the lessons learned.

As a result, we managed to develop a document that profiles FAWE’s past advocacy engagements, priorities and opportunities; improve our flow of information to and from FAWE members, NCs and external partners; strengthen our external communication channels including the regular updating of the FAWE website; the introduction of a quarterly newsletter; increased media presence through strategic print and electronic media amongst other gain.

In addition to advocacy training, we have conducted sensitisation training of trainers in Kenya and Uganda. The total number of people reached in both countries (Kenya and Uganda) is as follows: 1793 peer educators (1116 girls, 665 boys) at primary, secondary and tertiary level, 202 teachers (115 female, 85 male) from primary and secondary schools, 380 community health workers (264 female, 116 male) and 199 community members.

At a glance FAWE enhanced the advocacy capacity of 39,720 people in 20 African Countries

While appreciating its strategic position in girls’ education in Africa, the FAWE network continues to participate in national, regional and global advocacy forums where it shares good practices in girls’ education. We use our vast experience to focus attention on the rampant gaps and challenges constraining gender equality in education.

As our efforts to spread our message and secure more support for our cause increased, FAWE developed strategies in advocacy, media relations and communications that would guide our documentation and sharing approach across the network. This was done and the strategies sent out across the network, with guidance from the regional office.

We intensified efforts to influence the inclusion of gender in the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, by preparing and presenting various position papers and reports -

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Key Performance & Achievement 2014

- that highlight factors that impede girls’ education.

Such presentations were done at various forums including: • Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) consultative meetings; • African Union (AU) Summit in Guinea Bissau and Ethiopia; • 9th Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union (COMEDAF) meeting in Cameroon; • Beijing +20 CSOs consultations meeting in Ethiopia; • UNESCO led CCNGO/EFA meeting in Santiago Chile; • Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) conference in Toronto; • STEM conference in Jerusalem; • UNGEI/UNICEF, Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) planning meeting & UNGEI regional meeting on girls’ education in Africa, to mention a few.

Acknowledging the emerging technologies we took our campaign to online platforms. As a result, we reached a wider audience through campaigns such as the “Bring Back our Girls” campaign, which protested Boko Haram kidnap of Nigerian girls.

We had people blogging on the theme “Child friendly qualify for free and compulsory education for all children in Africa.” This was an online plea to the entire African continent to respond to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. In addition, we initiated the #UPforSchool petition in support of child rights to education campaign. Besides, FAWE Kenya and FAWE Uganda used mainstream and social media to disseminate information on adolescent, sexual and reproductive health. The above interventions continue to secure more interest and commitment from strategic partners as well as the general public.

With a mission to enable girls’ access quality education, stay in school and complete their education cycle, the FAWE network awarded over 26,537 Scholarships.

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18 year old Hilma who is in Grade 12 at the Hage G Geingob High School, Namibia “Being part of the Girls’ Club has been a huge highlight in my life. It has equipped me with important life skills that will enable me to make the right choices. It has given me leadership skills which I can use elsewhere, even in my community. The Girls’ Club held a workshop on teenage pregnancy with allthe girls for a whole weekend. We were quite successful in bringing down the pregnancy rate at school in just one year.”

These were comprehensive scholarships that essentially catered for all education costs of the economically challenged beneficiaries. FAWE treasures such initiatives as part of its pioneer programmes that continue to significantly reduce drop-out risks and rates among schoolgirls.

At a glance FAWE Namibia has extended scholarships that include adaptive and assistive devices such as wheel chairs, clutches, hearing aids, reading glasses to 80 children with disabilities; and empowered 110 learners from 14 regions through an annual camp glow on leadership.

Key Performance & Achievement 2014

As one of the oldest programmes that FAWE has implemented, comprehensive scholarships continue to result in lessons and innovations in keeping girls in school. For example: • In Somalia, 90% of girls enrolled at the beginning of the year in primary schools were retained up to grade 8 due to FAWE’s community advocacy programme, which aimed to reduce negative gender biases that often hinder girls’ access to education and retention in school.

At a glance Noting a perpetual slow uptake and poor performance of girls in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and careers over the years, FAWE has made significant milestones to avert the situation. Since 2005, we have piloted several programs across the FAWE chapters, to improve girls’ participation and performance in STEM in both primary and secondary schools.

So far, the STEM programs have been introduced in the following 17 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.

