Educate!

Achieving Quality Education For All Learners As leaders around the world gather for the 2023 UNGA and Sustainable Development Summit, this is a moment to reflect on the progress made towards its 17 Global goals.

🧑🏿‍🏫 Teachers like Grace and Didace are critical in helping students gain vital skills to thrive in today’s labor market.

At Educate! we believe that empowering teachers is the cornerstone of a successful competency-based curriculum reform.

This week, our Teacher Training Program took place in Rwanda, focusing on the teachers who guide students in the crucial last three years of secondary school – a period when many are on the verge of entering the workforce.

Training equips teachers to nurture soft skills like communication, creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork.

Educate! Program Officers train Master Trainers like Grace and Didace who then spread the knowledge to fellow teachers at district and community levels. This cascade approach broadens our reach while allowing educators to empower peers.

🤝🏿 Since 2015, Educate! has been providing technical advice to the Rwandan government on the country’s competency-based curriculum reform, aimed at creating a new generation of entrepreneurs. Together, we can transform education in East Africa!

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📢 Happening this week!

Sylvia Mwangi, Educate!’s Head of National Programs - Community Service Learning, and Samson Mbugua, our Director of Technology, will be presenting at the upcoming 2023 Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) Conference, hosted by our partners at the Kenya National Examinations Council.

🗓️ August 24th 🕤 9:30am 📍 Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi

Learn about the transformative power of technology and how Educate! is partnering with governments in East Africa to strengthen the link between competency-based learning and assessment practices, including how this collaboration has driven the development of the Comprehensive Assessment Management Information System (CAMIS) in Rwanda.

🔗 Find out more about the event: https://www.aeaafrica.org/

Did you know that across some African regions, only 1 in 20 rural girls complete secondary school?

Meet Rashimi (left), a remarkable young woman featured on the front cover of our 2022 Impact Report. Rashimi dropped out of school due to financial constraints but found transformation through our livelihood bootcamp in Uganda. 💪🏿

Through the skills she gained, Rashimi started her own business selling fruit salad and juice. Her sister, Aisha, also found success selling soya flour to combat malnutrition in their community.

Rashimi can now support her young son and contribute to her mother’s medical needs, all while saving for expansion. The sisters aim to generate enough profit to rent a storefront, purchase coolers for the juice, and offer more commodities to customers.

Our bootcamps primarily cater to rural girls but also include boys, delivering skill-building experiences through trained mentors. The bootcamps are hyper-tailored to unique needs - trainers translate lessons into local languages and adapt content to accommodate lower literacy and numeracy levels. Services like childcare are also offered so that young mothers can actively participate.

Discover more empowering solutions for youth and understand the impact of Educate! across East Africa in our 2022 Impact Report! 📊🌍https://go.experienceeducate.org/ImpactReport2022

✨ Celebrating International Youth Day 2023! ✨

We're excited to be part of the action at the Kenya Cultural Centre, where early celebrations of International Youth Day which is tomorrow, are in full swing.

In line with this year's International Youth Day theme, 'Green Skills for Youth,' talented entrepreneurs are taking the spotlight, proudly showcasing the green and sustainable businesses they've developed.

Educate! is also celebrating our innovative SkillUp livelihoods bootcamps which bring fresh and creative approaches to involving young people, particularly young women in the agriculture sector, a powerhouse of the Kenyan economy.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates on International Youth Day 2023 as we celebrate and show our support to youth.

Thank you Generation Unlimited and UNICEF Kenya for organizing this vibrant event.

Are you going to Women Deliver 2023?

Join Hawah Nabbuye, Educate!’s Uganda Country Director, next week in Kigali at the global convening to advance gender equality!

➡️ Harnessing the Power of Education to End Harmful Gender Norms and Stereotypes in Schools
🗓️ Tuesday, July 18th, 1:30-3:00 pm CAT

Harmful gender norms and stereotypes not only hamper gender equality but also fuel adverse education outcomes. This session will focus on gender stereotypes in schools and how utilizing education can help young people grow into equal, just, and non-violent citizens while also advancing the agenda on gender equality.

