Established 2003

  • 270 female students
  • 221 male students
  • 19 teachers

2009

  • 413 female students
  • 272  male students
  • 23 teachers

Challenges

  • Poverty
  • Teenage pregnancy
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Illiterate parents
  • High drop of both boys and girls
  • Education quality

COE components

  • Gender-Responsive Pedagogy training for teachers
  • Tuseme youth empowerment programme
  • Counselling
  • Life skills training

Outcomes since creation

  • Improvement in performance in national exams – 44.6 (2003) to 45.3 (2008)
  • Improvement in performance in end-of-year school exams – 92 (2003) to 96.4 (2008)
  • Improvement in enrolment rates for girls – 54.8 (2003) to 60 (2009)
  • Improvement in retention rates for girls – 99% (Grade 8-10), 55% (Grade 10-11), 100% (Grade 11-12)
  • 55% improvement in completion rates for girls (Grade 8-12)
  • 40% improvement in transition rates to next level of education for girls
  • 95% reduction in schoolgirl pregnancy rates
  • 98% reduction in sexual harassment
  • 50-60% of girls in school committees and other leadership roles

Girls are confident in problem-solving

Boys have positive attitudes to girls

Girls and boys have better mutual respect

“Being part of the Girls’ Club has been a huge highlight in my life. It has equipped me with important life skills that will enable me to make the right choices. It has given me leadership skills which I can use elsewhere, even in my community. The Girls’ Club held a workshop on teenage pregnancy with all the girls for a whole weekend. We were quite successful in bringing down the pregnancy rate at school in just one year.”

Hilma Namupolo
18 years
Grade12

“I live in an informal settlement in Ombili, Okuryangava, with my mom and three sisters. I was very excited when I was granted a scholarship because now I have a proper uniform and school bag and I can look neat and presentable at school. The scholarship also gave me the opportunity to attend computer classes and it really encouraged me as a person. It really helped my mom financially. It also meant better food for me as I can eat bread every morning when coming to school.”

Tresia Nekwaya
15 years
Grade 12

“I’m a single parent with three children. All my children live with me and I try to provide everything for them. My daughter Tendee is in Grade 11. She got a scholarship when she was in Grade 9 through the Centre of Excellence programme. It helps me a lot. It pays for her school fees, exam fees, computer, school uniform and stationery. Tendee is very hardworking and that makes me proud and happy. “

Menette Veripi Kamuanguue
42 years
Parent