• In Kenya and Uganda, FAWE undertook academic performance-boosting activities, mentorship as well as adolescent sexual and reproductive health education. This improved girls’ esteem, improved their performance thereby raising their transition, completion and achievement rates.

• In FAWE Uganda, a recent survey reveled that 44% (162 girls and 148 boys) of the 704 awarded bursaries completed ‘A’ level and BTVET while 52% (253 girls and 113 boys) are currently in school and only 4% (28) have dropped out.

• FAWE Malawi sponsored 1500 young rural women to re-sit secondary school exams while serving as learning assistants in preparation for teacher training after which they would return to their rural villages as qualified teachers.

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Key Performance & Achievement 2014

Table 1: Below is a snapshot of the numbers reached in 2014 across the networks through scholarships National Chapter FAWE Ethiopia FAWE Gambia FAWE Kenya FAWE Malawi FAWE Namibia

FAWE Rwanda FAWE Sierra Leonne

Funder

FAWE Tanzania

FAWE Uganda

FAWE Zambia FAWE Zanzibar FAWE Regional Office

Secondary F M

Tertiary F M

Total

The MasterCard Foundation Plan Netherlands Mabel College Insight Fund Packard Foundation Aggregate Numbers US/AGSP Standard Bank USA

240

5

72 457 4

26 1,614

814

28

189

171

48

35

39

5 26 1,614

1,296

The MasterCard Foundation; Beautiful World Canada Foundation UNICEF Beautiful World, Canada

200

12

212

378

5,608 500

6,486

1,250

Danida

150

UNDP

30

Children in Crises Italy Irish Aid Forberg Beautiful World Canada Foundation Packard Foundation Individuals Busitema African Development Bank/ Ministry of Sports Pestalozzi MTN-Uganda

8 56 8

48 4

254 813 21

437 12

42

2

23

3 1

40

329

160

2

2

Aggregate Numbers

498

266

1,686

1,533

4,409

3,728

USAID/TGSP

54

80

10

2

Porticus

90

60

Staff Contribution

1

Commonwealth Commission

10

1,403

318

12,626

2,501

5,911

3,804

Diakonia FAWE Somalia

Primary F M

TOTAL

21

801

1,430 262

2,004

12,120 296 11

26,563

Key Performance & Achievement 2014

• FAWE’s innovative Gender Responsive Pedagogy model continues to be applied across the network to improve teaching and learning methodologies in the classroom.

FAWE Malawi trained 322 teachers; FAWE Guinea trained 35 teachers and 25 teacher trainers in GRP and integration of GRP in training plans respectively. FAWE Burundi trained 297 teachers ; the GRP training was also conducted to TVET institutions in Somalia. Other chapters, such as FAWE Chad and Burkina Faso continue to advocate for the scale up of this model with Education Ministries and key partners. The model is currently under review to ensure it captures lessons learnt over the years and reflects and addresses current issues in African teaching methodologies .

This year’s innovative programs in STEM include: • STEM Competitions - With the support of Intel Corporation, we were able to facilitate 15 FAWE Chapters topics in Applied Science, Pure Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering. Other than the prizes given to all participants, the top three received special awards from corporate partners who joined the venture.

STEM teacher mentors who accompanied the students participated in learning forums that discussed and proposed strategies to improve girls’ participation in STEM subjects and how future STEM competitions can be better supported.

Profiling female scientists - FAWE Burkina Faso partnered with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to implement the STEM projects in 5 post-primary schools in 5 Districts. The two-year STEM project includes profiling of female scientists and provision of mentorship support to students among other activities.

Voices of change “I was a student at FAWE Girls’ School from 1999 to 2005. I studied Mathematics and Physics at A-Level, against the wishes of my family and friends. They discouraged me from taking Science subject which are often thought to be a preserve of male students. Nonetheless, I took on the challenge for I believed in myself. It was no smooth ride but I thank FAWE mentors like Nyakurama who modelled me toward academic excellence.”

• FAWE Zimbabwe partnered with Virginia Gilder Sleeve Fund (VGIF) to implement a one year Science, Mathematics and Technology project for girls targeting 3 schools; reaching 150 Form 2 and 3 girls, to improve their acumen in the STEM subjects.

FAWE’s work in promoting Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (ASRHR) in Africa In Uganda’s FAWE project districts, over 2,000 parents were trained on ASRHR. This has led to significant improvement of girls’ retention in schools. School dropout rate among girls has since reduced from estimated 30% at the start of the project, to 10%.

