International Development Grant
Supporting transition retention and training for young women and girls
Project Number: CA-3-P007216001
Status: Terminating
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $11,927,412.00
Start Date: February 27, 2020
End Date: March 31, 2025
Duration: 5.1 years
Project Description
This project aims to strengthen the capacities of adolescent girls and young women and the broader education system that supports them. The project targets socio-economic barriers that are worsened by the lingering crisis in Zimbabwe prohibiting girls’ sustained engagement in secondary education and/or training and their successful transition into adulthood. Project activities include: (1) establishing mechanisms to spread awareness and information campaigns such as Social Analysis Actions groups and peer platforms; (2) facilitating safe spaces in schools and communities for girls to discuss adolescent sexual reproductive health; (3) developing a women and girls mentorship program and network for career academic psychosocial and leadership support; and (4) strengthening advocacy skills and capacities for girls and boys to engage school authorities’ response to their needs and rights including those of girls and boys with disabilities. The project works to bring together the school community system (schools school development committees parents women and male learners local leaders authorities at the local and national levels) to define their own vision and plan for building resilient schools and systems relevant to the Zimbabwean context that are risk aware safe and innovative. This project works in partnership with the Coady Institute which is committed to reducing poverty and transforming societies by strengthening local economies by building resilient communities and by promoting social accountability and good governance.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) reduced prevalence of harmful gender norms and socio-economic barriers to continued education and training; (2) improved provision of inclusive equitable safe resilient and disaster ready education services by national sub-national and local education governance structures; and (3) improved provision of relevant diverse and accessible technical and vocational skills training opportunities.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved at the end of the project (March 2025) include: (1) realized strong progress in keeping girls in school with only 5.2% of girls dropping out due to financial or socio-economic reasons well below the 22% target. Dropout due to child marriage or teenage pregnancy also dropped to 2.4% far surpassing the 11% goal. Community awareness of harmful gender norms increased from 84% to 88% and understanding of socio-economic barriers rose to 85.9% exceeding the 60% target; (2) improved access to safe inclusive education through the revision of 2 national education policies and the development of Disaster risk reduction (DRR) plans in 103 schools; and (3) expanded access to technical and vocational skills training with 239 youth (209 girls 30 boys) completing programs exceeding the target. 87.4% girl participants enrolled in non-traditional trades such as welding motor mechanics carpentry and building challenging gender stereotypes. The project also established 49 community-based mentorship centers further strengthened access to inclusive vocational training developed two inclusive training models and trained over 200 teachers and trainers.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
CARE Canada
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Call for Proposals