➡️ Turning a girl's dream into reality: Secondary education as the next frontier
🗓️ Wednesday, July 19th, 9:45-10:30 am CAT

The gender gap in education is narrowing, but there is still much to do as the battle for educational equality intensifies at the secondary education level. This discussion promises to be a transformative journey, shedding light on the significance of secondary education and inspiring collective action for a brighter educational landscape.

We hope to see you there!

Learn more about the event: https://www.wd2023.org/

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We at Educate! are shocked and saddened by the recent school attack in western Uganda. Our team operates in the affected district, although we do not have a partnership with the school where this tragedy took place.

We stand together with the community during this difficult time and have prepared a robust support protocol for our staff in the area, who see firsthand the promise and potential of Ugandan youth every day.

We believe in the power of education to change lives. In the face of adversity, we will continue to support young people, helping them create a brighter, more peaceful future.

Africa is the world's youngest continent, and the youth population is growing every day.

Working together, we can equip these young people with the skills and knowledge to build a bright future for themselves and their communities.

Today, on the Day of the African Child, we celebrate the power of youth and reaffirm our commitment to scaling solutions that tap into their limitless potential!

Did you know that half of our leadership team has been with Educate! for over five years?

One of these changemakers is Hawah Nabbuye, our Uganda Country Director.

Hawah joined Educate! as a Mentor in 2008, supporting more than 100 secondary students in Kampala. She was later promoted to Senior Program Coordinator and then became the Regional Manager, driving continued growth and innovation.

Hawah now leads Educate!’s work in Uganda. She is also an Echidna Scholar with the Brookings Institution and has become an expert on gender equity in education.

A special shout-out to Hawah and all of our leaders for their unwavering dedication, strategic vision, and unyielding belief in the potential of young people!

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“While Educate! has always been learning focused, this new way of working required dividing into small teams, supporting a culture of innovation that is accepting of failure, and creating systems and structures that allowed programs to quickly pivot and adapt.”

📚 Check out Educate!’s feature in a recently published USAID - US Agency for International Development brief about the valuable and enduring lessons learned over the past few years, including:

🔹The importance of agile experimentation in building effective solutions

🔹The impact potential of condensed experiences with clear objectives

🔹The power of providing youth with mentorship and practical learning opportunities

https://www.edu-links.org/sites/default/files/media/file/PROMISINGPRACTICES_EngagingYouthHigherEdInstitutions_COVID-19.pdf

This Thursday, Educate!’s Alex Kelly will join Solomon Mugambe of Wezesha Impact at the 2023 Global YEO Summit – YEO Reimagined: Powering Youth-Led Action Towards 2030.

Moderated by our own Natasha Mulenga Hornsby, this interactive session will explore the increasing need for alternative pathways to employment for Africa’s growing out-of-school youth population.

Click the link below to learn more about how the global community is coming together to reimagine and build sustainable youth economic opportunities! 👇

http://ow.ly/YtXF50OpU1R

How can we help young people — including those that are out of school — drive economic growth and build more sustainable futures?

Join Educate! and Wezesha Impact at the upcoming 2023 Global YEO Summit hosted by Making Cents International to discuss alternative pathways to employment.

Did you know that Educate! started as a scholarship program? 📚

But we quickly realized that access to education alone was not enough to break the cycle of youth unemployment in Africa.

For the past 12 years, Educate! has continuously innovated and improved its approach to equip tomorrow's leaders with the skills to achieve their aspirations.

Join our newsletter to stay up to date on how we’re working to unlock the potential of the world’s youngest continent: https://go.experienceeducate.org/newsletter

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Improperly dumped waste causes land degradation, soil erosion, injuries, and illnesses.

To address the issue, Keneth started a recycling business, buying and collecting scraps, sorting them, and eventually selling them by weight to different manufacturing companies.

Throughout Earth Month and beyond, Educate! is proud to empower youth to take action, gaining skills that support them in building their livelihoods and positively impacting their communities.

Read the full story on our blog: https://go.experienceeducate.org/keneth

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Did you know that educating girls can help fight climate change?

When girls receive a quality education, they’re more likely to become leaders in their communities, take action to protect the environment, and promote sustainable practices.