“Before the project, we could even up to 15 school girls dropping out due to teen pregnancies. Now girls know better and we occasionally find one or two girls still falling prey,” Teacher: Kyenjojo Secondary Schools

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Key Performance & Achievement 2014

In Zambia, retention has also improved from 90% in 2011 to 98% by 2013 in participating schools. Most girls who had dropped-out have been re-enrolled in to schools as a result of mentoring from peers, teachers and community facilitators.

“At Kamulanga secondary school 5 of 10 students who has babies, have returned to school,”.

Teacher: Kamulanga Secondary School

2. Sharing knowledge, information and learning on gender and education in Africa FAWE encourages members of the network to capture good practices in girls’ education and document such for purposes of improving our interventions. This is also meant to encourage other like-minded and interested stakeholders to scale up the successful models identified. This year FAWE was able to capture and share good practices across different networks including: Baseline Survey: A baseline survey was conducted in Kenya and Uganda for the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights project. An in-depth study was conducted in 50 secondary schools, 20 primary schools and 2 universities in both countries. The findings were validated by 318 (171 Female and 147 Male) key education stakeholders and community members. This survey was used to inform project activity design and indicators for measuring changes in knowledge levels, attitudes, service provision, and for selecting target audiences.

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Documentation and Publishing: • Experiences, good practices and outcomes of the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights project implemented in 6 Countries were documented. The countries are: Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Rwanda. The project was funded by the Packard Foundation.

• FAWE Nigeria collaborated with the Ministry of Education to disseminate a journal where they published 9 papers on various topics based on research in girls’ education.

These papers were earlier presented at the (FAWE Nigeria) annual conference 2014, which gave a platform for education and gender promotion. Over 200 participants - FAWE members, academicians, students and politicians - from 36 Nigeria states validated the papers. The Journal serves as a forum for dissemination of research in gender and education in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Key Performance & Achievement 2014

Sharing learning across the network:

• FAWE Kenya participated in three Packard Partners meetings, in which they shared their project’s implementation strategies and impact with other organizations funded by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, such as: Marie Stopes Kenya, Family Health Options Kenya and Great Lakes University of Kenya (GLUK).

• FAWE Regional Office conducted a human resource capacity study in preparation for a learning exchange programme between several countries. This was funded by FK Norway in five Chapters namely: Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Madagascar. The study profiled the Chapters by identifying their challenges as well as strengths that can be shared across participating chapters. Madagascar was found to be in need of stronger organisation and institution capacity before they can participate in the exchange programme.

Action Research: Action Research forms the backbone of all our work and we continue to conduct research and publish it with the hopes of informing future programming in education. Across the network, various studies were conducted including:

• FAWE Sierra Leone and FAWE Liberia had a peer-to-peer cross exchange learning supported by Children in Crisis (CiC) in a jointly implemented programme.

• “Increasing Female Secondary School Teachers in Africa countries: Barriers and Policies” - The study was conducted in Uganda, Tanzania and Togo in partnership with Maryland University and was successfully validated by key education stakeholders. Findings of the study give FAWE an insight into the underlying issues causing gender disparities in teacher availability at secondary level. FAWE in partnership with the three governments will design interventions to address these issues based on this research.

• FAWE Zimbabwe visited FAWE Malawi for shared learning facilitated by the Education Coalition of Zimbabwe through the Civil Society Education Fund.

Sharing lessons outside the network: The Network members have packaged their information and continue to share through mainstream media and on online platforms like websites and social media. They have also actively participated in external interactive events where which allows them to learn and share good practices:

• FAWE Uganda partnered with the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), to examine the linkages between pregnancy and school dropout in Arua and Adjumani districts.

The policy recommendations and strategies made will guide FAWE Uganda’s programming and policy advocacy.

FAWE Regional Secretariat (RS), FAWE Uganda and FAWE Comoros, FAWE Burkina Faso, FAWE Congo, FAWE Mali, and FAWE Madagascar participated in the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL) Matchmaking conference in Paris and Burkina Faso respectively. They shared FAWE’s work on girls’ education in Africa and also learnt about randomized evaluation.

• FAWE Malawi conducted a situation analysis which confirmed that the burden of domestic work, child marriages, and pregnancies continue to push girls out of school.

• FAWE Benin participated in the DFC conference in India and shared information on FAWE’s TUSEME and COE models.

