Biruh Tesfa for All

Project completed implementation in March 2023

Population Council’s Biruh Tesfa (Bright Future) for All project provided up to 10,500 highly marginalised, out-of-school girls in Ethiopia with new skills and opportunities to facilitate their transition back into school, to improve their literary and numeracy, and to prepare for future employment.

This project was an extension of the Biruh Tesfa initiative in Ethiopia which was originally designed as a reproductive health effort using adult female mentors to convene girls’ groups in safe community spaces with a particular focus on rural-urban migrants, child domestic workers and girls with disabilities.

Activities

• Using the Ministry of Education's Alternative Basic Education curricula - a 24-month programme – mentors provided literacy and numeracy instruction with girls moving into formal education upon completion.
• Delivered complementary training in life skills, financial literacy and entrepreneurship with mentor-led guidance and individualised counselling plans which included educational and livelihood goal-setting.
• Created ‘safe space’ clubs in existing community facilities.
• Promoted inclusivity through teacher training, improving school accessibility and the provision of assistive devices and school kits, as well as the option of safe employment through placements by the Ethiopian Business and Disabilities Network for girls with disabilities leading to inclusive employment opportunities.

Population Council: http://www.popcouncil.org/