PROJECT PROPOSAL

PROMOTING GIRLS EDUCATION

IN SOUTH AND WEST OMO ZONES

HAILEMARIAM & ROMAN FOUNDATION

Department of Youth & Women Economic Empowerment

Submitted to:
The Embassy of the Republic of Ireland

December 10, 2021

Abbreviations

CSO - Civil Society Organization

EFY - Ethiopian Fiscal Year
FBO - Faith Based Organizations
HRF - Hailemariam & Roman Foundation
HTP - Harmful Traditional Practices
NGO - Non-Governmental Organization
SNNPR - Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region
WEE - Women Economic Empowerment
WoWCA - Woreda Women & Children Affairs
WoA - Woreda Administration
WoTaE - Woreda Trade and Enterprises
WoFED - Woreda Finance and Economic Development
WoSME - Woreda Small and Medium Enterprises
WoMFIN - Woreda Micro Finance
WoCT - Woreda Culture and Tourism

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Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... 4

2. Background ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.1 Girls Education in Ethiopia ............................................................................................ 6
2.2 The situation in South & West Omo Zones ............................................................... 6
3. Scope, Duration and Areas of the Project .......................................................................... 8
3.1 Project Description ........................................................................................................ 8
3.2 Project Areas ................................................................................................................... 8
3.3 Duration of the Project.................................................................................................. 9
4. Goals, Targets, Objectives & Outcomes ........................................................................... 10
4.1 Goals .............................................................................................................................. 10
4.2 Targets ........................................................................................................................... 10
4.3 Specific Objectives ....................................................................................................... 10
4.4 Expected Outcomes ..................................................................................................... 10
5. Implementation Strategies ................................................................................................. 11
5.1 Partnership with Stakeholders ................................................................................... 11
5.2 Supportive Supervision, Monitoring & Evaluation .................................................. 11
6. Proposed Budget Breakdown ............................................................................................ 12

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1. Executive Summary

After Ethiopia’s first ever peaceful transfer of power in April 2018, the former Prime Minister
of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; HE Hailemariam Dessalegn and the former
First Lady Roman Tesfaye established the ‘Hailemariam & Roman Foundation’ (HRF) as an
international non-governmental organization (NGO) on 27th of April 2018 based on the
agreement reached with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
The foundation is expression of their commitment to continue serving the Ethiopian people
and particularly the underserved segment of society by leveraging their unique platform and
wide international and local networks.

In December 2018, HRF has launched its strategic plan that defined its vision and mission as
well as its strategic focus areas for the period 2019 - 2025. The strategic plan defined HRF’s
vision as “A healthy and economically empowered community in a well-conserved
environment”. And its mission statement “catalyzing development player’s interventions and
inspire citizens to build healthy communities and develop a sustainable environment in
support of socio-economic transformation in Ethiopia and the broader Horn of Africa”.

The foundation functions as catalytic agent by leveraging its distinctiveness: credibility and
trust, convening potential, access at the highest and grassroots levels, and deep understanding
and awareness of the situations on ground in inspiring developmental actors and creating
community awareness at local and international levels to exert concerted efforts towards
attaining dramatic results in its focus area.

To guide coordinated execution of its mission, the foundation has prepared 7 years strategic
plan (2019-2025) on programmatic focus areas with active engagement of key sectors and
partners. The strategic plan has depicted critical barriers that have to be overcome and
initiatives to be implemented in a phased manner with milestones and targets to be achieved
to realize organizational objectives. Accordingly, geographic areas with the highest perceived
needs where the foundation could add value are selected for intervention in the first phase.
These areas include communities and national parks in South Omo zone, West and South
Omo zones of South Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional (SNNPR) State, Afar,
Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambella Regional States.

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Among the program focus areas of the Hailemariam & Roman Foundation, promoting
Education of Girls is parcel of the Economic Empowerment of Women & Girls in remote
and disadvantaged areas of Ethiopia. The Foundation believes that education of girls is not
just sending them to schools but It is about supporting them with the basic needs they require
to feel safe and regularly attend schools ensuring the opportunity to complete all levels of
education, acquire the knowledge and skills to compete in the labor market; gain life skills
necessary to navigate and adapt to a changing world; make decisions about their own lives;
and contribute to the society at large.

