Waache Wasome LET GIRLS LEARN TANZANIA
Quarterly Progress Report FY2017 Q2 December 15, 2016 – March 31, 2017 Cooperative Agreement AID-OAA-A-17-00001 Submitted by World Education, Inc./Bantwana Initiative April 30, 2017 Table of Contents Acronym List ...... 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 4 I. INTRODUCTION ...... 6 A. Project Overview ...... 6 B. Key Objectives...... 6 C. Geographic Coverage & Target Population ...... 6 II. PROJECT ACTIVITIES ...... 7 OBJECTIVE 1: Build the agency, knowledge, and protective assets of girls in secondary school ...... 7 1.1 Protect our Youth (POY) Clubs ...... 8 1.2 Community Mentor Program ...... 13 OBJECTIVE 2: Increase family commitment and capacity to invest in girls’ education ...... 14 2.1 Livelihoods Improvement for Mothers and Caregivers of Adolescents (LIMCA) ...... 14 2.2 Parenting skills for mothers and caregivers of adolescents ...... 18 OBJECTIVE 3: Foster a girl friendly and supportive school environment ...... 19 3.1 GBV Prevention and Response Training ...... 19 3.2 Peer Study Groups ...... 20 OBJECTIVE 4: Increase access to youth friendly reproductive health services ...... 21 4.1 Adolescent Reproductive Health & Sports ...... 22 OBJECTIVE 5: Provide alternative education pathways for girls who have dropped out of secondary school due to pregnancy and/or early marriage ...... 22 Cross-Cutting Activities ...... 22 III. MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING ...... 23 A. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan ...... 23 B. Project Monitoring ...... 23 C. Waache Wasome Evaluation ...... 24 IV. PROJECT MANAGEMENT ...... 24 A. Start-up activities...... 26 B. Year 1 Annual Work Planning ...... 27 C. Implementing Partners & Sub-awards ...... 28 D. Partnerships ...... 29 E. Communications & Other Activities ...... 30 V. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES ...... 31 Key Opportunities ...... 31 Key Challenges...... 32
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Acronym List
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ARH Adolescent Reproductive Health Camfed The Campaign for Female Education CEFM Child, Early, and Forced Marriage CIDA Canadian Institute Development Agency DCDO District Community Development Officer DEO District Education Officer DED District Executive Director DEI District Education Inspector DMO District Medical Officer DREAMS Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe DREAMS IC DREAMS Innovation Challenge DSHCo District School Health Coordinator DSWO District Social Welfare Officer DTO District Trade/Cooperative Officer EEV Economic Empowerment Volunteer EWS Early Warning System GBV Gender Based Violence HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus ICT Information and Communications Technology LGA Local Government Authority LIMCA Livelihoods Improvement for Mothers and Caregivers of Adolescents M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MOEST Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology MoHCDGEC Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender Children, and the Elderly NPA-VAWC National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children (2017-2022) NORC National Opinion Research Center OVC Orphan and Vulnerable Children PEPFAR President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief PCGD Police Child & Gender Desk PO-RALG President's Office Regional Administration and Local Government POY Protect Our Youth SOP Standard Operating Procedure SRH Sexual Reproductive Health STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, Math STI Sexually Transmitted Infection TAG Teen Advisory Group TBI Tanzania Bora Initiative UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government VEO Village Executive Officer VSLA Village Savings and Lending Associations WEdO Ward Education Officer WEO Ward Executive Officer WEI World Education, Inc. Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
World Education, Inc.’s Bantwana Initiative (WEI/Bantwana) is pleased to submit the first quarterly report for the Waache Wasome project, covering the period December 15, 2016 through March 31, 2017. Waache Wasome is a five year, $10.5 million project funded by USAID under the Let Girls Learn Challenge Fund. Waache Wasome is implemented by WEI/Bantwana in partnership with Restless Development, WGBH Educational Foundation, The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MOEST), the President’s Office—Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Local Government Authorities, and local implementing partners. Waache Wasome (‘Let Girls Learn’ in Kiswahili) seeks to increase girls’ enrollment and retention and challenge discriminatory norms and practices that constrain adolescent girls’ access to education. In line with the three pillars of USAID’s Let Girls Learn approach (Increasing Access to Quality Education, Reducing Barriers to Success, and Empowering Adolescent Girls), Waache Wasome works across the ecological model—with girls, their families and caregivers, their schools, and the communities and local structures where they live.
This quarter focused on the critical operational, administrative, and planning activities required to ensure a rapid and smooth start-up of Waache Wasome. WEI/Bantwana hired and oriented new staff, conducted work planning, submitted the PY1 work plan to USAID, introduced the project to the MOEST and Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Karatu District Council, and opened a field office in Karatu. WEI/Bantwana ensured a thorough introduction of the project to a range of multi-sectoral LGA stakeholders at the Council, ward, school, and village levels to emphasize partnership and local ownership from the beginning. WEI/Bantwana’s intentional approach to LGA engagement creates goodwill and enhances sustainability. As a testimony to that partnership, Karatu LGAs have allocated space for the Waache Wasome Karatu field team to co-locate in LGA premises at the District Commissioner’s office block free of charge and LGA technical staff have been actively engaged in project start up activities and have expressed their commitment to continue to support Waache Wasome. Furthermore, LGAs in Karatu have instructed school head teachers to allocate a specific time slot for Waache Wasome Protect our Youth (POY) Club activities as a part of the school time table. This is a significant show of support by Karatu LGAs that will enhance the participation of vulnerable adolescent girls in club activities. (Please see Section V. Opportunities and Challenges where the importance of holding the POY Club activities during the school time table is discussed further).
Other key start up activities completed this quarter include: developing a practical and efficient roll-out strategy to reach 100% of government secondary day schools across the catchment area (total of 67 schools over the life of the project); the preparation and submission of the project Marking and Branding Plan; pre-award discussions with Restless Development, Camfed, and WGBH Educational Foundation; pre-ward discussions and a pre-award risk assessment with local partner Tanzania Bora; preparation of the MEL Plan (to be submitted April 21); and participation in a series of evaluation planning sessions with USAID and the external evaluation partner NORC. These evaluation planning sessions informed the evaluation concept note currently being refined by NORC, and also enabled WEI/Bantwana to make adjustments to the roll out plan and selected targeting strategies to accommodate the evaluation design. In addition to the operational start up, WEI/Bantwana finalized and launched two project models— Protect our Youth Clubs (POY) and Livelihoods Improvement for Mothers and Caregivers of Adolescents (LIMCA). WEI/Bantwana also made significant headway towards finalizing three other project models (community mentor intervention, parenting skills intervention, and GBV teacher training) that are scheduled to be launched next quarter.
POY Clubs empower adolescent girls with life skills and information to help them stay safe and stay in school, while also engaging boys and girls together to challenge entrenched gender norms and promote
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inclusive, tolerant, and girl friendly peer-to-peer interactions. Adolescent girls from a sample of rural and peri-urban communities in Karatu took part in a participatory exercise to discuss and explore their priorities and concerns around the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to stay safe, healthy, and in school. This information was used to shape the content of the POY Club curriculum. This quarter WEI/Bantwana developed: the POY curriculum for Form 1 and Form 3; POY Club standard operating procedures (SOPs); POY Club training materials for teacher patron/matrons and peer educators; and is in the process of finalizing the POY participant handbooks. Furthermore, WEI/Bantwana, in collaboration with Karatu LGAs, introduced the POY Clubs at the ward and schools levels. Through this process, POY Clubs were established at 100% of the PY1 pilot schools (total of six schools) and a total of 826 students (55% of which are adolescent girls) enrolled in the POY Clubs. The POY Club model was met with excitement among local government, teachers, and students alike and membership demand was robust. In addition, a total of 48 Peer Educators and 12 teacher Matrons and Patrons were selected by the students. Training of Peer Educators and Matron/Patrons is planned for the beginning of next quarter, after which the POY Clubs will begin activities.
LIMCA savings and lending groups seek to address economic barriers to girls’ education by increasing household resilience and creating a social and economic safety net that reduces vulnerability to economic shocks. WEI/Bantwana adapted the existing LIMCA tools and materials and updated the inclusive, intentional targeting strategy to reflect a stronger focus on supporting girls’ education and challenging gender norms. Furthermore, WEI/Bantwana, in collaboration with Karatu LGAs, launched the LIMCA model in a total of 18 communities surrounding the 6 pilot schools. WEI/Bantwana also worked closely with district, ward, and village leaders to recruit and train 18 Economic Empowerment Volunteers (EEVs) who will provide ongoing support and capacity building to LIMCA group members. WEI/Bantwana and LGA staff organized a six-day training workshop for the 18 selected EEVs. Subsequently, the EEVs have begun to implement the inclusive intentional targeting strategy to identify members and form the groups. WEI/Bantwana anticipates that by next quarter a minimum of 18 groups with a membership base of at least 450 will have started their LIMCA saving and lending activities.
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I. INTRODUCTION
A. Project Overview Waache Wasome is a five-year project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by World Education, Inc.’s Bantwana Initiative (WEI/Bantwana), aimed at increasing adolescent girls’ enrollment and retention in both formal secondary school and alternative education pathways through a comprehensive model rooted in the principles of human centered design and addressing harmful gender norms. Waache Wasome takes a ‘whole-of-girl’ approach shaped by evidence and designed for replication and scale-up. This model empowers adolescent girls to create and achieve goals for their future, while addressing the intersectional social norms and economic barriers that constrain their ability to remain and excel in school.
Waache Wasome is aligned with USAID Tanzania’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (2014- 2019) and will directly contribute to Development Objective 1: Tanzanian women and youth empowered. Project interventions are aligned with the goals and objectives of the Let Girls Learn initiative and key USAID and USG strategies, including the US Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls; USAID’s Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy; the US Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence; the USAID Child, Early, and Forced Marriage Resource Guide; and USAID’s Youth in Development Policy. Furthermore, Waache Wasome’s implementation strategies and platforms are aligned with the priorities of the Government of Tanzania’s 2014 Education and Training Policy, the 2009 Law of the Child Act, and the National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children 2017/18-2021/22 (NPA-VAWC), and will build on WEI/Bantwana’s experience working with local government authorities to support dissemination and implementation of national policy in Tanzania.
