Empowering girls to change their world
In 2017, British Council Nepal and VSO Nepal signed a 4-year contract to implement the British Council’s English and Digital for Girls’ Education (EDGE) programme as part of VSO’s wider Sisters for Sisters’ Education II project.
Sisters for Sisters' Education II (SfSE-II) project is funded by Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s Girls’ Education Challenge Transition Window (GEC T) and builds on the achievements of phase I (2013 – 2017). Through improved access to quality education, SfSE-II envisioned that marginalised adolescent girls from rural Nepal will transition from basic to secondary education, and secondary to upper secondary, empowered to leave school to either secure a sustainable livelihood or continue with education. They will be equipped with skills that improve employability, enhance confidence and self-esteem to act as leaders, and enable them to influence and control their own sexual and reproductive health rights. The project worked in 48 schools across four districts targeting 1720 adolescent girls. Local NGOs Aasaman Nepal was in the SfSE-II consortium and supported implementation across the 4 districts.
EDGE in SfSE-II contributes to intermediate outcome 2- Increased self-esteem and empowerment of girls. The project used the regional EDGE club model and resources with some local adaptations to enhance participants' English proficiency, digital skills and social / life skills.
Post COVID project adaptation
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many activities were either stalled or postponed due to school closures and lockdowns in the final year of the project. In order to ensure uninterrupted learning for the EDGE girls, face-to-face materials were adapted for radio, TV and self-access worksheets for everyone to use at home. Process monitoring results have shown that over 85% of the girls have been actively engaging with one or more of the resources with an average of 73% of girls responding correctly to the tasks given. In order to ensure sustained learning and a continuation of face-to-face clubs, a three-month extension period has been started from 1 April 2021with a three-fold intervention – PGL support, Palika engagement and Advocacy. These components have been planned to ensure replicability and sustainability of the project.