Beyond Government based initiatives, there have been interventions by non-governmental

organizations (NGOs). NGOs like HRF involved in initiatives that have directly and indirectly
enhanced the education of girls (like school feeding program, and Girls and Women economic
empowerment project in South and West Omo zones. These initiatives have helped a number
of girls to access education and remain in school.

The project being proposed is Promoting Education of Disadvantaged Girls in the rural
primary, secondary and high schools in South and West Omo Zones with a possibility of
extending to the neighboring districts in the sub-region. The proposed life span of the project
is one (1) year with a possibility of extension.

The envisioned objectives of the proposed project is to support education of underprivileged

girls in South & West Omo Zones by providing critically required basic items like Sanitary
pads, stationery, personal hygiene items, solar lamps, etc. as described in section 3 of the
proposal.

Enactment of the activities of the proposed project will be undertaken by a team of experts
from the Zonal and Woreda (district level) sector offices superintending education of girls in
primary and secondary schools. Teams will be organized from office of women & Children
affairs, education office and parent/teacher associations to execute the project. The total
project cost is estimated at €30,000.- (Thirty Thousand Euros).

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2. Background

2.1 Girls Education in Ethiopia

School attendance of girls is historically low across Ethiopia and it is more exacerbated in
pastoralist areas of the country. Gender violence and discrimination also disproportionately
affects girl’s participation in school and ability to make progress at all levels of school. Girls in
most of pastoral areas are subject to female genital mutilation, rape, abduction, early marriage,
excessive and inequitable workload compared to boys to mention a few.

Over the past decades, Ethiopia has made considerable progress in the advancement of gender
equality and empowerment of women and girls. This is evidenced among others, by the
Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE), and Affirmative
action in higher education. Review and change in text books to eliminate gender stereotypes,
Strengthening of Adult Functional literacy (FAL) with more women attending and school
facilities Grants with provisions for female specific facilities.

2.2 The situation in South & West Omo Zones

Although there are many Government and non-government programs that have led to
significant achievements in girls’ education leading to an increase in the number of females
accessing education in Ethiopia, a lot still remains especially in addressing gender inequality
enshrined both in the school and outside the school environment, most especially in the rural
settings. Some of the barriers to girls’ education in specifically in the rural areas of South and
West Omo Zones include: poverty, long held harmful cultural and traditional attitudes, beliefs
and practices such as early marriage, and too large amount of dowry, distrust girls education,
and disempowerment of girls. Other issues that persistently threaten gender responsiveness in
the school environment include issues of conflict.

Girls are socialized into gender norms that encourage them to be silent and passive, refraining
from speaking out or engaging in matters related to their own well-being or of their
community. All the factors combined eventually lead to school dropouts that disempowering
girls.

According to the 2019 annual report of the West Omo Zone Bureau of Education, the number
of girls registered for primary school (grades 1-6) is 23,787 while 43,050 boys registered this
same year. Similarly, 2,908 boys registered for grade seven and a mere 1,287 girls enrolled in
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this same grade the same year. Situation is similar for other higher grades showing at time
number of girls enrollment is less than half compared to enrollment of boys. The numbers are
shocking going up the ladder. For instance, in this same West Omo Zone 2019 report, just 13
girls completed grade 12 in the entire Zone (Consisting of 7 Woredas mostly non-pastoralist).

Reports from South Omo zone tell us similar situation of girls’ enrollment at all level. In a
semi-structured interview with teachers, government officials and community elders it was
emphasized that Hamar girls are not customarily allowed to go to school. This is because girls
are considered the source of income for their parents through dowry. In other words, dowry
is an important reason for deterring girls from educational opportunities in Hamar Woreda.
In relation to this, the reports of Action for Development (2011) show that the enrolment and
retention in schools of pastoral girls is less than 25% as compared with boy’s enrolment and
retention in the Woreda.