Waache Wasome is implemented by WEI/Bantwana in collaboration with the Government of Tanzania at national and sub-national levels, as well as two international partner organizations, each with complementary areas of expertise. Restless Development supports efforts to improve adolescent reproductive health knowledge and access to services. WGBH Educational Foundation supports innovative hands-on engineering activities for girls. WEI/Bantwana has also pre-identified a local organization—Tanzania Bora Initiative—which will provide expertise in ICT and coding camps to encourage girls to pursue STEM subjects in school.
B. Key Objectives Within the context of the many challenges facing adolescent girls in Tanzania, Waache Wasome seeks to address the full range of gendered beliefs and practices at the home, school, and community that negatively affect girls’ enrollment and retention through the following objectives: 1. Build the agency, knowledge, and protective assets of girls in secondary school; 2. Increase family commitment and capacity to invest in girls’ education; 3. Foster a girl friendly and supportive school environment; 4. Increase access to youth friendly adolescent reproductive health services; and, 5. Provide alternative education pathways for girls who have dropped out of secondary school due to pregnancy and/or early marriage.
C. Geographic Coverage & Target Population Waache Wasome is implemented in Arusha and Mara regions in Tanzania targeting girls aged 13-19 who: 1) have enrolled in lower secondary school and are at risk of dropping out; and 2) have dropped out of secondary school because of pregnancy or early marriage.
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Over the life of the project, Waache Wasome will be rolled out to a total of 67 schools an estimated 268 villages/mitaa, covering 100% of government secondary day schools in two rural districts (Karatu DC and Musoma DC) and two peri-urban districts (Tarime TC and Musoma MC). These districts were selected because they afford high impact, due to the following factors: 1) hotspots for girls’ vulnerability and HIV risk; 2) low secondary school enrollment rates; 3) presence of other USG programs; and, 4) presence of trained village Para-Social Workers or National Child Protection System.
In PY1, Waache Wasome is implemented in six targeted schools in Karatu District where WEI/Bantwana has established relationships with local government authorities (LGAs) that will facilitate a smooth and streamlined introduction of the project. WEI/Bantwana developed this roll-out strategy in coordination with the NORC evaluation team to enable rapid start-up of project activities while simultaneously allowing baseline data collection prior to activity implementation. The six secondary schools—Banjika, Florian, Slahhamo, Endalah, Baray, and Welwel—were selected because they have (or are in the process of having installed) solar powered computer labs through a privately funded project. These six schools will serve as pilot schools for field testing the Waache Wasome models before they are rolled out to the other schools across the four districts, and as such, will be excluded from the baseline, midline, and endline evaluations conducted by NORC.
II. PROJECT ACTIVITIES
OBJECTIVE 1: Build the agency, knowledge, and protective assets of girls in secondary school Lacking both individual and collective agency, adolescent girls rarely “speak out” regarding social and cultural practices that harm them, such as early marriage and female genital mutilation. Girls lack successful role models and trusted adult mentors to support and encourage them, which sets them up for low personal expectations about their abilities and their future. Activities under Objective 1 focus on achieving change at the level of the girl—empowering adolescent girls with information, skills, and support networks that can help them to address some of the challenges they face. During FY17Q2, Objective 1 activities focused on adapting and implementing the Protect Our Youth Club model in schools. The status of planned activities during the quarter is summarized in the table below.
FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description 1.1 Protect Our Youth (POY) Clubs WEI/Bantwana successfully obtained strong positive endorsement of the POY Club model from LGA officials. 1.1.1. Introduce POY Club A total of 40 district, ward, and school level LGA Model to LGA stakeholders participated in a two-day ‘Waache Wasome’ stakeholders introduction meeting. A follow-up meeting provided LGA Achieved 1.1.4. Conduct orientation stakeholders with a full orientation to the POY Club session of POY to LGA model. LGA stakeholders expressed their commitment to and heads of schools supporting the POY Club model and identified specific action points they will undertake to monitor and support POY Club activities.
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FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description Using a participatory, youth-led process, WEI/Bantwana compiled a suite of materials for facilitation of POY Clubs at the school level during PY1, including Peer Educator Facilitator Manuals for Form 1 and Form 3 POY Clubs and training manuals for teacher Matrons and Patrons. Materials have been translated into Kiswahili for PY1 1.1.2. Develop POY Club implementation. Achieved materials for PY1 Adolescent girls and their caregivers from rural and per- urban areas took part in a participatory protective asset mapping process to identify and prioritize the issues education, health, social, and safety issues that are most relevant to their daily lives. WEI/Bantwana used this information to guide the selection of materials to adapt for inclusion in the POY Club manuals. A total of 24 POY Clubs were established in the six target schools in Karatu, with 826 members (455 girls and 371 1.1.3. Promote and establish boys). POY Clubs in target Achieved secondary schools In each school, POY Club members selected 12 teachers as Matrons and Patrons and 48 Peer Educators (24 girls and 24 boys). WEI/Bantwana has planned for teacher Matron and Patron 1.1.5. Train POY Peer training and Peer Educator training to take place during In progress Educators the school Easter holidays and results will be reported in the next quarterly report.
1.2 Community Mentor Program 1.2.1. Gather information on During the reporting period, WEI/Bantwana held initial current community In progress discussions with Camfed and began the preparatory work mentor models for the design of the community mentor model.
1.1 Protect our Youth (POY) Clubs WEI/Bantwana’s POY Club model is designed to Engaging Boys to Support Gender Equality provide safe spaces in schools where adolescent girls POY Clubs target both boys and girls, as excluding can learn to navigate the variety of risks that they boys would miss an opportunity to engage them at face and build protective assets that reduce a time in their lives when they are most open to vulnerabilities, helping them to remain and succeed reflection and risk fostering resentment. Engaging in school. Using a rights-based approach and boys through the POY Clubs serves as a key delivered in a safe space through peer-to-peer mechanism to enlist them as allies in combatting methodologies, POY Clubs work to empower gender discrimination and violence in schools, students—girls and boys—to understand how they improve their relationship to their female peers, and help shape longer-term shifts in deeply can work collaboratively to speak out and take entrenched gender norms that disadvantage girls. action against inequality, social injustice, and abuse. A key platform for addressing issues of violence in schools, POY Clubs’ inclusive and participatory approach allows both girls and boys to examine unequal power dynamics and challenge gender norms that perpetuate discrimination against girls and gender-based violence. Designed based on existing evidence-based models for adolescent girls’ empowerment and with critical input from the girls themselves, POY Clubs also help girls build soft skills (such as goal setting, time management, Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 8
communication skills, and decision making) to help support their academic success and encourage their ability to pursue their education.
In adapting the POY Club model, WEI/Bantwana consulted with key LGA stakeholders to ensure that the club modalities were aligned with Tanzania’s secondary education structure. Lower secondary education in Tanzania comprises four grades (Forms 1-4), and students are required to sit for national exams in both Form 2 and Form 4. The Form 2 exam determines whether a student progresses to Form 3 or must re-enroll in Form 2, while the Form 4 exam is the secondary school leaving exam, and determines if a student is eligible to transition on to upper secondary school (Forms 5-6). LGA stakeholders recommended that POY Club activities should target students in Forms 1 and 3, and not Forms 2 and 4 as they felt this would interfere with the national exams. Peer Study Groups target students in Forms 2 and 4 with focused efforts to improve pass rates. This structure addresses two key areas of dropout risk, namely the high numbers of students who dropout during or immediately following the first year of secondary school, and the students who dropout due to exam failure and grade repetition. The POY Club model is closely aligned with the priorities laid out in NPA-VAWC Section 7: Safe Schools and Life Skills, which recommends the establishment of school clubs to reduce violence and address a culture of fear in educational settings.
1.1.1 Introduce POY model to LGA stakeholders During this quarter, WEI/Bantwana successfully obtained strong positive endorsement of the POY Club model from LGA officials. WEI/Bantwana organized a meeting with the Karatu District Council technical team to introduce the POY Club model. Building on WEI/Bantwana’s implementation experience in Tanzania and the region, this introductory process prioritizes meaningful involvement of local government counterparts at the earliest stages and throughout programming, both to facilitate local buy- in that is necessary for successful implementation at the local level and to encourage capacity building for longer-term sustainability. The meeting brought together 17 local stakeholders from Karatu District Council including the District Education Officer (DEO) for Secondary Schools, District Community Development Officer (DCDO), District Education Inspector (DEI), District Medical Officer (DMO), District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), District School Health Coordinator (DSHCo), and Police Children and Gender Desk (PCGD)—all key stakeholders in the success of any project implementation within Karatu District. Also in attendance were Ward Education Officers (WEdOs) and the heads of the six target secondary schools. The meeting served an opportunity to get LGA buy-in and prepare school- level introduction process for formation of POY Clubs in schools and orientation of teachers to support the clubs. The meeting resulted in a plan for LGA participation in POY Club activities in the coming quarter, as well as plans for immediate mobilization of clubs at the school level. The District Executive Director (DED) and his District Technical Team1 pledged to support the project.
WEI/Bantwana shared the POY Club model and the expected roles of LGA, WEdOs and heads of schools in project implementation. WEI/Bantwana described how the POY Club model would support the LGAs in their role as the local implementers of numerous national policies, guidelines, and regulations.2 In addition, WEI/Bantwana emphasized the full alignment of Waache Wasome project models, and in particular the POY Club model, with the National Plan of Action to End Violence Against
1 The technical team includes: District Education Officer (DEO) for Secondary Schools, District Community Development Officer (DCDO), District Education Inspector (DEI), District Medical Officer (DMO), District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), District School Health Coordinator (DSHCo), and Police Children and Gender Desk (PCGD). 2 This includes: Education Sector Development Plan 2016/17 - 2020/21; Education and Training Policy 2014; Education Circular No. 11 of 2002; Guidelines for HIV/AIDS and Life Skills Education Programs 2004; National Standards for Adolescent Friendly Reproductive Health Services 2005; National Guidelines for Counsellors in Schools and Teachers’ Colleges 2007; National Strategy for Gender Development 2008; National Plan of Action to End Violence against Women and Children (NPA-VAWC) 2017/18 – 2021/22; the National Costed Plan for Action (NCPA) for Most Vulnerable Children 2013-2017; and the Law of the Child Act (2009). Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 9
Women and Children in Tanzania (NPA-VAWC) 2017/18-2021/22. WEI/Bantwana also disseminated copies of the NPA-VAWC and the NPA-VAWC implementation framework during this meeting.
