Leapfrogging Dreams�

Presented by: Michelle Zgombic, Sedar Pougaza, Gerry Arias and Alex Alexandre

​

Curriculum Project: Group Presentation on Brookings Institute Global Catalog of Educational Innovations (15%)

Curriculum Project: Describe the innovations of a specific segment of the Global Catalog of Educational Innovations. This segment could be based on geography, subject, grade level, etc, or a combination. You should have between 10-15 cases from the catalog (i.e. of the +/- 3000 entries) that represent your particular segment. You should analyze and summarize themes that run across several, most, or all of the cases. You should also highlight salient differences between and among the cases

Your report should include:

• A brief description of the specific segment (e.g. Adult Education in Latin America and the Caribbean)
• The method you used to select the 10-15 cases that you describe.
• Descriptions of the innovative practices
• An analysis of the recurring themes in the practices—where they overlap and where there are differences.
• Your presentation will be shared with the class.
• Your presentation must have video and audio elements--a video, PowerPoint with narration, etc.

SP- Organization #1

• Educate! | Preparing youth in Africa with the skills to succeed in today’s economy.
• Educate! was first founded in 2002 by Eric Glustrom, an American high school student who visited a refugee camp in the poorest corner of western Uganda. He made a range of contributions at this time – from distributing anti-malarial medicine to filming a documentary – but the act that felt most important and lasting to him was giving a young refugee named Benson a scholarship to go to school. Benson believed with a formal education he could change his life and solve the problems in his community. Eric came back to the U.S. energized by the opportunity to make a difference in young people’s lives in Uganda, sharing Benson’s story and inspiring others to help more youth like him.  In Eric’s efforts to grow his impact, he recruited the second founder, Boris Bulayev, during their junior year at Amherst College. Boris was a refugee himself who believed in giving other young people access to the opportunities he had found when he came to the U.S. Together, Eric and Boris traveled to Uganda to visit Benson at school. They were shocked to meet student after student struggling to stay in school because they couldn’t pay their school fees, fending off deadly diseases, growing their own food, and surviving in some of the worst conditions imaginable. Boris and Eric saw the huge opportunity to transform classrooms into training grounds for students to learn to help themselves. By teaching students leadership skills and techniques to start small businesses, students could not only pay their own school fees, but would also have the skills and opportunities necessary to succeed after graduation. Eric and Boris hired the third founder Angelica Towne to craft this solution. Angie knew firsthand what it meant to be literally saved by youth organizations, growing up in inner city New York. She had graduated from Middlebury College after writing her senior thesis on leadership programs she implemented in Jamaica and the U.S. Angie moved to Uganda, launching the first Educate! Experience model in March of 2009.
• Educatel is a Gates Foundations Goalkeepers Acceletor based in East Africa precisely in Uganda (with Educate! in Uganda launched in 2009), Rwanda (Educate! In Rwanda launched in 2016) and Kenya (launched in 2018) with the purpose of preparing youth in Africa with the skills to succeed in today’s economy.
• The dream of Educate! is to develop young leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa with the vision to measurably impact millions of youth across Africa each year.
• Based on statistics, Africa will be 40% of the world by 2100 – Its population is expected to grow from 1.2 to 4 billion and the continent could have more youth at that time than the total population of the United States. As many as 90% of African youth are projected to work in the informal sector. There are dramatic rates of youth unemployment in Africa due to its demographics and scarcity of jobs. Also, the education systems in Africa already face challenges meeting young peoples’ needs – current curricula and teaching methods don’t consistently prepare students for what is to come following graduation. Educate! considers all these challenges as an opportunity. Dreamers and effective leaders see challenge as an opportunity. They don’t only see problems but they see solutions. That is the case of Educate! I Preparing youth in Africa with the skills to succeed in today’s economy. A dream that Educate! always strives to realize.

​

​

​

Educate!'s Founders �Eric Glustrom , Boris Bulayev, and Angelica Towne in Africa. ��

SP- Organization #1 Continued

• The innovative practices of Educate! consist in equipping youth with the skills to disrupt the systemic problem of youth unemployment by transforming post-primary education and the transition to employment. Educate! creates new skills-based educational models that change what young people learn and how they learn it by empowering youth with the skills to drive measurable change.
• Educate!’s experiential model teaches the transferable/foundational soft skills demanded most by both employers and students themselves, such as teamwork, public speaking, networking, critical thinking, self-confidence, and creativity.
• Educate!’s experiential model also teaches the hard skills of business such as planning, budgeting, savings, and market research.

