3.3 Data Driven Advocacy for Girls in Emergencies (EiE

4.0

INSTITuTIoNAL STRENgThENINg ANd CAPACITy BuILdINg

For institutional growth, FAWE appreciates that it is important to have up to date working systems and adhere to the highest levels of corporate governance. Besides, it is mandatory to continuously build capacities of staff and ensure they are equipped with necessary tools and informed of the latest practices in their area of expertise. FAWE has set pace in improving access to financial resources and aligning with governments response mechanisms to meet the urgent education needs of girls in schools. FAWE has also improved collaboration with National Chapters in building their capacity in various programming areas including online pedagogy, emerging monitoring and evaluation trends, Advocacy skills, resource mobilization styles, communication techniques such as website management and development of communication strategies for increased visibility. The National Chapters are the back bone of FAWE; their strength is FAWE Africa’s strength.

FAWE SS was first established in 2008 and hosted at Ministry of Education South Sudan. Unfortunately, in 2013, FAWE SS encountered great difficulty because of the South Sudanese civil war. During this unrest, FAWE SS was forced to close as it could no longer function. What followed was the loss of registration status and an exacerbation of the negative situation facing out of schoolgirls in South Sudan.

In 2020, officials from the Ministry of Education and activists from NGOs working in South Sudan approached FAWE Regional Secretariat (FAWE RS) for support to revamp the chapter. Various planning meetings took place and on 6th of April

4.1 Strengthened Capacity of FAWE National Chapters and Regional Secretariat Team

4.1.1 FAWE South Sudan (FAWE SS) is back!

2021, FAWE SS was once again registered. Whilst congratulating the chapter, Ms. Martha Muhwezi the FAWE Africa Executive Director, thanked the MOE officials for their commitment to girls’ education and assured the officials and FAWE SS team, full support from FAWE Regional Secretariat.

FAWE South Sudan is back to addressing the continuing violations of girls’ and women’s rights in the Education sector. The Chapter is being steered by the National Coordinator Ms. Poni Tekla Gabriel. Congratulations! FAWE South Sudan

4.1.2 FAWE gRP training for FAWE Regional Secretariat Staff and National Chapters

New staff of FAWE Regional Secretariat and select national chapters staff (Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Chad, Gabon, and Togo) were trained on GRP and how to use it in their programmes. The overarching objective of the training was to strengthen the capacities of FAWE staff on the GRP model for them to become GRP champions in areas of work as well as to be equipped as trainers of trainers. To achieve these objectives, participants discussed the demand and supply factors that impede gender equality in education.

On the demand side, the sessions enabled participants to interrogate socio-cultural norms that disempower girls and women and result in gender disparities in education, which made them appreciate why gender inequality and exclusion persist in education.

On the supply side, the sessions looked at pedagogy in relation to classroom management, examining the efficacy of pedagogical practices; what is taught, how what is learnt is taught and how what is taught is learnt. Participants also came to a recognition that quality education would only be possible in schools that provide gender responsive school environments.

On the demand side, the sessions enabled participants to interrogate socio-cultural norms that disempower girls and women and result in gender disparities in education, which made them appreciate why gender inequality and exclusion persist in education.

On the supply side, the sessions looked at pedagogy in relation to classroom management, examining the efficacy of pedagogical practices; what is taught, how what is learnt is taught and how what is taught is learnt. Participants also came to a recognition that quality education would only be possible in schools that provide gender responsive school environments.

4.1.3 Technical training in website management and communications strategy development

FAWE conducted an online training session on basic website management skills and back-end navigation, for her 15 national chapters. The training was supported from funds by Echidna giving. In a bid to streamline communication within FAWE Africa and beyond, 33 participants from FAWE National Chapters were trained on how to develop a communication strategy and use social media for programming. The communication strategy would serve as a blueprint for internal and external communications and increase visibility and awareness of FAWE activities.

4.1.4 Francophone spirit ignited in Anglophone Speakers

Fifteen (15) FAWE regional secretariat staff took up the challenge to learn French trained by Alliance Francaise. This was with the aim to keep up to language standard of FAWE as a regional and bilingual organisation. This turned out to be an exciting moment for the team. All the 15 staff passed the DELF A1 level with flying colors!

Immediately I joined FAWE I knew I had to learn French to enable me to effectively communicate with my Francophone finance counterparts especially when disbursing funds and following up financial reports Catherine Mwangi, FAWE RS Financial Officer

I look forward to the day I will be proficient in French. I want to reduce the level of interpretation when communicating with FAWE Alumni from Francophone Countries Julie Khamati, FAWE RS Programme Assistant

FAWE RS staff after sitting their DELF A1 French examinations at the Alliance Francaise de Nairobi in November 2021

FAWE Kenya officials, teachers and best students pose for a photo at the awarding ceremony of the Phase 3 STEM project. – Picture from FAWE Newsletter May/June 2021

4.2 Resource Mobilization

With the continuous support and presence of our donors, FAWE has been able to assist thousands of girls and boys across the continent and work towards achieving its objectives of addressing girls’ education and leadership challenges across Africa.

