Education: Ethiopia

Because I am a girl…
I can break the cycle of poverty for myself and my family.

Girls Empowerment through Education

In rural communities throughout Ethiopia, the general perception among parents, teachers, and village leaders is that it’s a waste of time and money to educate girls. And because of this belief, girls are burdened with household chores, leaving them little to no time to study (if they’re allowed to go to school at all). The idea that an educated girl could lift her community out of poverty is just not something that’s part of their collective culture. 

Through the Because I am a Girl initiative, we're focusing on public schools in the marginalized communities within Addis Ababa. By creating awareness programs and promoting girl-friendly schools, we will impact the lives of 5,000 girls between the ages of 7 to 14 in 24 of the most marginalized communities in Yeka and Akaki, two sub-cities of Addis Ababa. How will we do it? By focusing on four major initiatives:

• Establish girls’ clubs in schools to create a support system that promotes an understanding of girls’ rights.
• Celebrate annual girls’ day in schools to build community awareness about the importance of a primary education for girls among parents and teachers.
• Improve girls’ academic performance by offering tutorial classes so that girls don’t fall behind and ultimately end up dropping out of school.
• Create girl-friendly schools that are safe from violence, with separate bathrooms and adequate drinking water.

Support the Girls Empowerment Through Education Project in Ethiopia by donating today.
Learn how you can get involved.
Read the latest project update.
Find project updates from the field at the Because I am a Girl Blog.