Gearing up to Celebrate International Menstrual Hygiene Day Despite COVID-19 Hurdles

Betelihem Tadewos, 16 year-old Peer Educator with 3 years of training in MHM peer-to-peer groups.

As the COVID-19 pandemic affects all areas of our work, our pad distribution initiative for primary and secondary schools in South-western Ethiopia is no exception. After successfully distributing pads and giving menstrual health training to 600 students in 2018 and 2019, it is our goal to match and even increase this number for the year of 2020 in addition to building menstrual hygiene management (MHM) friendly spaces in schools. Our team was able to distribute pads to 430 girls right before COVID hit in Ethiopia and schools officially closed. As we restrategize on how to get the rest of our pads distributed in light of COVID, we continue to work on the construction of an MHM room and an MHM friendly latrine.  So, in light of the upcoming MHM day on May 28th, we want to celebrate the young girls of our MHM and peer-to-peer groups. Watching these girls find courage and empowerment through our MHM programming and resources is the very reason we continue to do the work we do. May we all strive for a world where menstruation is destigmatized and no longer a barrier to education and access for young girls.

Photo credit: Martha Tadesse (@Marthinolly)

Betelihem leading a discussion in one of our peer to peer groups.

First-ever public library and computer center in Adilo

Students engrossed in their homework last month at the new Adilo Public Library .

The Adilo District’s first-ever public library and computer center, which opened last month, is getting rave reviews. It’s attracting lots of students and other community members, who come to take advantage of the library’s extensive reading materials, study areas, computers and Internet access.

“This library is like a light for the students at Adilo and the community at large,” said Tessema Arficho, a local government representative, during a tour of the library in mid-November. During his visit, dozens of students could be seen studying while trained librarians were helping other users.

The new library – accessible to 22,000 community members – is the latest step in WEEMA’s goal of building and equipping a public library network for the entire Kembata-Tembaro Zone, which has nearly one million people, roughly half of them children.

Public libraries are relatively rare in Ethiopia, especially in isolated rural areas where schools are poorly equipped and students have little or no access to updated textbooks, quiet study space and the Internet. These barriers can limit students’ ability to study and their overall academic performance.

The new library has hundreds of new books, 20 computers, latrines and a generator to keep everything running. It also has a study area for secondary students preparing for national exams and a reading area for younger children. 

With the government operating the library and using WEEMA-trained local staff, the community’s long-term commitment to the library is clear.

The library shelves are stocked with textbooks and other reading materials for students of all ages.

A New Beginning

A new beginning for 30 students with disabilities

Exciting news! Tembaro’s first inclusive education program is up and running at Mudula Primary School and more than 30 children with disabilities – a mix of boys and girls – are enrolled. All are attending school for the first time now that the teachers and the classrooms can support their learning.

The opening marks the culmination of an extraordinary effort involving community leaders, the local government, teachers, parents, and students – all with a shared vision of giving children with disabilities the same educational opportunities as other children. The Tembaro District has 39 primary schools, but until last month, none were accessible to children with disabilities.

The year-long effort included awareness-raising sessions with local stakeholders about the challenges that children with disabilities face and the wide-ranging benefits of giving them more opportunities – starting with a formal primary education. WEEMA also helped train staff to teach in sign language and support other special needs. The school was also outfitted with wheelchairs,  entrance ramps, special furniture, and other resources to help students who are blind and deaf. 

What a transformation we’ve seen! During a recent visit to the school, English teacher Aleme Wochato was using sign language to teach students the alphabet. A half-dozen students were enthusiastically waving their hands to show what they had learned. In another room, environmental science teacher Alemitu Aweno was using sign language to teach first graders about animals in Ethiopia.

Teachers were especially delighted with the big changes afoot. “Before this year, none of the schools had teachers trained in education methodologies for engaging children with disabilities,” Wochato said. “Now, with support from WEEMA, teachers are trained in the Braille alphabet, sign language, and other skills.  

Judging from their smiles and eager participation in classes as you can see in the photo below, students are also excited about the school’s transformation.

Strategies for achieving community-led development

WEEMA Board member, Habtamu Lamore

Strategies for achieving community-led development

While “community-led development” is gaining traction in the development and humanitarian sectors, putting those words into practice is still a big challenge for many nonprofit groups, philanthropists, and government agencies.

This month, WEEMA board member Habtamu Lamore joined global experts to examine what it takes for organizations to truly achieve community engagement and empowerment – key bedrocks of community-led development – in their day-to-day work. The symposium was organized by the Movement for Community-Led Development, a group of 63 global organizations, including WEEMA International, as well as Save the Children, World Vision, and the Hunger Project.

“The bottom line is authenticity,” said Nancy Wilson, CEO of Relief International, who kicked off the all-day gathering in Washington DC. “If we’re going to say we understand the community and what programs are appropriate for that community, then we have to truly understand the community, not our impressions of the community, but their understanding of themselves. Not our assessment of their needs but their assessment of their own assets and aspirations.”

Bonnie Glick, Deputy Administrator of USAID, echoed the sentiment and referred to the agency’s commitment to fostering self-reliance. “If you’re doing something for other people that they could do themselves, you’re not doing them any favors,” she said. “In fact, you’re probably doing them harm.”

Here are some of the key takeaways of the meeting:

Words Matter: Participants agreed that organizations should be sensitive about not using terms such as “beneficiaries,” that undermine community members’ direct involvement and ownership in projects. Words that show the important role played by community members, such as partners and clients, are preferable.

Let Communities Decide: When communities are given a chance to speak out, participate, and decide on a project, it puts them at the partner level, thus fostering self-reliance and resilience. 

WEEMA’s board member Lamore discussed how WEEMA partners closely with local leaders and other community stakeholders to pursue local solutions for local problems. He emphasized the importance of listening and respecting community voices. Because of poor communications – whether due to poor listening or poor translation – organizations tend to ‘hear’ what they presume the community wants.

Citing WEEMA’s community-led approaches, Lamore suggested working with local leaders and hiring local staff to minimize translation challenges. He suggested relying on multiple sources to ensure that community perspectives are valid. Most important of all, he said, NGOs that deliver long-lasting results will build community trust.

Congratulations to Higa Boarding School!

Three cheers to Higa Boarding School and its students

Kudos to Higa Boarding School in Kembata-Tembaro and the 10th grade students who aced the national exams last June. The test results came back last month and 92 percent of the students – 124 of 135 – received top scores, a key step in completing secondary education and advancing to university-level studies. Even more impressive, Higa was the second highest scoring school in all of Ethiopia.

This is a remarkable achievement for the district’s only boarding school and everyone who has been involved since its launch in 2017. In just two years, the school has added two grades – it now has 9th, 10th and 11th grades. Critical equipment and educational resources have also been added to ensure that students – the region’s best and brightest - have the tools they need to succeed.

Special credit goes to community members, the District Education Department, and the local nonprofit group, Gogota Care, which provided critical support in getting the school - a former university property – off the ground. Roots Ethiopia also deserves praise for its efforts.

WEEMA, which provided computers, textbooks, desks, chairs, and other key resources to the school library and computer center last year, is honored to be part of the success.

We were especially heartened by recent feedback we received from a biology teacher about the equipment upgrades. “The computers and the library improvements had a great impact on the results,” he told us.

Students, teachers and school staff, of course, deserve the biggest applause. Their achievements in such a short time are nothing short of remarkable.