Links to all these research findings are avalable on www.fawe.org

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Key Performance & Achievement 2014

3. Building a skilled and vibrant network

Improvements in MIS Systems at FAWE Great improvements have been made to FAWE’s knowledge management with the development of an online management and information system.

This was co-funded by The MasterCard Foundation, DANIDA and Gender Links. It will serve as a central monitoring and evaluation system to be used across the network. This system will be rolled out to the Chapters in 2015 and we anticipate that it will greatly enhance our efficiency and effectiveness in coordinating programs and enhancing learning across the network.

FAWE strives to maintain consistent practices across the network by setting strong coordination mechanisms and establishing broad goals, policies and standards of practice for the network members to adapt to their respective situations. We strive to ensure that the network remains strong and effective as well as relevant in the changing times.

FAWE reviewed its constitution with an aim to ensure its governing documents alined to the evolving environment and that they respond adequately to the emerging global challenges. The constitution was reviewed with the support of Legal Counsel and adopted at the 9th General Assembly.

Keys results of the 9th General Assembly On 14th and 15th August 2014, FAWE held its 9th General Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya at the BOMA Hotel, to celebrate its successes in promoting girl’s education in Africa and explore opportunities for sustaining the momentum through diverse partnerships. This assembly coincided with FAWE’s 21st Anniversary Celebrations and so it was marked with a Gala Dinner. Participants were drawn from the FAWE Network members who included several political and policy leaders - Ministers of Education, Vice Chancellors, Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Education, Prominent Educationalists and FAWE National Chapter representatives as well as strategic and funding partners. Key outputs of the meeting include: 1. Production of a position paper on the post-2015 SDGs on education, which called for African governments to account for girls’ right to education.

2. Successful round table meeting with potential donors interested in FAWE’s work.

3. Eleven members of FAWE Africa Executive Committee were elected and new Chairperson appointed.

4. FAWE’s revised constitution was also passed and adopted at the general assembly.

5. There was a call to FAWE to expand outreach and impact by: 6. Taking a front seat to the post-2015 debates and specifically leveraging a partnership with AUC to review the 2nd Decade for education and draft a new 10-year strategy;

- Lobbying for increased funding for STEM education for women; - Increasing strategic partnerships with business community, corporate firms, traditional leaders and philanthropists in Africa to support girls’ education; - Growing our body of knowledge on SRGBV and reversing its detrimental effect on education; - Packaging FAWE’s accomplishments more attractively and publicising them more visibly - Strengthening country level partnerships with Ministries of Education by aligning plans to government priorities.

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Key Performance & Achievement 2014

FAWE Gambia and FAWE Zanzibar held their general assemblies and elected new executive committee members. The new teams (including FAWE Kenya’s Executive Committee) were oriented with the support of the regional office.

In a bid to continue to appreciate the strengths and challenges of the network and to build its capacities FAWE members and FAWE Regional Secretariat administered the Organisational Capacity Assessment (OCA) to 14 Chapters. The findings revealed rampant weaknesses in areas such as internal control systems; governance systems and processes; limited skills in advocacy, gender analysis and resource mobilisation. Staffing levels continue to be insufficient in a number of chapters and the FAWE network membership is feared to be waning.

In the same breathe; we have been able to capture good practices in organisational systems and management practice which members of the network shall access to enable them grow through experiential learning process.

FAWE Zambia, FAWE Uganda, FAWE Mali and FAWE Senegal.

FAWE Regional Office’s mandate to coordinate the vast network can be overwhelming. With a lean team of full time staff, FAWE has had to expand its human resource capacity with the regular use of technical support from consultants especially in the areas of communication, monitoring and evaluation as well as resource mobilisation. An on-going one-year partnership with the African Union has engaged young professionals who have supported both the administration and program teams. In addition, we continue to link with local universities internship and attachment programs that often avail to us energetic, and passionate young students who enrich our work with creativity and excellence . The FAWE Alumni has also supported our work on a short-term basis and has been an invaluable resource toward enhancing our work especially during review meetings and other hand-on assignments.

FAWE’s work is enabled by strong administrative and operational framework. In 2014, we developed an ICT policy, a Child Protection Policy and secured a data backup solution. Across the network operations continue to be enhanced with policy reviews and revisions, as well as donations from various funders, for office equipment and vehicles.