In 2021, FAWE gained new partners including Ford Foundation on ending teenage pregnancies in Kenya, Oxfam Kenya on promoting women participation in politics in Kenya, French Embassy Senegal on promoting quality education for girls in Burkina Faso, Gabon and Senegal, Global Affairs Canada in promoting Sexual Reproductive Rights of Girls in Ghana and Uganda, Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI), a research on sexual violence and So Green (Iceland) using carbon credits to reduce the number of teen pregnancies proposed for Zambia while exploring Sierra Leone, Burundi, Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Niger, Uganda, and Ethiopia. Ongoing efforts to bring more partners on board are in full gear for the year 2022.

Overall FAWE increased her financial resources by 33% compared to 2020. It is also important to note that 2020 audits conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers were unqualified, confirming FAWE’s prudent use of her resources.

4.3 Communication for enhanced visibility

To enhance FAWE’s position as a thought leader in matters education for girls’ and women’s empowerment, FAWE continued to positively influence and shape opinions on girls’ education in Africa. This was achieved through strategic placement of opinion pieces in various media. One of the opinion pieces was dubbed the effectiveness of school re-entry policies for teenage mothers in Africa: What works? authored by Teresa Omondi – Adeitan, FAWE African Deputy Executive Director. The article was placed in the Nation Africa platform during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence

FAWE also continues to produce bimonthly newsletters to inform her audience on the work of the organisation and invite stakeholder’s support on emerging issues. The newsletters also highlight FAWE success stories at regional and national Level.

FAWE Annual Report 2021 FAWE’S oNLINE PRESENCE

IN 2021

54,500 6,910 449 183

Impressions on Twitter Profile visits Mentions new followers

400 809 250 239

post engagements page views new followers page likes

www

49,160 49,045 375,208

Users New users page views

4.4 Alumni engagement

As FAWE sets her eyes on the future, she also remembers to reach out to the beneficiaries of the past. These are the girls and women who were supported by FAWE in one way or another to access education and other opportunities. It is imperative that FAWE keeps in touch with the alumni as they are the mentors and voices of hope that the beneficiaries of today need.

In a bid to reach out to and create links with alumni, FAWE in partnership with InHive carried out a survey and developed a recommendations report that detailed the views of different Alumni, RS and NC staff on their proposed support for strengthening of the FAWE alumni network. Implementation of the recommendations began in May 2021 with four consultative meetings held with Alumni executives from different chapters. Additionally, one alumnus, Ms. Bridget Akurut was selected to represent FAWE as a GPE Young Leader. This not only contributed to the alumnus’ exposure but brought FAWE’s voice into global campaigning.

On the 16th of June 2021, FAWE held an alumni webinar to discuss on the progress made in girl’s education over the past 30 years. The major focus was on the kind of pressures girls face to complete and transit to higher levels of education. During the webinar, the alumni were able to share their education and career journeys and ways to encourage other girls to perform well in school and transition to tertiary education and the world of work. Similarly, a virtual alumni webinar was held in November, where 30 alumni attended. The webinar was a precursor to the 16days of activism campaign and focused on the link between menstrual disorders and gender-based violence.

As part of capacity building, 11 alumni representatives from 11 National Chapters were trained on alumni strengthening. The 11 trainees will act as trainers of trainees and will cascade the training to other alumni in the other National Chapters.

The FAWE Monitoring and Information System (MIS) was reviewed and a new feature to enable collection of data through mobile phones was incorporated. FAWE alumni from 11 National Chapters have updated their biodata on the MIS through computers/ mobile phones. The data has enabled FAWE engage better with the alumni. Efforts to mobilize other alumni are on-going. As part of capacity building, 11 alumni representatives from 11 National Chapters were trained on alumni strengthening. The 11 trainees will act as trainers of trainees and will cascade the training to other alumni in the other National Chapters.

The FAWE Monitoring and Information System (MIS) was reviewed and a new feature to enable collection of data through mobile phones was incorporated. FAWE alumni from 11 National Chapters have updated their biodata on the MIS through computers/ mobile phones. The data has enabled FAWE engage better with the alumni. Efforts to mobilize other alumni are on-going.

4.4.1 FAWE alumni selected as gPE global youth Champion

26-year-old Bridget Akurut, a FAWE alumni from Uganda was selected as one of the 17 youth champions from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to partner with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to raise awareness of the barriers to education with an aim to influence the ambition of global leaders to finance education and development.

Photo credit: GPE

Ms. Bridget Akurut (left), FAWE alumni and a GPE Global Youth Champion (Right) All the 17 GPE Global Youth Champions drawn from different countries around the globe

Bridget has been an advocate for girl’s education for over a decade and has a record of accomplishment of past and current engagements on youth empowerment. She is currently the Alumni Representative to the FAWE Africa General Assembly, a member of the Educate – Her Alliance, Youth leader in Archdiocese of Kampala among others. She strongly believes that education creates equal opportunities for both boys and girls.