South Omo zone is known not only for its pastoralist economic activities. It also represents
the area that is severely disadvantaged with regard to access to education. Primary education
in the area is generally characterized by critically low enrolment and alarmingly high dropping
out rates among the pastoralist communities. For instance, Nyangatom and Dasenech districts
had 4.3% and 9.1% of net primary school enrolment rates respectively while the regional
average net enrolment rate was set at 85.1% in 2008 (SNNPR-RB, 2008). In addition to this
lowest rate in enrolment, most of the districts are characterized by high school dropping out.
Though it looks very strange, the primary school dropout rate was 54.1% for Nyangatom,
19.2% for Hamer, and 16.8% for Bena-Tsemay districts while the regional average was 13.7%
during the academic year 2010/11 (SNNPR-REB, 2011).

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3. Scope, Duration and Areas of the Project

3.1 Project Description

The proposed project intends to support the Girls and build capacity of the superintending
organizations operating in South & West Omo zones. It addresses most pressing problem the girls
face while attending schools on daily basis. Girls remain at home mostly because of lack of the
necessary personal hygiene items like Sanitary Pads and eventually drop out of school as the number
of school attendance days diminish. Inadequacy and/or unavailability of supplementary books in these
remote areas has put the girls/students in a disadvantage compared to those in main cities, which
hinders the formers competition with their fellow compatriots elsewhere.

The project has considered supply of personal hygiene item including Soap, Sanitary pads & Hair Oil
and also Mattress, Bed Sheets and Blankets for Girls Hostels. Access to electricity in those remote
areas is almost unavailable and we intended to provide some home use Solar lamps to help girls do
their studies at home in the night as they are busy helping their families after school.

While conducting baseline assessment in the project areas, HRF teams have observed that there are
some schools where boys & girls share dry-pit latrines and we have considered to contribute to
alleviation of the problem by building a 2 Room separate latrine for girls in a school where the problem
exacerbated.

Finally, the project has also intends to organize Tutors for Girls where the teachers will tutor the girls
on paid extra time in their respective schools.

3.2 Project Areas

The project has selected two remote pastoralist/semi-pastoralist zones of West Omo in the newly
established South West Ethiopia Region and South Omo located in the SNNPR. Selection has be
made as school attendance by girls is worse pertaining to hindering outlook towards girls education
compared to most of the regions/districts in the country.

West Omo is located in the South Western Ethiopia Regional State and the seat of its Administration,
Jumu is located at a distance of 630kms to the south west of Addis Ababa. The zone it is divided into
7 Pastoral and Semi-pastoral administrative Woredas, 117 Kebeles of which 108 Kebeles are in rural
part of the zone and the rest 9 Kebeles are towns of the Woredas. The zone borders with South Sudan
in the South East, in the West it borders with Gambella region and with South Omo zone in the South
East. The total area of the South Omo zone is 22,836 square kms and total population is estimated to

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be 273,943 out of which 89% are rural and 11% are urban dwellers (West Omo Zone, Bureau of
Health 2012 Eth. Cal. Report).

South Omo is one of zones in the South Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regional State of
Ethiopia. Its capital city, Jinka, is located at a distance of 808 kms to south of Addis Ababa.
Administratively it is divided into 11 woredas, 1 city administration, and 267 kebeles. It borders in the
South with Kenya, in the west with Bench Maji & South Sudan, in the northwest with Kaffa, in
southeast with Oromiya, and in the north with Gamo, Gofa, and Konso zones, Konta and Basketo
special woredas. The total area of the South Omo zone is 22,836 square Kms. Its total population is
estimated to be 766,793 out of which 91% are rural and 9% are urban dewellers. With regards to sex
composition, 50.3% are males and 49.7% are females. The zone is inhabited by Aari, Maale, Banna,
Tsemai, Daasanach, Nyangatom, Hamer, Erbore, Kara, Brayile, Bacha, Mursi, Bodi, Dime, Kuyigu,
Murule, and Amhara ethnic groups. Main economic activities include subsistence farming, pastoralists,
semi-pastoralists, mechanized farming, and tourism.

