Africa Educates Her Campaign - Angola
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome everyone to our hybrid learning platform.
We will soon be celebrating our 3rd anniversary of the Africa Educates Her campaign, a rallying call to African Union Member States, education stakeholders and youth to take positive actions to ensure that girls and young women return to school during and post Covid-19 pandemic.
Stay tuned and don't miss this event.
For now, let's remember how we celebrated our first two birthdays!
Commemorating the Second Anniversary of Africa Educates Her Campaign, Angola
Ladies Without Plastic - Advancing Climate Justice Through the SDGs
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the 3rd edition of this extremely important educational documentary.
In this edition we are providing non-formal training in rural communities to advance climate justice through the SDGs.
Good afternoon!
Good afternoon!
How are you?
We're fine thank you!
How many of you have heard about climate change?
hmmm
Have you ever heard about climate change?
No.
And the environment?
Not either.
Never heard of the environment?
No, never.
Today we are going to talk about the importance you can have in protecting the environment. We will also talk about environmental pollution.
Did you know that plastic pollutes the environment?
We didn't know.
Seriously?
Hello! I am Sofonie Dala, we are here in rural communities to include people from this social group to participate in environmental protection ideas.
We will talk about the role these rural girls can play to protect the environment and we will also talk about the importance of reusable menstrual pads in the life of women and girls.
How many of you here already menstruate?
Both of us.
Take this. Have you ever heard about these types of sanitary napkins?
Yup.
What is this called?
Hmm absorbent.
These are reusable menstrual pads.
Do you use this type?
No no.
Girls what kind of menstrual pad do you use?
We use the plastic menstrual pad.
Did you know that plastic menstrual pads pollute the environment?
We didn't know.
Yes, plastic menstrual pads pollute the environment. We girls must be very careful with these products. Especially you little girls who haven't started menstruating yet. When you start menstruating, look for these washable and reusable pads.
Pay attention, reusable pads are better than plastic menstrual pads.
Plastic menstrual pads take many years to decompose, generate greenhouse gases and cause global warming.
Many girls miss school because they don't have the money to buy plastic menstrual pads which are very expensive.
That's why we should use reusable menstrual pads to protect the environment. In addition, they are also more economical and sustainable. They can last for 4 years and you won't have to spend money monthly to buy menstrual pads.
Let's all wear reusable menstrual pads to protect the environment.
What I have here is organic cotton, we bought this to be producing washable and reusable towels and distributing them free of charge to girls in rural communities.
Girls giving good testimonies of what they learned today.
Hello!
My name isTeresa, I'm 15 years old and I want to protect my menstrual health.
Before I was using plastic pads, now I will be using reusable menstrual pads, because I now know that plastic pads pollute the environment.
With these softer, reusable and washable pads, thousands of girls like Teresa will be able to stay in school and create a future for themsleves.
Congratulations! We are Celebrating the Second Anniversary of Africa Educates Her Campaign - Angola (sdgs 4;5;13)
PART 1
Good morning ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome everyone to our Africa Educates Her Campaign Angola 2nd Anniversary Party!
This is the big campaign that represents a critical strategy in advancing the education of girls and women in Africa during the time of Covid-19 pandemic.
The main objective was to:
1. Empower rural girls and women with skills to combat climate change;
2. Gathering information about participation of vulnerable groups in climate discussion and decision-making;
3. Documenting the access of vulnerable communities to environmental justice;
4. Helping affected communities find relevant environmental information and counter misinformation;
5. Introduce the "Ladies without plastic project" - reusable menstrual pads to rural communities.
2022 Theme: Advancing climate justice
Our smartphones are hurting the environment
The second anniversary of the campaign was conceived and implemented in rural communities of Angola to gather information about participation of vulnerable groups in climate discussion and decision-making; and to document the access of vulnerable communities to environmental justice. We continue to visit rural communities and vulnerable people to deliver our non-formal training that cover and promote the SDGs and also accelerate the AU / Agenda 2060.
"Ladies without plastic" - reusable menstrual pads
Translation: Hello, we are Joana and Fernanda, we are 12 years old. We haven't started menstruating yet, but when we start menstruating, we're going to use these reusable pads to protect the environment.
We provide interactive training in how to make safe, washable and reusable sanitary pads, so people always have access to safe menstrual protection, can help protect the environment.