Educate! has pioneered an approach proven to improve gender outcomes at scale. Several rigorous RCT studies have shown significant impact on key gender metrics driving the fight against climate change, including a 28% increase in women’s decision-making power.

This Earth Day 🌍🌱, learn more about our impact on girls' education as we work to create a brighter future for our planet.

https://www.experienceeducate.org/investing-in-girls

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This week, we're looking forward to attending the 20th Skoll World Forum and contributing to the important conversation about transformational social change!

From rethinking education to sustainable business practices, we're thrilled to be joining other thought leaders to discuss innovative solutions to the most pressing issues facing our world today.

https://skoll.org/skoll-world-forum/

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From an early age, Nzabarinda thought of himself as an entrepreneur.

Seeking to improve the living standards of those in his town and beyond, Nzabarinda first applied the skills he garnered through Educate! to manufacture a liquid soap made to repel mosquitoes.

Fast forward to today, Nzabarinda is pursuing a degree in business marketing while simultaneously running Tuuza Industries Ltd, a registered startup.

At Educate!, we work to ensure youth have the space and tools to turn their passions into a business.

Read more about Nzabarinda’s journey, his growing enterprise, and plans for the future: https://go.experienceeducate.org/nzabarinda

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💪🏾♀️ Elizabeth, a mother of two in Uganda, is harnessing her experience in Educate!’s bootcamp for out-of-school youth to build a small grocery business.

By addressing a need in her community, where locals typically walk eight kilometers to the nearest store, she’s increased her income.

As well as learning new skills, Elizabeth has gained a support network, leveraging the strength of the women in her area to grow.

Today on we celebrate the women breaking down barriers on their path to success.

Read Elizabeth’s story here: https://go.experienceeducate.org/elizabeth'sstory

And click the link to learn more about Educate!’s impact on young women and girls: http://ow.ly/krPg50NbLML

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We are looking forward to being a part of Imaginable Futures fireside chat to discuss how youth voices can be elevated when striving to create sustainable change in Africa.

Educate!’s Beverly Nicole Adhiambo, a Program Officer in Kenya, will participate alongside other young leaders as they share their strategies, stories, and solutions in the quest to create a brighter future for young people.

Click here to register: https://imaginablefutures.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KiTwU0MmTB24zNVPMjV3eA

We’d love to hear your thoughts! How can we create meaningful systems change by actively listening to, collaborating with and elevating youth voices? Comment below!

Today is Digital Learning Day! To celebrate, we’d like to highlight a few of the women driving Educate!’s toward a tech-enabled future.

As the future rapidly unfolds, leveraging technology is a key component of Educate!’s ability to strengthen and scale our impact.

In working to empower the next generation of leaders — especially girls — we’re grateful to have women like Laetitia and Charity in the driver’s seat!

Click the link to read the full blog: http://bit.ly/3kfuDF0

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We’re excited to have our Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Meghan Mahoney, representing Educate! at the 67th annual CIES conference in Washington, DC. This year’s theme focuses on improving education for a more equitable world.

At the event, Meghan will share how Educate! partners with governments to institutionalize skills-based education. She will also discuss Educate!’s approach to program design and evaluation.

It's not too late to register! The on-site event will run from Feb 18-22. Click the link for more details: https://cies2023.org/

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Today, let's come together to recognize the importance of education and its transformative power!

Equitable access to quality education is key to accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and preparing future generations to tackle complex challenges in their communities and beyond.

At Educate!, we strive to create a world in which all young people have access to learning experiences — both formal and informal — that equip them with the skills and knowledge to achieve the futures they envision.

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Through our newest model, Out-of-School Youth Solutions, we’re creating bootcamps to support youth unable to access traditional secondary education in Kenya and Uganda.

These bootcamps aim to equip young people, especially women and girls in rural communities, with the skills to transition to quality employment successfully.

We’re currently building and validating this model and are eager to meaningfully grow the number of youth we impact in the years to come.

Learn more: https://www.experienceeducate.org/out-of-school-youth

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Looking to join a passionate team working to unlock the potential of youth in East Africa? Educate! is ! ✨

We are seeking an External Relations Manager (with a preference for candidates either in Denver, Europe, or East Africa) who will help us meet and exceed our fundraising goals to fuel the growth of Educate!’s impact.

