Covid-19: Africa Educates Her Campaign with Sofonie Dala

Africa Educates Her campaign is going live

Two months ago, Sofonie Dala started an awareness campaign by recording video interviews with young girls affected by coronavirus. 

It is now well documented that COVID -19 has affected over 133 million female learners across the continent and through the Africa Educates Her campaign, Sofonie Dala seeks to highlight the experiences of learners at primary, secondary and tertiary education levels during the COVID 19 related school lockdown and further give voice to what young Angolan girls, young women, youth and educators think should be done to promote, encourage and protect girls’ right to education especially during times of crisis.

This is a collection of stories via video from girls in primary, secondary and tertiary level who have been affected by the lockdowns.

Her name is Maria, she is from Angola and speaks Portuguese. 

Key questions answered are:

What is your name?

What is your age?

Country?

What level of education are you in?

How has COVID-19 affected you as a student?

What are the challenges you are facing or have faced in your pursuit to continue learning during the school lock-down?

And what do you think educators, government and development players can do to ensure every girl goes back to school after the lock-down?

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education across the world and Angola has not been spared. By the 6th of April 2020, 53 African Union Member States had shut down all institutions of learning as a measure to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, affecting an estimated 250 million students across the continent.

Over 133 million of these students are girls and women, and more than 10 million of them risk not returning to school if we do not take action that guarantees their return once schools reopen. Evidence is pointing out that girls and women are suffering disproportionate effects of this pandemic as they bear the burden of care work, and are vulnerable to gender-based abuse.

Together, we can take action to ensure all girls across Africa get back to school. Let us increase our efforts to fight for girls’ right to education by advocating and lobbying to develop post COVID-19 strategic plans for reopening schools that take into account the needs of girls and young women.