The 17 youth leaders are young education activists based in GPE partner countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are supporting GPE’s financing campaign to transform education systems in their countries and around the world.

In 2021, Bridget and the other youth leaders drawn from Kenya, Comoros, Zimbabwe, Honduras, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Nepal and Afghanistan took part in several virtual events, and spoke up for education.

5.0

RESEARCh ANd KNoWLEdgE MANAgEMENT

In 2021, research and knowledge management continued to be an inherent part of FAWE’s strategic approach, with activities centering on: monitoring and evaluation, data management and Communications.

5.1 Enhancing data management

To ensure that there is data repository at FAWE, eight National Chapters were introduced to and currently utilize the FAWE Management Information System (MIS). The system is crucial for the coordination, control, analysis and visualization of information in FAWE. The MIS training helped the chapters to consolidate results for their projects as well as those funded through the regional secretariat. By a touch of a button, FAWE Secretariat is also able to get information from chapter level.

5.2 Research and documentation

5.2.1 higher education Access Program (hEAP)

FAWE conducted the midterm review of the Higher Education Access Program (HEAP) implemented by Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda Chapter (FAWEU) in three universities and two technical colleges . The aim of HEAP is to provide access to higher education to student from 13 marginalized districts in Uganda. The programme allows the students to take up bridging courses that allow them to attain the points required for Degree courses. The midterm review showed the programmes recorded great success, with 10 students from first cohort already in employment. Majority of the students also prefer to work in their home district, a great achievement of this programme in getting marginalized communities are empowered. This project is ongoing to 2024.

5.2.2 Re-entry Studies and Policy Briefs in Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania and Malawi

In March 2021, FAWE launched research on assessing the effectiveness of reentry policies for teenage pregnancy in Malawi, Tanzania, Senegal, and Namibia. Findings of the research were documented and used to inform the development of policy briefs which were designed, published, and disseminated in the target countries.

5.2.3 Women in Political Participation Situation Analysis – Tanzania and Kenya

FAWE developed the WPP situational analysis research that advised on the status of women leadership in the Kenya and Tanzania and, later developed country-specific policy briefs for the two countries. The knowledge documents have been disseminated on different platforms to garner support for women to participate in politics.

Photo credit: Stock image

5.3 FAWE migrates to the cloud!

FAWE is in the clouds! In this era of digitalization, FAWE is aligned to current state of art technological evolutions. FAWE moved to cloud-based solutions that guarantee service availability and accessibility, mobility, unlimited storage, data security, realtime updates, improved communication, and collaboration. The investment on both Microsoft Office 365 (O365) and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (D365) have been a key success towards ensuring organizational activities continue uninterrupted all throughout the year.

D365 which consists of the financial system, HR management system, grants management, procurement, and self-service portals, has seen the automation of various processes within the organization that have improved on turnaround times of tasks been carried out. O365 on the other hand, has greatly improved on collaboration within the organization by providing tools such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint that allow for sharing of information and actively engaging online to ensure teams are able to work together irrespective of their location.

Moving to cloud-based solutions gives room for a more sustainable, secure, and accessible data storage while improving on real-time collaboration within the organization as well as with external partners. This initiative will foster more reactivity and efficacity in the conduction of FAWE’s daily activities and will guarantee safeguarding of the institutional memory.

6.0

LEARNINgS FRoM 2021

Photo credit: Stock image

The COVID 19 Pandemic remains a heavy burden in the implementation of programs and activities. Nevertheless, FAWE has developed and adopted various adaptability strategies/measures to conducting its mission and meeting its strategic objectives. One of the widespread adaptability measures has been to resort to online training sessions and meetings to keep activities successfully running as planned. To reduce and/or prevent online fatigue, FAWE continues to use interactive, collaborative, and co-creative online sessions to keep participants interested and achieve desired results.

Covid travel restrictions, also impacted on field visits. FAWE applied innovative ways of project monitoring and follow up on activities being implemented in National Chapters. There has been frequent catch up phone calls, online meeting with project beneficiaries and use of partners at country level as supplementary monitors.

FAWE also experienced delayed implementation of activities, example in countries where education institution remained closed or had partial operations for the whole of the year 2021. FAWE had to seek for no cost extension spilling activities over to the year 2022. However, FAWE has employed mechanisms to ensure the planned activities and results are achieved.

Overall, FAWE pursued robust negotiations and updates with existing donors while attracting new development partner to sustain its programmes. Further, each National Chapter has been allocated a contact person from regional secretariat to enhance communication and support for programmes at National level. FAWE is also making deliberate steps in providing leadership by seating in important committees/working groups at African Union level and globally in education networks.

FAWE is optimistic that the year 2022 will witness more important strides and achievements, this of course with the continued support of our partners, unwavering commitment of our National Chapters and staffs at the regional secretariat.

Top left: Seaweed harvesting in Zanzibar in October 2021 as a result of the Youth Sustained Business Startups Project funded by Norad.

Top right: Beneficiaries of the Youth Sustained Business Startups Project work on a solar panel in Bamako, Mali during a practical lesson in November 2021. The project is funded by Norad.