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)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (significant objective)
• Nutrition (significant objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

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 in Tanzania as of March 2023 include: (1) 58% of boys and 60% of girls demonstrated increased life skills such as stress management, conflict resolution, decision making, and empathy; (2) 89% of girls felt that they have the ability to make decisions regarding their education. Girls with disabilities reported the highest feeling of empowerment of educational decisions; (3) 22 club matrons from 11 partner schools were supported by Right to Play to participate in club exchange learning visits and club competitions. The matrons are further supporting girls’ clubs to organize club activities at the school level that engage other pupils in their respective schools; Results achieved in Burundi as of March 2023 include: (1) 60% of boys and 65% of girls have demonstrated an improvement in life skills; (2) 78% of boys and 80% of girls reported that they feel safe and included in the learning environment; (3) 5,636 girls who have attended girl member clubs and activities are now using life skills that have been demonstrated through sketches and sports activities to sensitize parents and other community members on the importance and added value of ensuring girls to attend school. These skills were acquired as a result of coaches’ commitment to meeting girls’ aspirations and supporting their wellbeing, utilizing trainings on leadership, communication, problem-solving, self-awareness and decision making.

• Proactive disclosure