In keeping with this mandate FAWE continues to leverage the centrally managed programs to provide technical assistance in the areas of governance, leadership development and financial management to Chapters such as FAWE Rwanda, FAWE Ethiopia, FAWE Somalia, FAWE Liberia, FAWE Kenya, FAWE Burkina Faso and FAWE Zimbabwe,

FAWE Regional Office is continuing to build its leadership pipeline by strengthening the FAWE Alumni network. In 2014, Seven Alumni associations were launched in Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Kenya, Togo, Benin and Zimbabwe, increasing the number in the network to 11 alumni chapters.

This raised the number of young people committed to advancing FAWE’s vision to 232 members. So far, the Alumni groups in Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda’s have secured funding support for their advocacy work plans. The activities of the Alumni are guided by a common manual, which outlines the concept of the alumni, functions and proposed structures.

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Key Performance & Achievement 2014

4. Building strong and productive partnerships Tackling the complexities of promoting gender and education in Africa requires concerted efforts of governments, non-governmental organisations, funders, and other committed organisations and individuals. The pre and post general assembly publicity provided FAWE with an opportunity to remind the public that the cause of achieving gender equity and equality in education is still very much relevant.

Our proven record in achieving results in this area and our established models in girls’ education have attracted new and continuing partnerships and collaborations in pushing the FAWE agenda forward.

Key partnerships and collaborations nurtured and renegotiated in 2014 include: • Following the General Assembly, FAWE was able to secure commitments for partnership with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences-Next Einstein initiative (AIMS-NEI) besides initiating talks with a number of other strategic institutions. We also successfully renewed our MoU with the African Union Commission.

• Strategic partnerships were forged with ANCEFA through a MoU that was signed to revive the partnership and renegotiate collaborations in advocating for equity and quality education in Africa.

• FAWE RS in partnership with ANCEFA, Plan International, Aide Action, and UNICEF setup a platform on education to improve coordination on girls’ education in Africa.

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• 2014 Annual Work Plans for various National Chapters were funded by grants from some Ministries of Education among other ministries; development agencies namely: Packard Foundation, Netherlands embassy, Irish Aid, Action Aid, Plan, African Development Bank (ADB), UNICEF, UNESCO, Beautiful World, Education International, Edukans, MacArthur Foundation, Oxfam Novib, Daikonia, FK Norway, GIZ, ADEA, GFW; philanthropists – OSISA; Corporations like MTN, ZTE, Intel, United Way WorldWide, Standard Chartered Bank, USAID/AGAIP, Camp Glow; Universities – Makerere, Busitema University; benefactors like the Kenya family in Uganda.

Key Performance & Achievement 2014

SNAPSHOT: Partnerships across the network FAWE Somalia with UNDP Gender Equality and Women Empowering Unit and the general assembly of Puntland Non-State actors’ umbrella (PUNSAA);

FAWENA with International Centre of Excellence for Community Schools, Oxygen Communication, United Way Worldwide (UWW), Slow Food; FAWEK with Science Congress, the County Health Management Team;

FAWEZI chairs the Education Coalition of Zimbabwe;

FAWEMA is a member of the Girls Education Network, Civil Society Education Coalition, the Malawi NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGOGCN), Girls-Not-Brides” and EDUCAIDS

FAWE Congo Brazzaville with private sector;

FAWEZA through the multi-stakeholder Joint Annual Review (JAR), ECOSOCC, NCU, CSPR, NGOCC, WLSA, ZANEC and Restless Development;

FAWE Burundi with concern worldwide;

FAWE Uganda Through FENU

FAWE Gambia in partnership with UNICEF and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Gender Unit formed the UNGEI Gambia to engage in advocating for advancement of gender equality in education at national and regional

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Section 5

VOICE OF HOPE ThE MASTERCARD FOUNDATION SCHOLARS IN RWANDA

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Voice of hope

Assoumpta, 15 years old Assoumpta is 15 and she recently joined E SC Byimana Secondary School to study Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology.

Assoumpta lost both parents when she was in senior two. She now lives with her elder sister in Kigali’s suburb of Kacyiru.

The sister is a waitress at a restaurant where she is paid 1000 Francs (approx. 1.5$) per day. They supplement this income by doing subsistence farming on rented land in Gacuriro - Gasabo district. “Assoumpta is a very intelligent, determined and a well-behaved girl. My husband and I took her in after the death of our mother. She is very hopeful about her future now that she has joined The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program.