WEI/Bantwana also highlighted the intentional and inclusive targeting strategy to enroll vulnerable adolescent girls in POY Clubs (see section 1.1.3 below for a description of this strategy), as this process requires full buy-in at the school and LGA levels to ensure successful targeting of the most vulnerable girls. Participants were excited about the POY Club model, particularly as WEI/Bantwana’s design process had included LGA consultations, and therefore was responsive to their concerns about ensuring that extracurricular activities do not impinge on the academic time of students preparing for exams. While designated time for extracurricular clubs exists within the secondary school curriculum and many projects establish school clubs, in practice the longevity of these activities varies widely. As a result, there is significant interest at the school level in instituting club models that schools will be able to sustain. LGA officials also noted with appreciation that WEI/Bantwana was targeting only Form 1 and Form 3 students with the POY Clubs, and were allowing students in Form 2 and Form 4 to participate in the Peer Study Groups that would help them prepare for the national exams (See section 3.2 for more information on Peer Study Groups).
1.1.2 Develop POY Club materials for PY1 During this quarter, WEI/Bantwana engaged with adolescent girls who expressed their views and priorities and helped to shape the content of the POY Club manuals during the materials development process. Youth participation in materials development is an integral principle of human centered design, and also ensures that materials address issues that are relevant to the daily lives of POY Club participants and respond to their pressing concerns. During the quarter, WEI/Bantwana developed POY Club facilitator manuals and training materials for Form 1 and Form 3 clubs, using the following process:
i. Literature review: WEI/Bantwana conducted a literature review and compiled existing club- based adolescent-friendly materials that have been used in Tanzania or the sub-region and have been demonstrated to be effective.3
ii. Protective Asset Mapping enabling adolescent girls to identify and express their priorities: WEI/Bantwana engaged a total of 121 adolescent girls in Form 1 and Form 34 and their mothers/caregivers in a group discussion and prioritization exercise in which they identified the skills, competencies, and relationships that they felt are most critical for them to stay safe and in school. Adolescent girls and their mothers/caregivers took part in separate discussion groups so that the adolescent girls were able to speak freely among their peers without parental involvement. The discussions and prioritization exercises were conducted using tools from the Building Assets Toolkit.5 The toolkit contains 100 protective asset cards that the WEI/Bantwana team translated to Kiswahili. During the exercise, the Kiswahili cards are distributed to the girls and discuss, categorize, and prioritize the cards. The girls are also given blank cards and are encouraged to come up with their own issues and write them on the blank cards if they feel there is anything missing from the existing cards.
3 This includes: Protecting Ourselves and Each Other/Child Protection Booklet, WEI/Bantwana Tanzania 2013; Doorways, USAID Office of Women and Development, 2009; Go Girls! Community Based Life Skills for Girls, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School for Public Health/Center for Communications Program, 2011; School Related Gender Based Violence, UNESCO and UN Women, 2016; Protect Our Youth Clubs, WEI/Bantwana Swaziland, 2012. 4 Adolescent girls were selected from a sample of rural and peri-urban schools in Karatu including Florian, Welwel, and Banjika and were identified by their teachers and invited to participate in the exercise. 5 Building Assets Toolkit: Developing Positive Benchmarks for Adolescent Girls. Population Council. http://www.popcouncil.org/research/building-assets-toolkit-developing-positive-benchmarks-for-adolescent-girls Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 10
Adapting the Protective Asset Mapping Exercise
Protective assets can be physical assets, knowledge, or skills that promote self-esteem, aspirational attitudes, and agency. WEI/Bantwana adapted and expanded the Population Council Protective Asset Mapping process to deepen adolescent girls’ engagement in identifying content priorities for the POY Clubs. In the toolkit developed by the Population Council, adolescent girls are supposed to categorize protective asset cards into age categories (6-8, 9-11, 12-14, and 16-18). However during the first round of asset mapping in Tanzania, the girls struggled with the age categorization. To address this, WEI/Bantwana modified the tool during a second round by placing the girls from Form 1 and Form 3 into separate groups and asking them to prioritize the protective asset cards in the categories of “very important”, “less important” and “not important” based on their own lives and needs. Providing the girls with an opportunity to identify their own priorities based on their grade in school (i.e. being in Form 1 or Form 3) as opposed to conducting an age categorization activity made more sense contextually for the girls and enabled them to express their ideas and opinions more freely. Using this process, WEI/Bantwana was able to come up with an outline of the priority topics that needed to be covered in the POY Club materials for Form 1 and Form 3 respectively, and identifies key areas where Form 1 and Form 3 content priorities differed for the girls.
iii. Identify and adapt content from existing evidence-based materials: The third step was to identify and adapt specific content from the already identified existing club-based adolescent- friendly materials that corresponded to the priority issues and topics identified by the adolescent girls through the protective asset mapping exercise. These materials were contextualized, sequenced, and compiled into the draft POY Club materials and training manuals for Form I and Form 3 respectively that will be used in the six pilot schools in PY1.
At the close of the quarter, the POY Club manuals and training materials were developed and translated to Kiswahili for PY1 implementation. WEI/Bantwana will conduct a stakeholders meeting in FY2017Q3 with LGAs, heads of secondary schools, and teachers to validate the draft materials, which will provide important feedback and encourage local ownership of the model. Feedback from project participants will be collected throughout PY1 implementation to inform finalization of the materials prior to PY2. The text boxes below present an overview of the POY Club curricula for both Form 1 and Form 3 students.
Protect Our Youth Club – Form I Protect Our Youth Club – Form III
1. Introduction: to the club, to each other, self-esteem 1. Introduction: to the club, supporting each other, self- 2. Goals: setting and achieving them, and overcoming confidence obstacles 2. Goals: setting and achieving them, overcoming obstacles 3. Communication: skills, assertiveness, saying no 3. Time Management: basics of time management, study 4. Time Management: what is important and what is habits not, study habits 4. Communication: skills, assertiveness, talking with 5. Relationships: friendships, what makes a good parents and peers friend, boys and girls as friends, peer pressure 5. Relationships: friendships, boyfriends and girlfriends 6. Decision Making: decision making, talking with 6. Decision Making: decision making, talking with parents parents 7. Rights: child rights 7. Rights: child rights 8. Sexual and Reproductive Health: basics, sexual 8. Sexual and Reproductive Health: physical relationships: risks and decisions changes, sexuality, and pregnancy 9. Financial Literacy: setting goals: short and long-term, 9. Gender: gender vs. sex, gender roles expense prioritizing, saving, developing a budget 10. Violence: types of violence; gender-based violence; 10. Rights: rights and responsibilities school-related GBV; harmful practices, i.e. early 11. Gender: gender and work, gender roles marriage and female genital mutilation; consequences 12. Gender-based violence: what is it?, forced/coerced sex of violence 13. Protecting Yourself: responding to violence, addressing 11. Protecting Yourself: responding to violence, harmful practices, talking with parents, social networking, knowing your protection resources and how to report, making good decisions, peer pressure, sticking to decisions addressing harmful practices, making decisions about 14. Planning for the Future: holding on to your goals after risky behavior, dealing with peer pressure Form 4, entrepreneurship, developing a plan
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1.1.3 Promote and establish POY Clubs in target secondary schools During this quarter, WEI/Bantwana in collaboration with the DEO, WEdOs, and head teachers, successfully rolled out the POY Club model to six secondary schools in Karatu DC. Heads of schools were requested to call for assembly in order for WEI/Bantwana to present to the teachers and students about POY Club model and that the clubs will help students to, among other things, learn new things, make new friends, develop self-confidence, and gain life and leadership skills. Thereafter, four clubs were formed in each of the six schools (two clubs for Form I students and two clubs for Form 3 students) by following a developed POY Club formation Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The SOP outlines the parameters for club membership, targeting, roles and responsibilities, and general functioning and is a living document, which will be refined and adjusted based on lessons learned during PY1 implementation. In total, 24 POY Clubs were formed from the six targeted secondary schools (Baray, Endallah, Slahhamo, Banjika, Welwel, and Florian), with a total of 826 student (455 girls) participants enrolled.
Intentional and inclusive targeting strategy for POY Clubs
WEI/Bantwana has adopted an intentional and inclusive targeting strategy for engaging students in POY Clubs, which seeks to both ensure participation of the most vulnerable adolescent girls and encourage self-selected participation among interested students. This strategy is adopted from WEI/Bantwana’s experience implementing Child Rights Clubs in primary schools and was refined through FY17Q2 implementation and consultations with the NORC evaluation team. When POY Clubs are introduced to schools, program staff provide an orientation to head teachers and teachers, which outlines the purpose of the clubs and the need to encourage participation of girls most at-risk of dropout and most in-need of additional peer support. Teachers work together to identify these girls based on general criteria, which are adapted to the contextual realities of each school community, and encourage them to participate in the clubs. To fill the remaining spots, teachers and program staff facilitate a school-level introduction where interested students volunteer to participate. In cases where the demand exceeds the number of spots available, teachers randomly select from among the interested students (selecting 50% girls and 50% boys). This process ensures a balance of participation with slightly more girls than boys, prevents any stigma that could arise from limiting participation to highly disadvantaged students, and provides students in-need of support with opportunities to learn from interactions with their more active peers.