​

SP- Organization #1 Continued�Results showing the Educate!’s dream realization

• Just before graduating from secondary, students who completed the Educate! program showed improvements in key economic areas.
• Livelihoods
• Impact on Scholars�95% income increase from a base of $88.43 in the comparison group
• Impact on Girls�244% income increase from a base of $32.43 in the comparison group
• Employment

​

​

​

​

• Impact on Scholars�50% more likely to be employed from a base of 17% in the comparison group
• Impact on Girls�113% more likely to be employed from a base of 9% in the comparison group
• Business Ownership

​

​

​

​

​

​

• Impact on Scholars�44% more likely to own a business from a base of 26% in the comparison group
• Impact on Girls�91% more likely to own a business from a base of 15% in the comparison group

Educate! invests deeply in periodic rigorous external evaluations.

• These evaluations, including a randomized controlled trial (RCT), found that toward the end of secondary, graduates of the program earn nearly double the income of their peers.
• A follow-up RCT found that four years later, participants demonstrate large and durable shifts in skills coupled with significant improvements in educational and gender-related outcomes, including a
• a 25% increase in university enrollment for women,
• 21% less likelihood of having a child,
• and 18% decrease in inter-partner violence for women.
• Among other benefits, Educate! leads to improved soft skills, increased secondary school completion rates, more youth selecting STEM and business majors, delayed fertility, reductions in risky behavior, and declines in intimate partner violence.
• “From what we’ve seen, this is the first evaluation in Africa to causally link soft skills to improvements in life outcomes related to education and gender.”

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

SP- Organization #1 Continued�Educate!’ Success Stories

• ‌‌Advice‌ ‌from‌ ‌Alumni:‌ ‌Believe‌ ‌in‌ ‌Yourself‌ ‌and‌

‌Invest‌ ‌in‌ ‌Your‌ ‌Future

• “I demonstrated skills which fresh graduates do not typically show. Our universities do not teach us practical real-world skills like crafting business proposals, or thinking about personal and professional goals. ” — Irene Kisakye, Educate! graduate & IT Specialist, Uganda
• Benson Musabe Former Educate! Scholar & Founder of the Musabe Foundation Brings Information and Communication Technology Skills to Youth in Rural Uganda
• Today, Benson’s foundation holds free ICT workshops for marginalized youth in his community. Within the sessions, he teaches basic computing skills and passes on the 21st century tools he’s gained and the skills he continues to learn as a young entrepreneur. He also uses the workshops as a platform to address other important issues in the region, such as food security, and women’s empowerment

​

​

​

​

​

• Rwandan Students Build Confidence and Resilience Through Business Ownership
• “The best skill we get is self-confidence... Now even if our project fails, we can try again.”- Fausta, Secondary Student, Rwanda
• “I want to develop my country through my achievement…. By making my products and being a job creator, I will develop my country.” — Emelyne, Secondary Student, Rwanda
• Key aspects of Educate!’s model like Student Business Clubs, were incorporated into Rwanda’s national curriculum as part of the entrepreneurship curriculum reform. Today, this curriculum has been rolled out nationwide, helping to prepare nearly 210,000 youth each year with the skills they need to succeed in tody’s economy.
• “As we all learn to adjust to the challenges caused by COVID-19, we continue to be inspired and encouraged by our students, who have overcome difficult challenges to become young leaders, entrepreneurs, mentors, and role models in their communities.”
• …. and the dream continues because some African countries also need Educate! | Preparing youth in Africa with the skills to succeed in today’s economy.

���

SP: Organization #2

• The Dream: African Revival (AR)
• Began in 2000 and became a registered charity in 2005.
• Works in Zambia (assisting schools in the Kalomo, Zimba, and Choma Districts in southern Zambia with projects designed to improve their learning environment and quality of education.), Uganda (works with over 70 schools, helping to create a thriving learning environment for children in northern Uganda.) and South Soudan (Collaborating with partners to facilitate the construction of school facilities in Yei, Ibba and Maridi.).
• Founder: Tony Allen

​

​

SP: Organization #2

• Tony Allen’s dream: African Revival: “an Africa where every child has equal access to education”
• “My work in Africa started in Malawi working in health, education and clean water.  I worked supporting existing charities and expanded into Eastern Uganda where we started providing primary education and healthcare.   With my experience in running a business for many years, I believed that I could create a more direct model of help where effectively we work alongside the local communities with all funds going directly to building contractors and community groups where we oversee how the money is spent.  It was through this that we began the embryo African Revival in 2000 which became a charity in its own right in 2005. I have been encouraged and supported by not only my business colleagues but also family and friends, who share the key vision that by giving every child equal access to a quality, basic education they will have a better chance of positively impacting the people around them, breaking free from a cycle of subsistence farming/laboring. Our work in the schools often commences by creating an adequate infrastructure.  This is, however, only a beginning to providing a holistic approach to the whole teaching environment that includes pre-school, teacher training, sanitation/clean water, scholastic resource and sport/music provision”

​

�SP: Organization #2�The innovative practices of Tony’s Dream African Revival �

• Working with primary and nursery schools in Uganda, Zambia & South Sudan since 2005 – some of the poorest countries in the world – to allow every child to fulfil their potential.
•  Building infrastructure and implementing education and livelihood projects.
• Empower whole communities – pupils, teachers and parents – to transform government-run and parent-run schools into thriving learning environments that build brighter, better futures.
• What makes African Revival different is that its staff are based in the rural communities where they work. “This proximity to our partners allows us to be more efficient with donor’s money and more accountable to the communities we serve.”

​

SP: Organization #2� Impacts of the Dream African Revival

• In Uganda
• Training and Data Collection:
• In Year 1 (January 2018 – December 2018) over 5,000 girls participated in training workshops at 23 schools.
• Headteacher Margaret at Purongo P7: “The school has benefitted from pad provision, training, latrine construction and teacher workshops this year.”
• Construction:
• Construction of three blocks of latrines at Purongo P7 Primary School in the Nwoya District, which serves 853 pupils and had no functioning latrines. At Lujoro School in the Amuru District African Revival gave pupils more privacy by constructing designated staff latrines. The community contributed local material, at both schools. African Revival is currently prioritizing schools to install a borehole, providing clean water for pupils and the surrounding community.
• Pad Provision:
• In Year 1 of the project 4,032 Girls received menstrual resources and were trained on how to use them. Feedback from schools so far is that many girls who were missing school every month are now attending, and performing much better than they were previously. Continued data collection over the course of the programme will allow African Revival (AR) to measure the impact of this on educational outcomes.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

SP: Organization #2� Impacts of the Dream African Revival Continued

• In Uganda
• Community:
• Community meetings were held at every school to discuss menstrual hygiene, and other barriers to girls education. Based on feedback from the communities, schools drew up their own action plans with support from the African Revival team. AR also participated in Nwoya Sanitation week - music and dance performances were used to explore the theme of sanitation.
• School Partnership:
• A total of 69 teachers at all 23 schools were trained on menstrual health management and related crosscutting topics/issues this year, to ensure girls are supported at school throughout the academic year.

​

​

SP: Organization #2� Impacts of the Dream African Revival Continued

• Zambia
• Construction:
• AR had built latrines for boys and girls – a 4-stance for boys with urinal and a 4- stance with wash room for girls - at Kansumo, Mabuyu and Simbunji, and have completed the 2017 projects of latrines at Malala and Kalonda. The Kalonda latrine project was implemented in collaboration with our partner Justa A Drop, with support from The ATD Foundation. The Kasumo, Mabuyu, and Simbunji communities struggled to get the pits ready. It was such rocky terrain that their picks broke, but they persevered and got there eventually.
• Training Pad and Provision:
• AR Health technician Miyoba Makoba delivered life skills and hygiene education to pupils at 12 community schools in Kalomo and Zimba district. She targeted pupils from grade 5-7 for sanitation workshops (toilet use, hand washing etc.) and girls aged 12 and older for menstrual health workshops. This year 578 girls were reached with her menstrual health workshops. They all received a pack of washable pads (some still outstanding but all will have received when school opens again in January). Over 2000 pupils, both boys and girls, attended the sanitation workshops. They were part of entertaining sketches showing how germs spread, took part in group discussions about latrine use and puberty and received posters and leaflets. Miyoba will close year one of the project with a review: interviewing girls and teachers at Bwacha and Namabondo – the first schools where AR distributed pads.

​

SP: Organization #2� Impacts of the Dream African Revival Continued

• Zambia
• “We received additional support for the final year of this project from The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2019, to assist with training workshops and construction of latrines, so a huge thank you to everyone who made a donation and helped us to achieve our target. We are also grateful to additional partners that have chosen to support other elements of our Girls & Sanitation Programme.” Justin Ogen (ARU) Richard Odokonyero (ARU) Godwin Kamangala (ARZ) Catherine Inch (ARUK) in their year 3 update report (January 2020 – March 2020).
• Construction:
• “Construction continues, despite schools closing since the outbreak of Covid-19. We have built latrines at Nazilongo, and six permanent hand-washing stands at various schools. We have now commenced construction of pupils and staff latrines at Lugobo Community School. The community are digging the pits for the latrines and building work will begin shortly. In all of our construction projects the community mould the bricks, contribute hardcore, and collect river sand.” Ogen et, al., (March., 2020).
• Training and Pad Provision:
• Training started well this year, delivered by AR Sanitation Trainer, Bessie Muvwanga.
• Monitoring:
• “Feedback collected at the end of last year indicates that before this project began most of the girls’ we support at schools in Zambia had no access to any sanitary materials. Teachers have confirmed that attendance amongst girls is up, and they no longer remain home every month. We will be monitoring how this affects academic attainment for girls in the coming year - and look forward to sharing our results.”

​

SP: Organization #2� Impacts of the Dream African Revival Continued

• South Soudan
• Haddow Secondary School Classroom Construction
• Construction of four classrooms block at Haddow Secondary School to accommodate the increasing enrollment of secondary level students.  

​

Future Plans for the dream

• “After a really successful first year we're looking forward to continuing the Girls & Sanitation Programme in both Uganda and Zambia.” Catherine Inch, International Programme Manager at African Revival (AR).
• “In Zambia: Training and pad provision will continue, focusing on involving the community and ensuring good sanitation practice begins at home. This ensures risk of disease is minimized for children, who in turn miss less school. “
• “In Uganda: We will continue to provide girls with resources to help reduce absenteeism of girls, and increase the number of girls passing their Primary Leaving Exams. We're fundraising for latrines at Palukere School. Although this was not part of our original project plants - the school currently has no useable latrines for girls - so 372 female pupils are currently using the stance latrines.”

SP: Organization #3

• Pebbles Project – Changing Lives
• 2004, registered as an educational trust and Non Profit Organization
• 2005, official launch, employed 1 staff member, started training for 12 Early Childhood Development (ECD) staff, 5 ECD centers on 5 farms, and first fundraising event – abseiling off table mountain.
• 2006, working with 170 children, employed 3 stall members and raised just under R500 000 (500000 South African Rand) equivalent of 30,170.00 US Dollar.
• 2007, opened first 5 After School Clubs (ASC), parent workshops started, started educational trips for the children, and 22 seater bus funded by Audi Winelands and FNB.
• 2008, working with 400 children, employed 10 staff members, and working with 11 wine farms.
• 2009, Pebbles 5^th birthday, working with 500 children, employed 13 staff members, trained 29 ECD and After School Club staff, launched the Mobile Toy Library, and raised over R2 million (120,680.00 US Dollar).
• 2010, employed 15 staff members, trained 65 ECD and After School Club Staff, and won award for innovative ECD project for the Mobile Toy Library.
• 2011, employed 17 staff members, funding income tipped the R3 million mark (181,020.00 US Dollar), and finding received for new Pebbles car.
• 2012, formalized the 5 pillars of Pebbles – Education, Health, Nutrition, Community and Protection, and funding took a dip due to recession.
• 2013, supporting 700 children on 17 farms and two township ECD Centers, 52 ECD and After School Club staff, 15 seater minibus donated, and funding income over R3.5 million (211,190.00 US Dollar).

​

​

​

​

​

​

SP: Organization #3 Continued

• Pebbles Project – Changing Lives
• 2014, Pebbles 10^th birthday, 850 children supported, 32 staff members employed, training 62 ECD and After School Club staff, Mobile Computer Lab and Mobile Book Library programs launched, opened Owethu clinic, and nutrition programme starting for ECD children.
• 2015, over 1000 beneficiary children reached, funding income over R10 million (603,400.00 US Dollar), School Leaver program launched, nutrition program started for ASC, and First Thousand Days (FTD) Program launched.
• 2016, 585 children fed per month, Pebbles Hemel-en-Aarde project launched, additional 3 mobile learning centers added to fleet, Baby Box Initiative included in the FTD Programme, 5290 clients managed through the Owethu Clinic, and 85797 meals served to the children.
• 2017, 700 children fed per month, 47 baby boxes handed out, 5290 clients managed through the Owethu Clinic, 86958 meals served to the children, funding income reached R20 million (1,206,800.00 US Dollar), and 3 school leavers graduated from their tertiary courses.
• 2018, 894 children fed per day, 8 baby boxes handed out, 6946 clients managed through the Owethu Clinic of which 3762 were children under 18 years, 126,124 meals served to the children in our ECD and ASC centers, funding income reached over R28 million (1,689,520.00 US Dollar) and 6 Learners graduated from their courses at Boland College, Bergzicht Training College and Stellemploy.
• 2019, 1,200 children feed per day, 10 baby boxes were handed out, 7055 clinic visits, 185,000 meals distributed for 2019, funding income reached over R21 million (1,267,140.00 US Dollar), and 229 Grade R learners received school packs.

​

SP: Organization #3 Continued

• Pebbles Project’s Dream
• A world of opportunities for empowered communities
• Developing young minds
• Change a child’s future
• Growing beyond poverty
• Nurturing happy balanced children
• Enable a child – Enrich a community
• Children need care – Caring is what we do

​

SP: Organization #3 Continued

• Pebbles Project – Changing Lives

​

SP: Organization #3 Continued

• Pebbles Project – Changing Lives
• Meet the team

Board of Trustees 2019 Pebbles Project Employees 2019

​

​

�������SP: Organization #3 Continued �The innovative practices of Pebbles Project�The Pebbles Project consists of 5 main pillars:��

3. Nutrition

​

​

To ensure that our children are well fed and receive balanced nutritious meals in order for them to function at their best.

4. Community

​

​

To help build clean, well-functioning environments to maximize the stimulation of our children and the sustainability of the communities in which they live.

5. Protection

​

​

To create safe environments in which our children can grow by providing information, skills development and support for them and their families.

​

1. Education

​

​

​

To ensure that each child, regardless of his/her ability or disability, has the opportunity to reach their full academic potential in order to become a contributing member of society. 

2. Health

​

​

​

To address the physical health needs of our children and the communities in which they live.

​

​

SP: Organization #3 Continued �From Dream to reality: Real stories

• Elton Messias, School Leaver Programme Beneficiary- Villiera Wine Estate
• Elton started in the After School Club (ASC) programme in 2007 and has developed into an independent, confident individual who also gives of his time as an ASC sports volunteer whilst being part of the School Leaver programme.
•  He was born on Kaapzicht farm to a farmworker mother who later secured employment at Villiera Wine Estate. Through the School Leaver Programme he has registered and is currently studying for a 3 year Diploma in Hospitality and Catering at Boland College in Stellenbosch. Elton provided structure to the existing junior soccer team at Villiera through not only providing coaching services but also assisting in registering the team at Stellenbosch league level. They team has been formally registered as Villa FC soccer team and they participate in regular matches and were included in recent play-offs. He also identified a gap in the logistics where he secured the services of a First Aider at both games and practice sessions. With the support from the community he also organised a designated driver for the team ensuring that they arrive home safely following each match.
•  We are proud of Elton’s progress and how he continues to be a shining example to his peers.

​

​

• Maryna Hendricks, Early Child Development Centres (ECD) and After School Club (ASC) Teacher, Niel Joubert Wine Estate
• In 2007 Maryna accepted a job at Pebbles that changed her life. Prior to that, she was a struggling single parent and a mother to four children. She’s a popular, friendly face at the ECD centre in the morning and the ASC in the afternoon. Having a rewarding job means she has moved into her own home and is able to provide for her family. Her children have also benefited from the learning support offered both at the ECD and ASC at Niel Joubert Wine Estate.
• Annelize Tities, After School Club (ASC) Teacher, Bellevue Wine Estate
• In 2009 a social worker started working with the Tities family after reported weekend alcohol misuse. In August 2010, John and Annelize hit “rock bottom” and were forced to do some introspection to address all the factors contributing to their dire situation. Together they decided that both of them would need to stop misusing alcohol if they wanted freedom from addiction and a real chance of a healthy future.
• Recovering from addiction is more than saying “no” so they entered the Toevlug Rehabilitation Centre’s five-week programme and stopped drinking. This has helped to restore the relational dynamics in their home. In fact, they have become an inspirational example in their community.
• Annelize is now a teacher at the After School Club. She loves her work and it shows. She takes her responsibility seriously to ensure that the children in her care receive special needs learning help and benefit from all the support Pebbles offers.

​

SP: Organization #3 Continued�The dreams continue…

References

• https://www.experienceeducate.org/
• http://africanrevival.org/
• http://www.pebblesproject.co.za/

​

​

​

​