Click below to learn more and apply! 👇

External Relations Manager Flexible - preference for Denver, East Africa, or Europe

Our Education System Solutions aims to support the integration of skills-based learning into national education systems.

We work alongside government partners to co-design practical, hands-on learning experiences within the secondary education curriculum.

For teachers like Vincent, whose students were the runners-up in the 2021 National Student Business Club Competitions in Rwanda, this approach has helped provide a platform for youth to gain real-world experience.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue scaling this model!

Learn more: http://ow.ly/RlUR50MpPcj

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Through Educate!’s School Solutions, we deliver workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and 21st-century skills training directly in secondary schools in Uganda to ensure students have the tools they need to pursue their goals.

As a former participant and current Mentor, Jonathan states, “I learned to embrace change and apply means of problem-solving in every situation I am faced with.”

Looking ahead, we’re strengthening this rigorously evaluated model by integrating innovations forged during the pandemic.

Learn more: https://www.experienceeducate.org/school-solutions

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What if there was a way to measurably change the trajectory of the lives of youth across Africa?

Since its launch in 2009, Educate! has worked to do just this, delivering outsized impacts at scale and at disproportionately low costs, toward the aim of addressing youth unemployment.

Our core experience delivers the most essential skills youth need to transition to work, combining training, mentorship, and practical experience starting a business.

To kick off the New Year, we’re excited to share more about the three ways we deliver this experience and our goals for 2023 and beyond. Stay tuned!

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We’re honored to introduce you to Sheila!

Sheila felt like her dreams were shattered when financial challenges forced her out of the classroom, and as a young mother, she has overcome numerous hardships on the path to her goals.

Through participation in Educate!’s bootcamp, designed to equip youth with the skills to build their livelihoods, Sheila is leveraging new tools and knowledge to grow her small vending business.

Working to build security and opportunity for herself and her family, Sheila is creating the life she envisions through passion, grit, and unrelenting persistence.

Click the link to read the full story bit.ly/3BXZo6P

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Saturday was Human Rights Day!🧑‍🤝‍🧑

We live in a time of incredible change and are thankful for the courage of those who stand up for human rights worldwide.

At Educate!, we celebrate all humans' fundamental rights, like access to education and opportunity. These are not just ideals but essential components in ensuring we’re all able to achieve the futures we envision.

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Solution 5 of Dubai Cares and The Education Commission's newly launched report calls for creating "diverse and certifiable routes for youth to build skills and promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth."

At Educate!, we believe that young people, no matter what level of schooling they reach, should have the tools they need to achieve their goals and drive positive change in their communities and beyond.

Learn more about how Educate! is providing for youth unable to access secondary education: https://www.experienceeducate.org/out-of-school-youth

Read the full Rewiring Education for People and Planet report: https://bit.ly/3Tl0G2C

Meet Peace - a secondary student in Uganda! ✨

Peace wants to support others in developing the knowledge and skills to empower themselves.

Through participation in Educate!’s in-school model, Peace was motivated to become a leader in her school and beyond.

She aspires to impart her craft-making skills to women in her community to curb gender-based violence and promote gender equity.

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Did you hear the exciting news?!

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has announced a $12 million investment towards Educate!’s Vision for 2025 – our bold $44 million plan to increase employment and economic opportunity for 400,000 new youth and expand Educate!’s annual impact by 400%.

Read our announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eVDVe7V4

Do you want to learn more about Educate!? Our email newsletter is a great place to start!

We are eager to share details about our path to measurably impact millions of youth across Africa and grateful for the support of Educate! champions who want to follow along with our journey!

Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3EdEORl

Wondrous learning is finding a way to engage the hardest-to-reach populations left out of education, such as rural, out-of-school girls. Wondrous learning is working with these girls to create a new vision of what is possible for their lives.

Educate!'s Director of Growth, Alex Kelly, will speak at the 12th annual Mobiles for Education Alliance symposium in Washington, D.C, this week. His presentation will focus on how Educate! has leveraged low-tech innovations to empower young people in East Africa.

Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3DPszdF

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