POY Clubs are supported both by trained Peer Educators and teacher matrons/patrons, both of whom are selected by the club participants themselves. In this quarter, WEI/Bantwana facilitated the selection of POY Club Peer Educators and teacher Matrons and Patrons. Each POY Club elected two peer leaders—a girl and a boy. In total, 48 Peer Educators (50% girls) were elected. After the election of POY Club peer leaders, all the formed clubs in each school convened together to select two teachers to serve as Matron and Patron of the POY Clubs within the school. In total, 12 teacher Matrons/Patrons (50% female) were selected. Allowing students to select their teacher mentors ensures that motivated and Students select their POY club leaders through ‘secret’ ballot at Baray Secondary School. supportive teachers trusted by the
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students are given the mandate to supervise the clubs and reduces the potential for issues of abuse associated with club supervision. WEI/Bantwana’s experience with peer educators in Tanzania demonstrates that they are a powerful force of change and can be a dynamic cohort that plays an important role in giving voice and agency to adolescents, allowing them to steer the direction of their club activities, particularly in regards to civic action and social justice campaigns.
In this reporting period, Waache Wasome enrolled 826 students in POY Clubs (115% of the planned target for POY Club participation of 720). POY Club participation is limited to a maximum of 40 students in each club to ensure that Peer Educators are able to facilitate meaningful participation and discussion of all the participants. The table below demonstrates POY Club membership in each target school relative to the total enrollment in both Form 1 and Form 3. Leveraging previous club experience in Tanzania and the region, WEI/Bantwana has intentionally designed POY Club content and activities to encourage spillover into the general school population so that students who are not able to participate are still able to benefit.
Form 1 POY Club Form 3 POY Club Form 1 Enrollment Form 3 Enrollment School Ward membership membership Girls Boys Total Girls Boys Total Girls Boys Total Girls Boys Total Banjika Qurus 86 62 148 49 31 80 60 33 93 39 22 61 Baray Baray 38 37 75 38 37 75 26 25 51 26 25 51 Endallah Endamalaleki 64 57 121 41 32 73 31 40 71 42 36 78 Florian Endamalaleki 75 37 112 40 38 78 53 21 74 49 17 66 Slahhamo Mbulumbulu 57 48 105 52 38 90 50 32 82 19 21 40 Welwel Qurus 47 74 121 39 36 75 40 36 76 27 32 59 TOTAL 4 Wards 367 315 682 259 212 471 260 187 447 202 153 355
1.1.5 Train POY Peer Educators Early in FY17Q3, during the school Easter holidays, WEI/Bantwana has made preparations for the training of POY Club Matrons and Patrons and Peer Educators. Teacher Matrons and Patrons will receive a two-day training to enable them to supervise the POY Clubs and provide support to Peer Educators. Peer Educators will receive a three-day training using participatory methodologies to develop an understanding of the POY curriculum and build their skills and comfort levels in facilitating the materials.
1.2 Community Mentor Program The purpose of Waache Wasome’s Community Mentor Program is to link at-risk adolescent girls in school to trained mentors within their communities who will encourage their educational and career pursuits, talk with them about personal and social issues related to transitioning to adulthood, and help them plan their futures. Review and adaptation of successful mentoring models will take place in PY1 to prepare for implementation in PY2.
1.2.1 Gather information on current community mentor models During the reporting period, WEI/Bantwana held initial meetings with Camfed to discuss the development process for the Community Mentor Program, as detailed in Section III. Project Management.
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OBJECTIVE 2: Increase family commitment and capacity to invest in girls’ education The combination of economic hardship and discriminatory gender norms sharply curb families’ ability and willingness to invest in girls’ education. Activities under Objective 2 intervene at the household/family level to reinforce support for girls’ education and develop mechanisms to overcome economic barriers that contribute to adolescent girls’ withdrawal from school. Data suggests that parents evaluate the perceived returns from investment in education against the costs incurred— including indirect costs (uniforms, exercise books, levies) and opportunity costs (“lost labor” of domestic work by girls). Many families opt for “early marriage,” and while this is often categorized as a “cultural norm” it cannot be completely separated from economics. Early marriage is strongly associated with poverty, bride price, coping in the face of economic shocks such as drought, harvest failure, market instability, or unexpected illness or death of breadwinner.
FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description
2.1 Livelihood Improvement for Mothers and Caregivers of Adolescents (LIMCA) LIMCA materials were updated to reflect a strong 2.1.1. Update and prepare emphasis on girls’ education and a targeting strategy to existing LIMCA Achieved encourage membership of mothers and caregivers of at- materials risk adolescent girls. The LGA technical team in Karatu District Council 2.1.2. Introduce LIMCA model Achieved expressed their willingness and commitment to support to LGAs LIMCA groups as part of Waache Wasome. In collaboration with Karatu District Council, 18 2.1.3. Select, recruit, and train Economic Empowerment Volunteers (EEVs) were selected Achieved EEVs and trained to form and support LIMCA groups within the targeted wards and villages. EEVs have begun implementing the intentional and 2.1.4. Support the inclusive targeting strategy to recruit members to form establishment of LIMCA In progress LIMCA groups. Results of LIMCA group formation will be groups reported next quarter.
2.2 Parenting Skills WEI/Bantwana began collecting and reviewing existing 2.2.1. Adapt parenting skills In progress parenting skills materials to prepare for adaptation which materials will begin in FY17Q3.
2.1 Livelihoods Improvement for Mothers and Caregivers of Adolescents (LIMCA) LIMCA is a community savings group model based on WEI/Bantwana’s successful programming implemented under the USAID/PEPFAR-funded Pamoja Tuwalee program for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) support. Household economic shocks are linked to a family’s decision to pull children, particularly girls, out of school (Woldehanna & Hagos, 2015). LIMCA is designed to increase family capacity to invest in girls’ education by strengthening socio-economic resilience in the face of these economic shocks, thereby reducing reliance on negative coping mechanisms, such as pulling children out of school to work or early marriage to relieve household financial debt. Furthermore, LIMCA groups are designed to help mothers and caregivers develop a safety net—both social and economic—within
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their community, which can provide additional support when necessary to ensure their daughters’ continued education.
2.1.1 Update and prepare existing LIMCA materials LIMCA Girls’ Education Fund During the quarter, WEI/Bantwana reviewed the existing LIMCA materials for Economic Empowerment Adapted from WEI/Bantwana’s successful model Volunteers (EEVs) training to ensure they were for supporting education access for orphans and vulnerable children under the USAID-funded adjusted to reflect the programming priorities of Pamoja Tuwalee program, the girls’ education Waache Wasome. These updates including adding a fund is instituted within each LIMCA group to girls’ education support fund and refining the targeting cover school-related expenses for adolescent criteria to prioritize mothers of adolescent girls. girls’ in need of support. Each week, group members contribute a set amount to the fund. At The LIMCA model is implemented using an intentional the end of each semester, the group members and inclusive targeting strategy, designed to ensure will identify the girls most in need of support for high participation rates among mothers and caregivers the upcoming semester, supported by the EEV to of adolescent girls while respecting the principle of consult with the teacher Matron/Patrons at the self-selection that is key to successful community school as needed. Caregivers are also encouraged to save independently as they are savings groups. To be inclusive, EEVs will open LIMCA able to support their own children’s education membership to all interested community members. To (particularly girls). be intentional, EEVs will collaborate with school officials to promote the LIMCA groups to parents/caregivers of POY Club members and other girls enrolled in school through awareness meetings organized at schools. School officials will invite parents and EEVs will introduce the LIMCA model and encourage their participation. Complementing this, at ward and village level, LGA staff and para-social workers or other existing community cadres will support project staff by organizing introduction meetings outside of schools. Using this strategy, WEI/Bantwana anticipates that at least 50% of the LIMCA membership base will be mothers and caregivers of at-risk adolescent girls. Throughout PY1, WEI/Bantwana will monitor the intentional and inclusive LIMCA targeting strategy and adjust as needed prior to scale-up in PY2.
2.1.2 Introduce LIMCA model to LGAs During this quarter, WEI/Bantwana held a meeting to present the expansion and adaptation of the LIMCA model to the LGA technical team in Karatu District, as well as to ward and village leaders, whose buy-in and support is critical to the success and longer-term sustainability of the model.6 At the district level, multi-sectoral participation included the DCDO, DSWO, District Trade/Cooperative Officer (DTO), and DEO-Secondary. Ward Executive Officers (WEOs) from the four target wards and Village Executive Officers (VEOs) from the 18 target villages also participated. The session provided an overview of the LIMCA model and the focus on support for girls’ education and outlined roles and responsibilities for LGA participation and support for implementation. As a result of the introduction session, the LGA technical team agreed to provide the following support for LIMCA implementation: • Collaborate with WEI/Bantwana to provide ongoing supportive supervision and backstopping to EEVs and LIMCA group members to ensure proper implementation of LIMCA methodology; and, • Support EEVs as they form LIMCA groups and help groups to register within the council. Group registration is a key step in institutionalizing the LIMCA groups to ensure independence and
6 Under the USAID-funded Pamoja Tuwalee program, WEI/Bantwana established a total of 43 LIMCA groups in Karatu District Council, with a membership base of approximately 1,138 members. Karatu District Council authorities are already familiar with and supportive of the LIMCA model. These existing groups are continuing to function after the close out of Pamoja Tuwalee. It is anticipated that the existing groups will continue to function alongside the new groups that will be established under Waache Wasome, and WEI/Bantwana does not anticipate that any overlaps in coverage will pose an implementation challenge. Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 15
sustainability beyond the life of the project. Registration also links groups to potential opportunities afforded by the LGAs, such as training, grants, or linkages to financial institutions for larger loans.
