Cuso International is an international co-operation and development organization that works to create economic and social opportunities for marginalized groups. Together with our partners, we are focused on efforts to advance gender equality and social inclusion, improve economic resilience and deliver progress on climate action. We believe that by sharing skills, we can build better futures. Founded in 1961, Cuso International works in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Canada. Our vision is to see an equitable, inclusive and sustainable world where all people are treated with dignity and can participate fully in society.
Cuso International has been working in Ethiopia since 2015 delivering programs supporting health and education, particularly for women and youth. Cuso International collaborates with local community-based organizations (CBOs), government stakeholders and international experts to deliver impactful development projects across the country. Partnering with the Institute of International Education (IIE), Cuso International is implementing a project funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Benishangul-Gumuz Region (BGR), Ethiopia.
Background of the U-GIRLS2 Project
In partnership, Cuso CPO and IIE have been implementing a holistic project called “Promoting Greater Access to University for GIRLS (U-GIRLS 2)” in BGR since May 2020. The project seeks to educate and empower high school girls aged 15 to 25 in the region with the support of their families, communities and the government. The project offers intensive academic tutorials, English Language training, leadership and life skills training, material resources, a supportive mentorship program, life skill and capacity building for the target secondary school girls attending seven target secondary schools. The project also provides gender sensitization training, entrepreneurial and financial literacy training, and agricultural innovation training to the families of these targeted girls. U-GIRLS 2 has provided business inputs and will provide agricultural inputs for those families engaged in business and agricultural activities. For wider reach, the project organizes training programs and community informational campaigns for the community in order to increase their awareness on the importance of girls’ education and increase their engagement in advocating for girls’ education. To enhance the gender-equitable, governance, administration, and delivery in the target secondary schools and partner government bureaus and offices, the project has provided trainings to administrators and schoolteachers.
Due to the multidimensional nature of poverty, poverty reduction require an integrated and holistic approach that addresses its root causes in a sustainable manner. U-GIRLS 2 will contribute to poverty reduction in two specific ways. Firstly, it seeks to educate and empower girls to further their education. Educated girls are more able to improve their well-being, and that of their families, than their less-educated peers. Secondly, the program intends to provide sustainable economic growth to families of beneficiaries through capacity building and access to employment resources through a need-based approaches.
The specific objectives of the project are to:
increase community and familial encouragement of girls' enrollment in formal education for girls aged 15 to 25;
improve academic performance, leadership abilities and autonomy of targeted girls aged 15 to 25; and
Enhance regional, zonal and woreda-level governance, administration and delivery of gender equitable education for girls aged 15 to 25.
The different levels of results expected to be achieved with targets through Year IV implementation will be provided upon request @ Ethiopiaoffice@cusointernational.org
For more and detailed information, please use the document linked below: