A Holistic Approach to Creating Impact For Girls Education: Integrating Technology for Skills, Scale and Sustainability

• In Event: Envisioning Education in a Digital Society: Creating Impact at the local level for Girls’ Education in East Africa

Proposal

Young people are the engine of innovation and progress. Unfortunately, our education system falls short of preparing them to think critically, collaborate and communicate effectively, or set and achieve personal goals. This leaves the vast majority of graduates with significant gaps in life skills and competencies needed to thrive in the 21st century. Girls, as a marginalized group, face significant gender-based challenges that limit their participation and potential for developing essential skills. Our data consistently shows disparities in attitudes towards gender equality between boys and girls, further reinforcing the skills gaps.

The Do It Yourself (DIY) Clubs initiative is focused on shifting power dynamics and improving learning outcomes in Ugandan secondary schools. The crux of DIY is providing opportunities for young people to meaningfully contribute to solving the most pressing challenges in their schools through designing and implementing student-led gender and community service projects. A significant focus of this work is on addressing gender barriers to girls’ participation and education through student-led gender projects.

KOMO's approach to creating impact for girls focuses on engaging multiple stakeholders: by targeting not only girls but also boys, as well as teachers and school administrators, we recognize the importance of a holistic approach in creating a supportive environment for all learners. Club members, teachers, and school administrators engage in sessions that explore gender, power dynamics, and youth-adult partnerships. These sessions empower club members to identify and address gender issues in their schools with innovative solutions.

This approach has had a significant impact, resulting in a notable shift in attitudes towards gender equality among learners, teachers, and administrators. The changed attitudes and student advocacy have led to policy changes that promote equal participation for all students, especially girls who are often marginalized by deeply ingrained cultural norms and stereotypes. These changes ensure that all students have equal access to resources and opportunities, creating a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for girls.
We realized that technology was crucial in advancing the student-led efforts. However, our research revealed that less than half of learners could use technology with ease, with girls underrepresented in this group. This highlighted the urgent need to integrate technology into our programs. In response, we introduced digital literacy sessions in 2021 to equip students with the necessary skills to effectively navigate and utilize technology.

To sustain the impact of the DIY Clubs, it is crucial that schools can adopt and independently implement the program. To achieve this, we have trained students to deliver DIY sessions and have also partnered with Rising Road to digitize the curriculum content. Additionally, students and teachers have been trained to manage the digital monitoring process for the program. This approach will ensure quality implementation of the program. By making the learning resources more accessible to all, this strategy is essential for scaling and sustaining the impact of DIY Clubs across Uganda and potentially beyond, fostering an environment where all learners can thrive in today’s fast-paced world.

Authors

• Fatuma Wamala, Komo Learning Centres

• Matt French, Komo learning centres

• Elizabeth Nabuyama, Komo learning centres