Zimbabwe

The Girls' Education Challenge (GEC) had three projects working in Zimbabwe, which improved learning opportunities and outcomes for 226,967 of the country's marginalised girls. 

Projects

Improving girls' access through transforming education (IGATE)- implementation completed in January 2022

The IGATE project supported 40,928 girls and was implemented by World Vision UK.

There are many barriers to girls’ education in Zimbabwe. Family and community attitudes typically prioritise male education over female education, particularly in the poorest households. Expectations involving household and school chores tend to put greater burden on girls than boys, and early marriage and motherhood often mark the end of a girl’s education. Girls in rural communities often face long distances to school, sanitary facilities are inadequate and schools are under-resourced. Teacher absenteeism and teacher-centric teaching methods can also limit learning opportunities within schools. 

The project improved girls’ literacy, numeracy, life skills and self-esteem. It mitigated the barriers that limited girls’ educational access and retention in some of the poorest communities and helped girls to transition from primary to secondary education or onto employment or self-employment. It did this by working alongside communities and establishing non-formal, community-based learning opportunities for out-of-school girls. IGATE worked closely with key stakeholders in communities, schools and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to improve the quality of education in schools, and to address issues around gender-based violence, early forced marriage and the value of girls’ education.

The virtuous cycle of girls' education - implementation completed in January 2022

The Virtuous Cycle of Girls’ Education project supported 172,579 in Zimbabwe and was implemented by Camfed International (also worked in Tanzania and Zambia).

In the project communities, poverty intersects with discriminatory gendered social norms, location, and a range of other contextual factors to result in barriers to girls’ access to, and achievement in education. Girls are particularly vulnerable during transitions from one stage of education to the next and from school into adulthood. These complex barriers increase as girls reach adolescence and are compounded by cultural traditions and expectations of early marriage, sexual and physical exploitation, violence and additional financial burdens in secondary school. Key enduring barriers to girls’ learning include the language of instruction (literacy), poverty, under resourced schools and a lack of quality teaching.

The project enabled marginalised girls to transition to, progress through and succeed at secondary school. It then helped them to transition from school to a secure and fulfilling livelihood. This was done by leveraging the ‘Multiplier Effect’ – whereby women who have been supported by Camfed through and beyond school, provide social and economic support to the next generation of girls. These graduates join forces with district and national authorities to drive change at a wider scale, ultimately re-setting the context for future generations of girls. Integral to the approach is the Learner Guide Program which focuses on life skills and mentoring, and enterprise development which expands women’s livelihood opportunities.

Leave No Girl Behind project

Supporting Adolescent Girls' Education (SAGE) - implementation completed in July 2023

The SAGE project supported 13,460 girls and was implemented by Plan International UK.

Marginalised girls in Zimbabwe face complex barriers to accessing education. These barriers are underpinned by gender inequalities including harmful social norms, high rates of gender-based violence and practices such as early child marriage. These barriers are compounded by factors including age, religion, economic status, ethnicity, geography, and disability. Financial barriers were identified by the project as a key barrier to girls’ access to school as girls are often required to contribute to household chores or income. Throughout the life cycle of the project, an overstretched education system was put under further pressure due to crises including COVID-19, Cyclone Idai, drought, the economic crisis and hyperinflation.

The project targeted highly marginalised, out-of-school adolescent girls, improving their learning outcomes and assisting them with the transition into formal education, training or employment. It did this by providing high-quality, accelerated, non-formal education based from Community-Based Learning Hubs (CBLHs). The project took a holistic approach working at multiple levels to promote and improve education for girls by tackling the root causes of gendered social and economic barriers and to create an enabling environment for transforming unequal gender norms.