At the ward level, WEOs and VEOs have a more active role in the day- to-day implementation of the LIMCA model. These stakeholders play a key role in convening caregiver mobilization meetings to introduce and form groups, support intentional targeting strategies to ensure caregivers of vulnerable adolescent girls are included, and serve as additional oversight, accountability, and support structures to ensure EEVs are active and are able to address any issues that may arise LGA, Ward and Village level leaders come together for the LIMCA within the groups. introduction meetings
By actively engaging these key LGA stakeholders in implementation, WEI/Bantwana is working to cultivate champions for girls’ education within local leadership. WEOs and VEOs have agreed to work to integrate intentional support for girls’ education within village/mtaa/hamlet meetings as a way to raise awareness about the importance of girls’ education within the community and reinforce national education policy. Who is an Economic Empowerment Volunteer? 2.1.3 Select, recruit, and train EEVs Economic Empowerment Volunteers (EEVs) are women In this reporting period, WEI/Bantwana from within each community who work on a voluntary collaborated with Karatu District Council to basis to support and build the capacity of community- select Economic Empowerment Volunteers formed groups to facilitate proper operation of savings (EEVs) in 18 Villages that are nearest to the 6 and lending activities. WEI/Bantwana prioritizes female pilot schools (LIMCA groups will be established candidates both as a means to empower local women in 3 villages nearest to the target secondary as respected leaders within their communities and schools. Previous experience shows that LIMCA because the majority of LIMCA members are women groups are most successful and sustainable (although participation is open to men). A LIMCA EEV when the EEVs are accountable not only to the is: • A community member who is respected, accepted, project but also to LGAs. Therefore, and has good reputation within the village, WEI/Bantwana engages the ward and village generally between the ages of 25-55; LGAs in the recruitment of the EEVs by sharing • A permanent resident in the village; the eligibility requirements with WEOs and • Able to read and write with a basic education; VEOs who post the positions within their • Committed to supporting girls’ education; respective wards and villages. Shortlisting and • Cognizant of the cultural context of the village; interviews were conducted in collaboration • A community member who demonstrates a between WEI/Bantwana and Council staff from potential ability for advocacy and community the District and Ward levels, with a primary mobilization; and, criteria being residence within the target village • Willing, ready, and committed to facilitate savings and lending activities among her fellow community to ensure local ownership and accountability. members. Applicants were interviewed to understand
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their experience in working with communities (and in particular with women). In addition, they were tested on basic numerical skills to ensure their ability to manage simple financial transactions. Fifty volunteers applied for the positions and 18 were selected—one in each target village for PY1.
Following the selection process, WEI/Bantwana worked with LGAs to conduct a six-day training workshop for the 18 EEVs in Karatu DC. The trained EEVs will mobilize and form LIMCA groups and deliver demand-driven services, ensuring the continuity and sustainability of LIMCA activities in the project implementation areas. This initiative serves as an opportunity to address economic hardship of families as well as establish new forums for discussion on the importance of girls’ education.
WEI/Bantwana’s EEV training describes the key role that the EEVs play in mobilizing, supporting, and ensuring the continuation of LIMCA groups within their communities, and emphasizes the linkages between these groups and Waache Wasome’s focus on girls’ education and gender norms. In addition to their savings and lending function, LIMCA groups create a social forum for discussion and mutual support among the members, which Waache Wasome will leverage to increase caregivers’ Economic Empowerment Volunteers participate in the training sessions in Karatu commitment to keeping girls in district school. EEVs facilitate a process wherein each group democratically elects leaders for transparent governance and management and creates and owns a group constitution. They also build the capacity of LIMCA group leaders to manage day-today group operation on their own over time, and help ensure that all group members fully understand how the group operates, enhancing the longer-term sustainability. Finally, EEVs, provide a critical link between LIMCA groups and external resources and structures—intermediate locally available financial resources, social welfare and support structures, schools, and LGA leadership—and provide ongoing encouragement to LIMCA members to increase their saving to support girls’ education. During this training, a comprehensive LIMCA rollout work plan was developed by EEVs, and was shared with Ward and Village officers for further support and follow up, reinforcing the linkages between LIMCA groups and existing local structures. Along with EEVs, four WEOs were also invited to the training, with understanding that as LGA representatives they have a key role to play in supporting the project.
Sessions on the roles and responsibilities of individual member LIMCA members also outlined the need for regular attendance, saving and paying of loans, participation in group decisions, and abiding by group rules. In addition, WEI/Bantwana guided participants through a series of practical sessions to help them in the actual formation of groups—developing internal rules and regulations and the modalities for groups to function—which included the following topics: • Group objectives • Criteria for membership • Meetings and savings • Criteria for loan disbursement • Loan repayment conditions
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• Criteria for managing the girls’ education fund and the welfare fund • Instances of member withdrawal or death • Fines and offences
EEVs provide a critical support structure for LIMCA groups in their nascent stages; therefore WEI/Bantwana prioritizes their training as well as follow-up support supervision and coaching to ensure that group LIMCA formation adheres to the established and tested modalities. As LIMCA group formation progresses in FY17Q3, WEI/Bantwana and LGA stakeholders will actively support and supervise EEVs to ensure that each group is has an active and fully oriented leadership team to manage day-to-day functioning. As the EEVs capacity in built, WEI/Bantwana’s role will diminish. Likewise, as the capacity of the leadership team within each LIMCA group is built, the role of the EEVs will diminish.
2.1.4 Support the establishment of LIMCA groups EEVs have begun to implement the intentional and inclusive strategy to recruit LIMCA members and establish groups. Results of LIMCA group formation will be included in the next report.
2.2 Parenting skills for mothers and caregivers of adolescents Waache Wasome’s parenting skills program will address the age-specific parenting topics related to adolescence and equip caregivers to support their daughters’ continued education. Parenting skills modules will be layered on to LIMCA group activities, which serve as a key intervention point for parents and caregivers.7
2.2.1 Adapt parenting skills materials A recent analysis of parenting interventions in Tanzania conducted by UNICEF8 indicates that while numerous implementing partners are promoting various parenting skills materials in Tanzania, national coordination through policy and strategies is lacking. Furthermore, roles and responsibilities of key ministries still Families Matter Adolescent Program require further clarification. A national task force on parenting
skills has been formed and is led by the Ministry of Health, Session 1: Introduction to Families Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children to Matter Program align parenting efforts and discuss the structure and roles of a Session 2: Good parenting skills national parenting framework. Session 3: Parents’ roles in educating their children WEI/Bantwana will contribute to these national efforts through Session 4: Information to increase the parenting skills component of Waache Wasome. Leveraging comfort and skills in WEI/Bantwana’s successful adaptation of the evidence-based discussing sex and sexuality Families Matter Program to address the specific parenting skills with adolescents sets required to meet the needs of adolescents,9 Session 5: Discussing sexuality and WEI/Bantwana will work in collaboration with the Department pressures children face of Social Welfare to adapt and contextualize these materials Session 6: Understanding child sexual for use in Tanzania under Waache Wasome. The adapted abuse curriculum will be layered onto the regular LIMCA group Session 7: Guiding and supporting meetings as evidence shows that uptake of desired behavior adolescents living with HIV change is enhanced when combined with savings group
7 Evidence suggests that when additional services are layered on top of VSLA activities there is stronger uptake of desired behavior change than when the services are delivered alone (Annan et al., 2013). 8 Analysis and Mapping of Parenting and Family Care Practices and Interventions in Tanzania, UNICEF publication forthcoming. 9 This model was implemented in Zimbabwe under the USAID/PEPFAR-funded Vana Bantwana program. Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 18
activities. The adaptation process will take place in Q3. The text box to the right provides a synopsis of the contents of the materials that have been successfully rolled out in Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVE 3: Foster a girl friendly and supportive school environment In Tanzania, as in many countries, schools systematically reflect and promote society’s low expectations of schooling outcomes for girls.10 Teachers and male students perceive girls’ abilities and interact with female students through the same gendered constructs prevailing in their socio-cultural milieu. Moreover, sexual harassment and violence in schools creates an untenable atmosphere for girls. Activities under Objective 3 seek to address these challenges, through activities that increase teachers’ capacity to support girls’ achievement, challenge accepted gender norms around girls’ potential, and normalize support for students who are struggling academically.
FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description
3.1 GBV Prevention & Response Training WEI/Bantwana has collected GBV prevention and response training materials in use in Tanzania, as well as 3.1.1. Develop GBV training In progress materials developed by WEI/Bantwana in the region in materials preparation for a targeted adaptation process and training rollout in FY17Q3.
3.2 Peer Study Groups WEI/Bantwana gathered information from the six target 3.2.1. Plan Peer Study Group schools on their existing subject clubs and other academic In progress grand challenge support structures to inform the design of the grand challenge process to be initiated in FY17Q3.
3.3 Design Squad/Invent It. Build It. 3.3.1. Organize planning WEI/Bantwana held initial consultations with WGBH to sessions for Design In progress plan the Design Squad and Invent It. Build It. adaptation Squad and Invent It. process. See section IV. Project Management for details. Build It.
3.4 ICT Coding Camps for Girls 3.4.1. Organize planning WEI/Bantwana conducted initial discussions with Tanzania sessions for ICT Coding In progress Bora Initiative. See section IV. Project Management for Camps for Girls details.
3.1 GBV Prevention and Response Training Recognizing that teachers play a large role in creating a positive and supportive experience for girls in school WEI/Bantwana is adapting GBV prevention and response training for teachers, which develops an understanding of prevention and response mechanisms for GBV in schools, challenges harmful gender norms through gender responsive pedagogy, and fosters positive interactions between students and
10 Literature suggests that discriminatory behavior toward girls and the resultant “unfriendly” school experience sets the stage for their dropping out of school (Erulkar, 2001; Mensh et al., 2001; Chisamya et al., Lucas, 2012; Emirie et al., 2008). Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 19
teacher through a focus on alternative forms of discipline. Training delivery will be framed as a dissemination of national policy in order to enhance sustainability and local ownership within communities and will be an opportunity for teachers to use experiential learning techniques to critically explore power dynamics between men and women, girls and boys, and how these relate to girls’ educational experience and long term success.
3.1.1 Review of available GBV materials During this quarter, WEI/Bantwana collected available GBV prevention and response training materials in Tanzania to inform the adaptation of WEI/Bantwana’s existing materials in FY17Q3. The adaptation process will focus on alignment with national policy in Tanzania, in particular the National Plan of Action for the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children 2017/18-2020/22. As noted in WEI/Bantwana’s work plan approval, WEI/Bantwana has also sourced gender sensitive pedagogy materials developed in Tanzania, along with USAID’s Doorways curriculum, to ensure that teacher training covers a broader range of topics related to creating a safe and girl friendly school environment.