3.3 Duration of the Project

The project shall be implemented in a period of one (1) year with possibility of extension depending
on availability of funding.

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4. Goals, Targets, Objectives & Outcomes

4.1 Goals

The ultimate goal of this project is to promote Girl education in South Omo and West Omo Zones
and Contribute towards reducing gender disparities.

4.2 Targets

Girls in Primary, Secondary and Senior Schools of South and West Omo Zones.

4.3 Specific Objectives

To increase enrollment of girls and significantly decrease dropout rates. Long terms objective is
ensure involvement of girls/women in social and economic growth and development in South
Omo and West Omo Zones.

4.4 Expected Outcomes

 Increased number of girls in schools;

 Reduced rates of dropouts among the girls at higher levels of education;
 Increased gender awareness in schools and among the communities;
 Increased number of empowered girls and women;
 Increased involvement of girls and women in economic and social growth and
development;
 Improved environmental and physical structures in schools.

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5. Implementation Strategies

5.1 Partnership with Stakeholders

HRF shall be at the forefront in the implementation of the proposed project. Support and
collaboration is sought from partners in the local districts as well as other agencies that are
involved in similar activities.

Partnerships on education of girls will be strengthened to exert concerted efforts to attain the
common goal of reducing gender disparities in school enrollment of girls in the project areas.
Local governmental organizations, multilateral organizations, bilateral organizations, international
NGOs, local CSOs.

At the grassroots level, awareness trainings shall be provided to girls, teachers and their parents
regarding special needs of girls to enroll in and stay in schools.

5.2 Supportive Supervision, Monitoring & Evaluation

Oversight to the implementation of the project activities will be strengthened to track the
progresses made, identify challenges faced, and take timely corrective measures. Regular
monitoring and Evaluate will be conducted to measure progresses made at each school level. The
use of information for decision making will be promoted. Progress reports will be submitted from
respective schools and woreda Education and/or Women & Children Affair offices annually that
will help measure the impacts the project will have on increased enrollment of girls in both zones.

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6. Proposed Budget Breakdown

Project Proposal for Promoting Girls Education in South & West Omo Zones
Project Cost Breakdown, 10th December 2021

Budget Budget Budget Total Budget Total

S. No Activity
%Allocation (ETB) %Allocation (ETB) (ETB) (Eur)
SOUTH OMO WEST OMO
1 Supplementary Books 6.0% 97,722.00 6.0% 97,722.00 195,444.00 3,600.00
2 Awareness Training for Girls, Teachers, directors/principlas and Parents 3.0% 48,861.00 3.0% 48,861.00 97,722.00 1,800.00
3 Soap, Sanitary pads & Hair Oil 12.0% 195,444.00 12.0% 195,444.00 390,888.00 7,200.00
4 Mattress, Bed Sheets and Blankets for Girls Hostels 7.5% 122,152.50 7.5% 122,152.50 244,305.00 4,500.00
5 Home use Solar lamps 2.0% 32,574.00 2.0% 32,574.00 65,148.00 1,200.00
6 Tutors for Girls 2.5% 40,717.50 2.5% 40,717.50 81,435.00 1,500.00
Build and/or renovate Separate dry-pit Latrines for Girls in schools where
7 5.5% 89,578.50 5.5% 89,578.50 179,157.00 3,300.00
boys/girls share latrines
8 Supportive Supervision, Monitoring & Evaluation 4.0% 65,148.00 4.0% 65,148.00 130,296.00 2,400.00
9 Transportation of items to project sites 5.0% 81,435.00 5.0% 81,435.00 162,870.00 3,000.00
10 Over-head cost 2.5% 40,717.50 2.5% 40,717.50 81,435.00 1,500.00
TOTAL 50% 814,350.00 50% 814,350.00 1,628,700.00 30,000.00
National Bank of Ethiopia Exchange Rate on 9th Dec 2021
1 EURO=54.29 ETB

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