Organization: Jane Goodall Institute of Canada
Project Presenter: Royal St. George’s College students
Project Sponsor: Emma Roche
Project: To bring a peer-to-peer education workshop to eleven (11) new schools which
will train female Ugandan students on how to counsel others with the challenges and
issues that typically keep Ugandan girls out of school.
Background and Aim of the Organization:
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada (JGI) was founded in 1994. We are a small,
grassroots organization with a small annual budget. We support efforts to conserve great
ape habitat in Africa by working with local communities to improve their standard of
living and engage them in conservation activities. Activities focus on community-based
land-use planning, sustainable agriculture, health promotion, income generation, and
environmental education, and are currently focused in Uganda, Democratic Republic of
Congo and the Republic of Congo.
Roots & Shoots is the Institute’s global youth action program that empowers young
people to make change for people, animals and the environment. JGI Canada runs
workshops and provides resources to young Canadians to help them identify and research
issues, build leadership and project skills and implement community action projects. It
also supports the development of the Roots & Shoots program for young people in
Uganda. Roots & Shoots was introduced in Uganda in 2006, and is now active in more
than 120 schools across the country, reaching more than 10,000 primary school children.
Today the program has grown to include peer-to-peer education for girls.
Project Description: Roots & Shoots Peer Education
In 2008 a peer-to-peer program was initiated in schools across Uganda, with the aim of
reducing the number of school drop-outs among girls in upper primary levels. Peer
educators are equipped with knowledge and skills on topics such as being a good peer
educator, sexual reproductive health and life planning skills. After acquiring these skills,
these female students, aged 12 to 14, train other pupils and people in their communities,
therefore multiplying the effect of each training session.
The Peer Education program aims to reduce the number of school drop-outs among girls
in upper primary, by increasing their access to school and improving the conditions in
which they study. The peer educators are trained on how to counsel others to deal with
the challenges of growing up, and the key issues that keep girls out of school, such as
early pregnancies, lack of supportive parents and insufficient basic needs like sanitary
towels and underwear. When girls start their menstrual periods, they will typically stay at
home, due to lack of sanitary materials and proper facilities at school. It is estimated that
on average a girl who has started menstruating loses at least one week of school every
month, which if multiplied by the nine months in a school year, equates to missing an
entire school term. Thus, girls often lag behind in their class work and many times opt to
abandon school altogether. Through the Peer Education program, girls’ needs have been
addressed by providing them with materials such as books, pencils, pens and sanitary
towels.
Funding of $12,000 will allow us to reach our final 11 target schools, and offer Peer
Education workshops to female students in 2011 and beyond. To date, we have trained
272 peer counsellors who have in turn trained almost 3,000 students, parents and
teachers. The result is that 378 girls have been encouraged to return to study at 13
different schools. In 2011, $12,000 would allow us to train an additional 70 peer
counsellors from 11 different schools, and to do follow-up evaluations of their progress.
This would mean that each new school would have a minimum of four peer counsellors
and two trained teachers, who will support and mentor other girls in need. Additionally,
each of the 11 schools will be equipped with books, pens and pencils, sanitary towels and
underwear, to distribute and essentially provide access to school for their female students.
From the positive results witnessed so far, support from The Funding Network
Toronto will translate to at least 770 more people that will be trained, in order to
empower girls and allow the program to be self-sustaining in the long-term.
Budget:
Cost per
individual
$ 10
$ 110
$ 20
$ 140
$ 9,800
3 Day Peer Education Workshop
Facilitation and follow-up evaluations
Meals, accommodation, travel
Workshop materials
TOTAL to train one individual
Target of 70 individuals trained x $140
Materials for school distribution
Books
Pens and pencils
Sanitary towels
Underwear
TOTAL to equip one school
Target of 11 schools x $200
Total Budget
Peer Education workshops (2 sessions)
Materials for schools
TOTAL
Contact Details:
Jane Lawton, Executive Director
Email: j.lawton@janegoodall.ca
Tel: 416-978-3558
Number of units
20 dozen
10 boxes each
20 packets
60 pairs
Cost per school
$ 40
$ 80
$ 20
$ 60
$ 200
$ 2,200
Target numbers
70 individuals
11 schools
Cost
$ 9,800
$ 2,200
$12,000