As part of school-level introductions, WEI/Bantwana conducted an assessment of the school environment to document the existence of girl-friendly features and practices, which will help inform the adaptation of the GBV training materials. An interview guide for heads of schools (see Section III. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for details) was used to collect school statistics and practices, aimed at understanding the existing systems used by schools to ensure that girls at risk of dropping out of school are detected at early stages and given the support they need for them to continue with their studies. Preliminary results indicated that a total of 85 students (41 girls) dropped out within in the past year (March 2016-March 2017). GBV issues, corporal punishment, and school bullying were commonplace. Heads of schools were aware of some cases of teachers having sexual relationships with students, although many of these cases were not reported. Lack of adequate response capabilities among teachers and key education stakeholders to address factors contributing to dropout was evident and will inform the development of the GBV prevention and response training model.
3.2 Peer Study Groups Course and exam failure are key causes of school dropout. In Tanzania, students are required to pass the Form 2 national exam to progress on to Form 3 (those who fail have the option to repeat Form 2), and must pass the Form 4 exam to graduate from secondary school. Most schools do not have established remedial learning structures or practices for providing additional support to struggling students. Schools have subject matter clubs of various kinds—i.e. math club, chemistry club, history club—but there is no standard for how the clubs are organized or established and they generally target highly motivated students who excel in particular subjects rather than those who are struggling. Waache Wasome’s Peer Study Group model seeks to fill this gap and support students in Form 2 and Form 4 to pass their national exams.
3.2.1 Plan Peer Study Group Grand Challenge During the quarter, WEI/Bantwana conducted key informant interviews with LGA stakeholders, head teachers, and teachers in Karatu District Council, to understand existing practices, structures, challenges, and successes related to supporting improved student academic performance.
A number of observations emerged from those key informant interviews: 1. Subject matter clubs are a recognized part of the national timetable in secondary schools. They supposed to be organized during the hour for extra-curricular activities as a means to help students excel in certain academic subjects. However, subject matter clubs exist largely in
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theory. When they do exist, they are largely geared towards students who already excel in that subject, not as a remedial measure to boost the performance of students who may be struggling. 2. Students whose families have means engage private tutors to help them when they are struggling. Students from poor families have no access to such assistance. 3. The practice of student ranking can contribute to a competitive environment in which students tend not to assist one another academically, as they are competing against each other for student ranking. 4. There is no standard model for a “peer study group” thought the concept resonates with teachers and students alike. 5. Students who fail the Form 2 national exam tend to get discouraged and drop out. 6. Among the six schools surveyed, girls tend to be more likely to fail the Form 2 exam than boys. 7. Students and teachers share the perception that girls are “not good at” math and science. As a result, girls are not encouraged to excel in math and science subjects.
To address these challenges, WEI/Bantwana designed the “grand challenge” process, which aligns with Waache Wasome’s core strategies of building on existing structures and ensuring human centered design. In this approach, WEI/Bantwana will issue a challenge to teachers and students (members of the Teen Advisory Groups) to come up with innovations for student academic support to prepare for Form 2 and Form 4 national exams. The challenge will focus on low-resource solutions which harness the potential of peer-to-peer tutoring and target struggling students most in-need of additional support. WEI/Bantwana will introduce the concept of the “grand challenge” to officials at the District and Ward levels to get their buy-in. Design of the grand challenge process will continue in FY17Q3, incorporating analysis of key informant information and limited school-level data collected from the six target schools through a school profiling interview with head teachers
OBJECTIVE 4: Increase access to youth friendly reproductive health services Little data is available on the rates of secondary school dropout due to pregnancy, and the phenomenon is under-reported or captured under “other” as reason for drop out. In Tanzania, 70% of never married sexually active adolescent girls are not using any modern contraception methods (Population Council et al 2014), which makes them vulnerable to unwanted pregnancy, HIV and STIs. Often adolescent girls are not able to access family planning services due to social norms and personal biases that do not condone sexual activity for girls. Activities under Objective 4 seek to reduce these barriers to access, using sports as an intervention point and building on WEI/Bantwana’s experience developing successful platforms for strengthening community-facility referral and linkage pathways.
FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description
4.1 Adolescent Reproductive Health & Sports WEI/Bantwana held initial consultations with Restless Development to define the development process for the ARH/Sports model and began compiling existing 4.1.1. Develop ARH/Sports adolescent reproductive health materials in use in In progress model Tanzania. WEI/Bantwana conducted a service mapping exercise to identify youth friendly services providers within the PY1 target wards in Karatu District.
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4.1 Adolescent Reproductive Health & Sports Sports activities provide a non-threatening platform to engage youth on Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS through peer education and focus group discussions on targeted topics. With Restless Development in the lead, the ARH/Sports model seeks leverage sports as an intervention point to increase access to youth friendly services for adolescent girls.
4.1.1 Develop ARH/Sports model While the majority of activities under Objective 4 are planned to commence in Q3, during this quarter, WEI/Bantwana began information gathering and held initial consultations with partners and stakeholders to support upcoming Q3 activities. Notably, WEI/Bantwana held several consultation meetings with Restless Development technical staff, who will lead efforts to develop the ARH/Sports model beginning in Q3 (see further details under section IV. Project Management, below). In addition, WEI/Bantwana began gathering adolescent reproductive health materials in use in Tanzania for review and potential adaptation in Q3. Finally, a service mapping of youth friendly reproductive health services within the target wards in Karatu District was conducted, in collaboration with LGA stakeholders. Through the District Reproductive Health Coordinator, WEI/Bantwana identified the following facilities currently providing reproductive health services to adolescent girls in Karatu: • 10 health centers • 42 dispensaries • 1 hospital
As the ARH/Sports model is adapted in coming quarters, WEI/Bantwana will plan further activities to fully understand the range and quality of services offered at these facilities.
OBJECTIVE 5: Provide alternative education pathways for girls who have dropped out of secondary school due to pregnancy and/or early marriage Activities under Objective 5 are planned to begin in PY2.
Cross-Cutting Activities
Child, Early, and Forced Marriage
Child, early, and forced marriage (CEFM) is a human-rights violation and an impediment to sustainable development, which intersects with a broad range of vulnerabilities that women and girls face around the world. Although Waache Wasome was not designed as a CEFM intervention, WEI/Bantwana will address CEFM as a cross cutting issue integrated throughout programming. In line with the USAID Child, Early, and Forced Marriage Resource Guide, Waache Wasome will make use of key intervention points across the ecological model to ensure girls’ education; empower girls, parents, mentors, and teachers with information, skills, and supportive networks that prevent and reduce tolerance of CEFM; and influence shifts in harmful cultural norms that disadvantage girls and women.
Waache Wasome incorporated rights-based education on CEFM prevention at the program design stage of the POY Club model. CEFM prevention emerged as a priority issue identified by adolescent girls through the Protective Asset Mapping exercise, and as a result, WEI/Bantwana included modules on early marriage to help girls understand their rights and identify key ways they can help protect themselves from early marriage, and to provide information on key resources within their schools and communities that they can turn to for additional support. In subsequent quarters, WEI/Bantwana will ensure that a rights based education approach on CEFM is included in both the community mentor materials and the parenting skills curriculum for LIMCA group members.
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III. MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING During FY17Q2, Waache Wasome’s monitoring and evaluation activities focused on monitoring and evaluation planning and development of tools and systems. In addition, collaborative communication WEI/Bantwana and the NORC evaluation team resulted in further harmonizing of implementation strategies and evaluation mechanisms.
FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description
A. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan WEI/Bantwana began working on the draft MEL Plan and A.1 Develop the Waache In Progress participated in a detailed working session with the USAID Wasome MEL Plan Evaluation Activity Manager to discuss the MEL Plan.
B. Project Monitoring During the quarter, WEI/Bantwana developed data B.1 Establish project monitoring collection tools and protocols for the POY Clubs and In Progress tools and systems LIMCA models, which will be further refined as necessary during PY1 implementation.
C. Waache Wasome Evaluation WEI/Bantwana participated in a three-day planning session in Arusha with the NORC evaluation team and C.1 Participate in evaluation representatives from USAID/Tanzania and Achieved planning with NORC and USAID USAID/Washington to further detail plans for the Waache Wasome evaluation design and harmonize evaluation objectives and implementation and monitoring strategies.
A. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan A.1 Develop the Waache Wasome MEL Plan During the reporting period, WEI/Bantwana began developing the Waache Wasome MEL Plan, in line with the requirements of ADS Chapter 201 and direction and guidance from USAID. On March 30,, 2017, WEI/Bantwana staff (M&E Advisor and Senior Advisor) spent a half a day with the USAID Evaluation Activity Manager in Arusha to discuss the MEL Plan. During that meeting it was agreed that WEI/Bantwana would submit the first draft of the MEL Plan on April 21, 2017.
B. Project Monitoring B.1 Establish project monitoring tools and systems During FY17Q2, WEI/Bantwana developed series of data collection tools and protocols for monitoring both the POY Club and LIMCA models, which will be refined as needed over the course of PY1 implementation. Additional tools will be developed for each intervention model as PY1 implementation continues in FY17Q3.
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Included among the POY Club monitoring tools is a student profiling tool and intake form, which assesses POY Club participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and experiences prior to project implementation. Information was collected from adolescents as an intake process for enrollment in POY Clubs, with an intention to enable a pre- and post-treatment analysis of project participants. Girls and boys enrolled in the clubs responded to questions looking at their HIV/AIDS knowledge, life skills (including hope and self-efficacy), gender norms, agency and protective assets, and school bullying. Administered in collaboration Students fill in their intake forms at Endallah Secondary School with the Social Welfare Officer and a representative of the District Education Office to ensure access to any necessary follow-up support, the intake process gathered responses from a total of 826 students (455 girls) in the six target schools. Data entry and analysis is planned for FY17Q3.
C. Waache Wasome Evaluation C.1 Participate in evaluation planning with NORC and USAID During FY17Q2, WEI/Bantwana communicated with the NORC evaluation team and USAID as necessary to provide project details to inform the evaluation design and explore areas for harmonization between evaluation goals and project implementation and monitoring strategies. On March 28-29, 2017 WEI/Bantwana participated in an evaluation design session with representatives from the NORC evaluation team, USAID/Tanzania, and USAID/Washington, which had the following objectives: • To equip the NORC evaluation team with a deeper understanding of the Waache Wasome project and operating environment • To articulate more precisely the anticipated impact and outcomes of Waache Wasome, including gender norms change • To flesh out in greater detail the evaluation design • To discuss critical logistics related to the evaluation and baseline assessment • To discuss the MEL Plan
This meeting enabled the NORC evaluation team to refine the evaluation design and timeline.
