Project profile — My Education, My Future: Supporting Burundian Refugee Girls’ Right to Education

• Tanzania (50.00%)
• Burundi (50.00%)

• Education, Level Unspecified: Teacher training (11130) (7.00%)
• Primary education:
Primary education (11220) (33.00%)
Basic life skills for youth (11231) (58.00%)
• Health: COVID-19 control (12264) (2.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Disability (significant objective)
• Nutrition (significant objective)

The project aims to implement a gender-responsive and conflict-sensitive education program for girls affected by the Burundian refugee crisis in Burundi and Tanzania. The project seeks to reduce barriers to education, and build resilience among Burundian refugee and returnee girls, including those with disabilities, on both sides of the Burundi-Tanzanian border. The project also aims to develop and test a new model of conflict-sensitive, play-based, and gender-responsive alternative learning, which supports teenage girls, including adolescent mothers and girls with disabilities, to access alternative forms of education and re-enter the school system. Project activities include: (1) improving the quality of learning environments in refugee camps to provide gender-responsive, supportive, and participatory learning; (2) establishing support mechanisms for teachers and training them on gender-responsive and inclusive Play-Based Learning (PBL); (3) increasing community engagement through leaders, coaches, and parents to reduce barriers that are preventing education for girls, including those with disabilities; and (4) supporting girls clubs and peer groups to develop knowledge and skills in and out of school. The project works in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council, an independent humanitarian organization working in more than 30 countries to help people forced to flee, helping to save lives and rebuilding futures. The project leverages Right to Play’s unique and proven gender-responsive PBL methodology and the Norwegian Refugee Council’s experience and expertise in conflict-sensitive education.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased equitable access to inclusive, safe, and gender-responsive play-based education for girls, including those with disabilities, in targeted communities; and (2) improved innovative, protective, and gender-responsive play-based learning in basic education for girls, including those with disabilities, in targeted communities.

Results achieved at the end of the project (March 2025) include: (1) 46,000 children (aged 6 to 17) across Burundi and Tanzania benefited from the project’s inclusive, safe, and gender-responsive education, exceeding the target of 31,505. Re-enrolment of out-of-school children exceeded expectations, with 254 more children (231 girls and 23 boys) over the target of 198 returning to school in Burundi, supported by strong community outreach and support measures; and (2) improved learning in basic education significantly, including improving reading proficiency and life skills. In Tanzania, reading proficiency rose from 12.5% to 34.6% overall (34.67% for boys and 34.52% for girls), achieving minimum proficiency. In Burundi, reading proficiency rose from 24.71% for girls and 15.15% for boys. Across both countries, over 65% of children demonstrated improved life skills, exceeding the project target of 35%.

• Proactive disclosure