She wants to excel in her studies and become a cardiologist.

Assoumpta is looking forward to writing a new future, away from a past of hustles and hurdles. We could not even raise her school fees, and we thanks FAWE for lending us a helping hand,” said Assoumpta’s sister.

Assoumpta the hopeful girl cannot hide her joy and now faces the future with great optimism. She states, “I now see a bright future because I am settled in school without any worries about fees payment. I am working hard to ensure I get admitted to the university’’.

Aline, 16 years old Aline is the first child in her family of five. She wants to be an engineer. Aline lives with her parents in one Byimana cell, Munezero - Gisozi sector. Her mother hawks vegetables while her father is a mason yet has to shop for casual labour on a daily basis. Aware of her family’s misery, Aline began saving from her FAWE stipend and initiated poultry farming. She started with seven chickens, which her parents tended while she attended school.

She plans to do piggery by the end of her secondary school. From this, she hopes to sustain the FAWE outreach model by giving a pig to one poor family every year. Aline’s mother is very excited that her daughter was enrolled in the Scholars program. As a good turn, she mother often prepares meals for poor patients in Kigali dispensaries and hospitals.

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Voice of Hope

Witness, 17 years old Witness is a 17 year old first-born in her family. She lost her father in 2004 and now lives with her mother, who lives off subsistence farming. The government gave them one cow, whose milk she sells to supplement family income. Witness is studying Physics, Chemistry and Biology. She wants to be an ophthalmist.

“There are not many eye doctors in Rwanda. I would therefore like to pursue my studies and help people who have eye problems.”

Witnesses’ mother is very excited about the prospects. She remarks, “I have no words to express my gratitude to FAWE Rwanda and the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program. When I heard the news that they were going to pay Witness’ school fees, I felt a huge load drop off my shoulders, saw a brighter future for my daughter and could not help but shed tears.” .

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Section 6

2014 FINANCIAL highlights

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2014 Financial Highlights

1- FAWE - Funding 2014 Government Foundations Others Internal Sources

Total Funding (US $)

Funding partners MCF-Master card Foundation

726,921

Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA)

323,422

The World Bank (through ADEA) restricted funding

75,000

UMD-University of Maryland

44,324

Global Fund For Women

50,000

GIZ-Germany

85,389

Friends of FAWE (FOF)

3,000

FAWE Internal Sources( Rent & Interest income)

142,098

Intel Foundation

70,000

Islamic Development bank-IDB

30,000

FK-Norway

19,959

Women Thrive

15,350

Sub-total

1,585,463

Total

1,585,463

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483,811 882,230 77,324 142,098 1,585,463

2014 Financial Highlights

2- Expenditure 2014 US$ This section details FAWE expenditure during the period under review. FAWE spent USD 2,802,653 on its activities against an approved budget of US$ 3,201,612. This represents 88 % of the budgeted expenditure for 2014. A total of USD 1,214,235 were grants to National Chapters especially those implementing restricted projects. The major expenditures relate to the following activities: • Grants to Rwanda and Ethiopia on MasterCard Foundation scholarship program aimed at funding education for 2000 scholars over a period of 10 years.

• Grant to 13 national chapters for science technology and mathematics (STEM) and SMT project in Burkina Faso. Others included DANIDA TVET projects in Liberia and Somali.

• Statutory meetings, FAWE’s 9th General Assembly and the 49th Executive Committee meetings • Operational costs; including staff salaries, benefits and office running costs.

• Participation in meetings, conferences and learning & sharing events. FAWE alumni meeting held in Zambia and Mali.

Enabling Change for African girls Knowledge management Strengthening the FAWE Network Partnership and Networking Administration Expenses Capital Expenditure

1,426,146 132,554 460,599 210,338 567,240 5,776 2,802,653

Grants to NCs Travel costs Staff costs Consultancies fees Others

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1,214,235 364,775 573,775 321,330 184,798 2,658,913

2014 Financial Highlights

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2014 Financial Highlights

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2014 Financial Highlights

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2014 Financial Highlights

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Section 6

2014 RESOURCE PARTNERS

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“FAWE not only focuses on girl’s education, FAWE actually focuses on all children’s education, both boys and girls.”

Hon. Aicha Bah Diallo Member of FAWE Board

FAWE

Forum for African Women Educationalists Chania Avenue P. O. Box 21394-00505 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 20 383 131 fawe@fawe.org www.fawe.org