IV. PROJECT MANAGEMENT Project management activities during this first reporting period were focused on operational start up, activity planning, and establishing relationships with key local government stakeholders.
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FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description A. Start-up Activities WEI/Bantwana recruited and oriented the Waache A.1 Hire project staff for PY1 Achieved Wasome PY1 technical and operations teams within the implementation quarter. WEI/Bantwana conducted an orientation to the Waache A.2 Conduct administrative and Wasome project during the project planning workshop technical orientation for project Achieved and provided comprehensive administrative and staff operations training for all staff. WEI/Bantwana offices and systems were fully established at the start of the award. During the quarter, A.3 Complete operational start- Achieved WEI/Bantwana negotiated for and was granted office space up within the Karatu District Council LGA offices for district- based staff.
B. Year 1 Annual Work Planning WEI/Bantwana engaged all project staff in a planning B.1 Facilitate planning workshop Achieved workshop to initiate development of the Year 1 Annual with project staff Work Plan. WEI developed and submitted the Year 1 Annual Work Plan on February 15, 2017. Following feedback from B.2 Develop and submit Year 1 Achieved USAID, WEI/Bantwana submitted a revised Year 1 Annual Annual Work Plan Work Plan on March 17, 2017. At the time of writing the Year 1 Annual Work Plan has been approved.
C. Implementing Partners & Sub-awards WEI/Bantwana held a series of phone and in-person C.1 Hold pre-award meetings with Restless Development to adjust their scope consultations with Restless Achieved of work within Waache Wasome implementation in Development preparation for sub-award finalization in FY17Q3. WEI/Bantwana had a series of conversations with Camfed, C.2 Hold pre-award after which both organizations determined that the timing Achieved consultations with Camfed and terms of Waache Wasome implementation were not suited for Camfed’s involvement. WEI/Bantwana and WGBH held a pre-award kickoff C.3 Hold pre-award meeting at WEI/Bantwana HQ in Boston, MA on February consultations with WGBH Achieved 22, 2017 in preparation for sub-award finalization in Educational Foundation FY17Q3.
C.4 Conduct pre-award WEI/Bantwana completed a pre-award assessment with assessment with Tanzania Bora Achieved Tanzania Bora Initiative in preparation for concurrence Initiative submission and sub-award signature in FY17Q3.
D. Partnerships D.1 Introduce Waache Wasome Achieved WEI/Bantwana held a 1-day session to introduce the
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FY17Q2 Planned Activities Status Description to LGA stakeholders in Karatu Waache Wasome project to the district council District Council management and technical teams and received their full cooperation and support for implementation. WEI/Bantwana collaborated with USAID/Tanzania to draft D.2 Introduce Waache Wasome a letter to the Ministry of Education, Science, and to the Ministry of Education, Achieved Technology formally introducing the Waache Wasome Science, and Technology project. WEI/Bantwana participated in International Women’s Day D.3 Participate in stakeholder Ongoing celebrations in Karatu District on March 8, 2017 at the events and forums invitation of the district council.
E. Communications & Other Activities WEI/Bantwana developed and submitted a Draft Branding E.1Develop and submit draft Strategy and Marking Plan on February 15, 2017. Branding Strategy and Marking Achieved Finalization of this draft for approval is pending feedback Plan from USAID and direction regarding overall Let Girls Learn initiative branding guidance.
E.2 Present Waache Wasome to WEI/Bantwana’s Boston-based project team traveled to USG stakeholders in Achieved Washington, DC to present the Waache Wasome project Washington, DC to staff from USAID and other USG agencies. E.3 Develop project WEI/Bantwana, with input from USAID, developed a Ongoing communication materials project factsheet to facilitate project intro to stakeholders.
A. Start-up activities A.1 Hire project staff for PY1 implementation WEI/Bantwana completed all planned recruitment activities during the quarter. Prior to award signature, WEI/Bantwana identified the key position of Technical Director, enabling an immediate start-up in January. Mid-level technical positions were also identified prior to award, with all staff reporting in January and February. WEI/Bantwana’s existing finance, administration, and operations teams were able to transition directly to support Waache Wasome, due to the timing of closeout of other activities. During the quarter, a comprehensive orientation process was facilitated for all staff (both new and continuing) to review WEI/Bantwana policies and procedures and Tanzania office operations processes. In addition, full participation of the technical team in a comprehensive project planning workshop (see Internal Capacity Building below) ensured full orientation to the goals, objectives, and activities of the Waache Wasome project and engaged all staff in a participatory work planning process informing the development of the Year 1 Annual Work Plan.
In the coming quarters, WEI/Bantwana will begin a second round of recruitment in preparation for PY2 programming, including grants management staff and district-level monitoring and evaluation staff to ensure smooth rollout as Waache Wasome scales up in PY2.
A.2 Conduct administrative and technical orientation for project staff During the quarter, all project staff participated in a planning workshop, which contributed to the development of the Year 1 Annual Work Plan. During this workshop, senior technical staff from Waache Wasome: Let Girls Learn Tanzania | FY17Q2 Quarterly Progress Report 26
WEI/Bantwana HQ collaborated with senior technical field staff to provide an in-depth orientation to Waache Wasome’s goals, objectives, models, and implementation strategies. Project staff were led through a simulation of the Protective Asset Mapping process to facilitate a strong understanding of asset-based approaches and means of engaging project participants in identifying their own needs and protective assets.
During the quarter, WEI/Bantwana also provided a comprehensive finance and administration orientation for all staff (both new and continuing), which outlined WEI/Bantwana employee policies and procedures. In addition, new staff members received an orientation in pre-award assessment procedures and tools prior to the pre-award assessment process with Tanzania Bora Initiative. This process built capacity to support further pre-award assessments, which will be conducted in subsequent quarters as WEI/Bantwana prepares to bring on local implementing partners for PY2 implementation.
A.3 Complete operational start-up A.3.1 Establish office systems WEI/Bantwana’s national office was already established and fully operational at the start of Waache Wasome programming, eliminating any delays due to operational start-up. WEI/Bantwana standard operational systems in Tanzania are reviewed and adjusted on a regular basis as needed and in coordination with WEI/Bantwana HQ.
A.3.2 Establish office space in Karatu District WEI/Bantwana was granted permission for district-based staff to sit within the Karatu District Council LGA offices, thereby eliminating the need for WEI/Bantwana to establish independent office space, reducing operational costs, and reinforcing the close partnership between Waache Wasome and LGA stakeholders.
A.3.3 Conduct project procurement processes WEI/Bantwana solicited quotations and conducted bid analyses for all planned procurement during the quarter. Submission of motor vehicle procurement request for approval to USAID is planned for early FY17Q3. In addition, during the reporting period USAID/Tanzania has ensured that Waache Wasome is under consideration to receive one or more vehicles being disposed of by a US Department of Labor- funded project, which would further support WEI/Bantwana’s ability to effectively implement project activities.
B. Year 1 Annual Work Planning B.1 Facilitate planning workshop with project staff Kicking off the work planning process, WEI/Bantwana HQ and Tanzania-based staff co-facilitated a three-day project planning and orientation workshop for project staff. Project staff participated in initial planning activities, which formed the basis for the development of the Year 1 Annual Work Plan and further detailed implementation modalities for Waache Wasome intervention models.
B.2 Develop and submit Year 1 Annual Work Plan WEI/Bantwana developed and submitted the Year 1 Annual Work Plan to USAID on February 15, 2017. Feedback was provided by USAID/Tanzania and USAID/Washington representatives and WEI/Bantwana submitted a revised Year 1 Annual Work Plan on March 17, 2017. The Year 1 Annual Work Plan covers implementation within FY2017 (the period from December 15, 2016 through September 30, 2017).
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C. Implementing Partners & Sub-awards During the reporting period, WEI/Bantwana held a series of meetings with Waache Wasome’s international partners and the pre-identified local technology partner, as detailed below. These consultations both informed the development of the Year 1 Annual Work Plan and began the sub-award process with each organization. During this quarter, WEI/Bantwana postponed full signature of sub-awards to focus on rapid implementation (particularly on the POY Clubs and LIMCA), based on the need to maximize project exposure within the current school year. Sub-award signature with the partners listed below is planned for early in FY17Q3.
C.1 Hold pre-award consultations with Restless Development During FY17Q2, concurrent with the development of the Year 1 Annual Work Plan, WEI/Bantwana and Restless Development held several discussions in which it was agreed that Restless Development’s Scope of Work under Waache Wasome would be shifted to accommodate revisions in the rollout plan prior to award. Restless Development will lead the development of the Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) & Sports model under Objective 4, working closely with WEI/Bantwana to adapt from both organizations’ models and materials. The development of the model will take place over the course of PY1, with training of local implementing partners and rollout to schools in subsequent years. Waache Wasome will implement a model WEI/Bantwana is which builds on the positive engagement of sports to disseminate youth-friendly ARH information and link students to a trusted adult who can both answer their questions and facilitate linkages to services. The resulting model will derive from both WEI/Bantwana’s successful model used in Zimbabwe and RD’s ARH experience in Tanzania. Finalization of Restless Development’s Scope of Work and sub-award for PY1 is planned for early in FY17Q3.
C.2 Hold pre-award consultations with Camfed WEI/Bantwana held initial consultations with Camfed to inform the development of the Year 1 Annual Work Plan to outline the process for adapting Camfed’s Learner Guide mentoring model for Waache Wasome. Following this, as more in-depth discussions proceeded to move forward with the sub-award, contracting staff from Camfed informed WEI/Bantwana of licensing requirements for any use or adaptation of existing Camfed models and materials. As this process is not aligned with the needs of the Waache Wasome project and as Camfed is not able to pursue alternative options at this time, both organizations mutually decided to end the partnership. WEI/Bantwana is in the process of planning for adaptation of other community mentoring models used within the region, which will proceed in FY17Q3.
