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Ambassadors' Girls' Scholarship Program Empowerment & Civic Engagement Congo, Republic of, South Africa, Zambia, Gabon, Madagascar, Sao Tome and Principe, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Swaziland, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia 2004 - 2011 USAID |
Scholarships for African Girls & Boys
RATIONALEPrimary school enrollment and literacy rates in sub-Saharan Africa remain among the lowest in the world, particularly for girls. Those who do have access to school often receive an education of such poor quality that they do not master basic reading and writing skills. Adding to this predicament is the terrible impact of HIV/AIDS in the region. Thousands of parents and teachers die each year from this deadly pandemic, often leaving children homeless and education systems weakened.
OBJECTIVES
The Africa Education Initiative AMBASSADORS GIRLS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM awards scholarships and provides mentoring to orphaned and otherwise vulnerable girls in order to increase their retention in school. Without such support, many of the girls would have no means of staying in school. In 2007, the program expanded to reach boys as well, to ensure that they too have the opportunity to obtain an education.
The Winrock team's strategic approach targets the following AEI-AGSP objectives for the region of southern Africa:
1) Award approximately 104,166 scholarships to vulnerable girls in 13 sub-Saharan African countries;
2) Award approximately 14,000 scholarships to vulnerable boys in 13 sub-Saharan African countries;
3) Provide mentoring and HIV/AIDS training and/or information to 75% of scholarship recipients; and
4) Encourage and support democratic community participation in the program.
ACTIVITIES
Winrock partners with local nongovernmental organizations to manage scholarships and mentoring programs, identifying needy recipients through a transparent and democratic selection process that includes community participation. The program provides age-appropriate content for the mentoring programs and HIV/AIDS training conducted by the local partners. Winrock facilitates timely payment of tuition and other scholarship benefits, collects and monitors technical and financial data from partners, and regularly generates reports on AGSP results.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• The program is currently operational in 13 countries: Angola, Botswana, Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia.
• In the first four years of the project, 36 NGOs received more than $13.4 million to provide 94,169 scholarships to 42,799 girls and 7,044 boys. We expect to provide more than $4.8 million to 29 NGOs in the fifth year of the program, delivering another 27,000+ scholarships.
• In many cases this program complements on-going activities being conducted by our NGO partners such as youth clubs, support for people affected by HIV/AIDS and other community activities, thus ensuring that the scholars are integrated into broader community efforts.
• Scholarship recipients are academically motivated girls and boys who are vulnerable because they are affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans (single- or two-parent), physically disabled, and/or economically disadvantaged. Most girls and boys will receive more than one year's assistance to help them complete their primary school education.
• Community members, school officials, parents, traditional authorities, government officials, and other stakeholders have been involved in the identification, selection, and mentoring of the girls.
• Many partnerships with NGOs involved in AIDS work were established and these partnerships are resulting in new synergies with the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
• More than 90% of the girls and boys have participated in mentoring activities and learned more about HIV/AIDS. These mentoring activities have enriched the experience for the girls, raising their self-esteem, helping them cope with difficult challenges at school and at home, and motivating them to succeed and stay in school.