C.3 Hold pre-award consultations with WGBH Educational Foundation During PY1, WEI/Bantwana and WGBH will work together to adapt the Design Squad and Invent It. Build It. models for Waache Wasome. WEI/Bantwana held a kickoff meeting in the Boston HQ office, where WGBH presented their model and results to-date to a diverse group of staff from across the organization and the project team outlined the adaptation process to begin in Q3.
C.4 Conduct pre-award consultations with Tanzania Bora Initiative During the quarter, WEI/Bantwana conducted a standard pre-award assessment with Tanzania Bora Initiative (TBI), the local organization pre-identified as a Waache Wasome technology partner supporting the ICT Coding Camps for girls. TBI’s established She Codes for Change model in Tanzania and their experience implementing ICT coding camps for girls in secondary school will inform the development of the coding camps model for Waache Wasome.
The pre-award assessment is a standard risk mitigation process for all WEI/Bantwana local implementing sub-awardees with the following objectives:
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• Confirm that the potential sub-grantee has established and functioning office space; • Confirm that the potential sub-grantee can meet basic requirements for record keeping, documentation and reporting; • Assess the adequacy of the internal control system in place; • Determine whether the sub-grantee has policies and procedures in place and if they are being followed consistently; • Determine the level of operational risk associated with sub-awarding to the organization; and, • Make a final determination as to the organization’s overall ability to manage funds in accordance with USG rules and regulations and WEI/Bantwana minimum standards.
WEI/Bantwana takes a participatory assessment process, which allows both parties to share information and experiences and see clarification where necessary. During the final debrief, WEI/Bantwana provided several recommendations for improving TBI’s internal systems and project management practices, which were well received. In FY17Q3, WEI/Bantwana will work with TBI to develop their PY1 sub-award based on the outcome of the pre-award assessment.
In addition to the pre-award assessment, WEI/Bantwana held several meetings with TBI to further discuss their role in Waache Wasome implementation and begin the development of the sub-award Scope of Work. To support this, TBI invited WEI/Bantwana to attend training activities related to their ICT Coding Camps model funded under another mechanism, which will inform the adaptation of that model for Waache Wasome.
D. Partnerships D.1 Introduce Waache Wasome to LGAs in Karatu District Council During this quarter the Waache Wasome project was introduced to Karatu District Council. Participants to the meeting were District Commissioner, District Executive Director, Heads of Departments, Social Services Secretary, Ward Executive Officers, Ward Education Officers and Head Teachers of the six target schools for PY1. WEI/Bantwana has learned that actively engaging with LGAs early in the implementation process is critical to ensuring their buy-in for implementation rollout. Without the full support of local government, programming may face operational obstacles, unwillingness among participants, or bureaucratic delays, therefore the introductory process is crucial for developing the effective partnerships that bring about success on the ground. In addition, WEI/Bantwana’s approach of early and continued engagement with local government aims to create champions of change within the existing government infrastructure who will both advocate for the needs of the project and support its longer-term sustainability.
WEI/Bantwana provided an overview of the project and its key objectives, which were well received among LGA stakeholders. The council management pledged their support for the project as a cornerstone of activities within the district to improve girls’ retention in school. Key among LGA priorities are improving mechanisms for reducing dropout rates and increasing pass rates on national exams, as Karatu District was a poor performing district in 2016. The council management assigned the District Education Officer for Secondary Schools as Waache Wasome’s point of contact, to work together with WEI/Bantwana in ensuring that stakeholders at the ward, village, and school levels are actively participating in project activities.
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D.2 Introduce Waache Wasome to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MOEST) During this reporting period USAID/Tanzania provided WEI/Bantwana with a formal letter of introduction to the MOEST. WEI/Bantwana and USAID/Tanzania also discussed options for engaging MOEST in a national launch for Waache Wasome. It was decided that the national launch would take place during the first half of PY2, and that a small scale local launch for Karatu District would be planned for the second half of PY1.
D.3 Participate in stakeholder events and fora WEI/Bantwana seeks key avenues for building relationships with LGAs and other stakeholders and furthering the reach of Waache Wasome. To this end, at the request of Karatu District Council, WEI/Bantwana participated in International Women’s Day celebrations on March 8, 2017 in Karatu District. During the ceremony, the Waache Wasome project was featured, and WEI/Bantwana was given the opportunity to introduce the project goals and objectives, working with LGA counterparts to galvanize support for retention of girls in secondary school and raise awareness about the importance of girls’ education.
Jointly, WEI/Bantwana and USAID/Tanzania have identified a number of other national fora and national- level working groups that WEI/Bantwana could participate in, which are working to advance goals similar to those of Waache Wasome. This includes the Tanzania Education Network/Mtandao wa Elimu Tanzania and Haki Elimu, where WEI/Bantwana could both contribute to and learn from the national conversation around girls’ education. WEI/Bantwana will also contribute to technical working groups established to implement the National Plan of Action to End of Violence Against Women and Children (NPA-VAWC), specifically collaboration around Thematic Area 7: Safe Schools and Life Skills. In addition, there are a number of local consortia, coalitions, and advocacy groups engaging in dialogue with the government of Tanzania to change the re-entry guidelines for pregnant students, as the current practice discriminates against girls. WEI/Bantwana will explore a potential role in supporting these advocacy initiatives. WEI/Bantwana will also reach out to the national technical working group on parenting skills currently being led by the Department of Social Welfare, to see how the parenting skills curriculum that Waache Wasome will use for mothers and caregivers of adolescents could be shared or disseminated nationally.
During this quarter, WEI/Bantwana held a conversation with Peace Corps Tanzania to explore areas of synergy between Waache Wasome and Peace Corps programs, including potential for collaboration that would support activities under Objective 4 focused on increasing access to youth friendly reproductive health services. WEI/Bantwana also held an initial meeting with the Institute of Adult Education, and will continue to pursue potential collaboration as activities under Objective 5 commence in PY2. Additional opportunities for collaboration highlighted by USAID/Tanzania include efforts in teacher professional development and distance education funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which WEI/Bantwana will explore in collaboration with USAID/Tanzania in subsequent quarters.
E. Communications & Other Activities E.1 Develop and submit draft Branding Strategy and Marking Plan WEI/Bantwana was informed by USAID that final determination of branding guidelines for projects funded under the Let Girls Learn Challenge Fund is still pending. To ensure compliance with the terms of the award, WEI/Bantwana moved forward with development of a draft Branding Strategy and Marking Plan, which was submitted to USAID on February 15, 2017. WEI/Bantwana will finalize this document following receipt of feedback from USAID and final direction regarding the initiative branding guidelines.
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E.2 Present Waache Wasome to USG stakeholders in Washington, DC On March 1, 2017 the WEI/Bantwana Boston-based project team traveled to Washington, DC to give a presentation on the Waache Wasome project to key stakeholders from across USG agencies. In attendance were representatives from: • USAID (including the Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment; Office of Education; Bureau for Global Health; and the Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Learning); • Department of State (including the Office of Global Women’s Issues and Policy Planning); • Department of Agriculture (including the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program and the Office of Capacity Building and Development); and, • PEPFAR
WEI/Bantwana received questions, feedback, and suggestions which will inform representation of broader USG priorities across agencies, foster synergies between programming, and enable the incorporation of lessons learned as Waache Wasome implementation progresses.
E.3 Develop project communication materials During the reporting period, with input from USAID, WEI/Bantwana developed a project factsheet for use in introducing the project to local stakeholders. Development of additional materials to communicate about the project will take place as appropriate throughout PY1 and following approval of the Branding Strategy and Marking Plan.
V. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Key Opportunities Strong support for and investment in Waache Wasome on the part of local government authorities WEI/Bantwana has been well received in Karatu District. As a sign of partnership and commitment, Karatu District Council authorities have allocated space for the Waache Wasome project team to co- locate with the District Commissioner’s Office block free of charge. In addition, key LGAs technical staff have been supporting activity implementation since inception and have committed to continue their support as Waache Wasome rolls out additional intervention models and later scales up.
LGAs have allocated specific time for POY activities within the school schedule As a sign of support for Waache Wasome in-school activities, the LGAs in Karatu have directed schools to allocate specific time slot for POY Club activities within the school time table. This is a significant show of support and is also critical for vulnerable girls, ensuring that club activities will not keep students after school to participate. Experience shows that when club activities are held after school hours, some students face challenges to participate as some parents do not understand why students are returning home late. In addition, keeping adolescent girls in school after hours to participate in club activities has the potential to expose them to additional risks if they are walking home at a later hour when there are fewer students to accompany them.
Protective Asset Mapping & POY materials development Waache Wasome benefitted from active engagement of adolescent girls and their caregivers in the Protective Asset Mapping exercise this quarter, which provided critical inputs to the development of the POY Club materials. The process was both motivating for the girls who participated and ensured that the POY Club materials are highly relevant to the needs and priorities of the girls who will use them.
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High demand among students for POY Clubs As WEI/Bantwana facilitated the formation of the POY Clubs this quarter, students exhibited an eagerness to participate, with demand for the clubs often exceeding the spaces available. This indicates the perceived relevance of the POY Club objectives among students and presents an opportunity for WEI/Bantwana and LGAs to work with teachers and schools to further encourage spillover effects from the clubs to the general school population.
Key Challenges Ensuring the design of models that are fully adapted to Waache Wasome’s context As WEI/Bantwana proceeds with implementation, the adaptation of each intervention model presents a challenge, wherein involvement of a broad range of stakeholders, from girls, to their parents, to teachers and local government authorities—is required to ensure that the resulting intervention is relevant to the needs of the girls, owned and supported by local leadership, and has potential for long-term sustainability within local structures. However, this process is time-consuming and presents an ongoing challenge to rapid implementation rollout.
Challenging harmful gender norms that disadvantage girls and women Throughout Waache Wasome programming, as WEI/Bantwana is working to challenge harmful gender norms, sensitivity is required to ensure the project does not encounter resistance among local authorities or community stakeholders. WEI/Bantwana works to address this by aligning with, reinforcing, and deepening national policy and identifying and engaging key local champions who are able to help advance Waache Wasome goals.
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