We started producing sanitary reusable pads to keep girls in school in support of the government's efforts to end the challenge facing girls failing to attend school due to menstruation.
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1 anniversary
Congratulations. Happy first anniversary to our Africa Educates Her Campaign with Sofonie Dala - Angola
Changing the lives of rural girls for the better
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,
Exactly one year ago a the African Union International Centre for Girls and Women's Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA) officially launched its #Africa Educates Her Campaign on 11th September 2020. It is a campaign to bring awareness around issues that hinder girls and women from accessing education during the COVID 19 pandemic as well as a rallying call for AU Member States, educators, civil society organisations and youth to take positive action that ensures girls return back to school.
Yesterday 20th September 2021, we traveled to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the Africa Educates Her Campaign with girls in rural areas!
Our party went very well, all the girls celebrate this special date with great vigor, dancing, playing and singing. Many girls in rural areas dream of being computer engineers, math teachers and also want to be empowered in the field of science and technology (STEM).
Educating Ladies, key to achieving SDGs.
As the effort to achieve equality for all women and girls continues, we launched our campaigns to instruct ladies to live a sustainable lifestyle towards climate action, gender equality, nourished and healthy food and social justice for all. Educating girls is an investment that breeds sure socio-economic results.
Our everyday motto is "If a poor girl cannot come to the education, then education must go to her.''
Many children took a long walk to reach us and learn something from us. Most of these children have never attended a school, others have been facing big challenges in their student journeys due to extreme poverty and some have never returned since the emergence of covid-19 in Angola in March 2020.
Children are sharing their academic experiences
Special song from Marcia
Click here to watch the entire season
Let's remember some our successful campaign ''GIRLS BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER LOCK-DOWN- BY SOFONIE DALA, ANGOLA 2020
The end of the campaign is not the end of the movement, thanks to all spectators, children, students and all who believes and supports our project.
Entry covid-19 song from Vanessa
From August to November 2020, we have been running the great campaign to bring awareness around issues that hinder girls and women from accessing education.
The main objective of ''Girls Back to School After Lockdown Campaign'' is to certify that there is no weak compliance to COVID-19 measures in schools and also to help us understand why children and youth, and especially parents and families, may experience anxiety and concern (as schools reopen)".
Our campaign came to an end, collecting 33 video interviews launched between October - November 2020 with a series of 27 internet broadcast webisodes. Over 30 Angolan students from primary school to higher education were interviewed, participants are aged between 5 to 23 years old. The language we have been working for the campaign is Portuguese.
Moreover, we recorded three Covid-19 music video, two Covid-19 poems and invited one primary school teacher to give the last interview. The study show that the COVID-19 pandemic will have long-term effects on students and will impact their education, their mental health and social and emotional well-being. It also show that students and teachers are aware - and 50% of them are afraid - of the virus.
Students’ experiences of the lockdown period have been very varied. For some, it have been a safe and enjoyable time. For others, it have been challenging or traumatic.
Overall, respondents said the pandemic has already affected their academic performance. Here are some of the main figures:
75% of students said school didn't distribute any bio-safety material to them and the preventive measures against Covid-19 are not being followed.
65% of students worry they will repeat the grade as a result of COVID-19.
30% of students said they forgot almost everything they studied before school closures.
10% of students said they did not go back to school due to financial inability to pay.
Only 25% of students said they are happy with the conditions created by school in order to prevent them from the Covid-19 pandemic and their schools have been distributing hand sanitizers for them.
Covid-19 poem from Meury
Interview with teacher Inacio
Hello! I am professor Inacio Dala. I am a primary school teacher in Angola.
The corona came to end the dream of many Angolans. Corona is a disease that came to prevent any citizen here, and I'm sad because I lost my job.
Since April to the current month, I am not working because the grade I teach is stopped, no one is studying, that is, students from the 5th grade downwards are not studying. Schools are only entitled to assist students from 6th grade upwards. This should not be like this, and it is very sad indeed.
We are ready to teach and guide our students but unfortunately things are not happening as they should. I have been visiting the school constantly on the scheduled days, and each time I find normal conditions that have been very valuable to students. For example, we have buckets of water to wash our hands, we have sanitizer products, we also have a thermometer to check students' temperature.
Did the school distribute any biosafety material to students?
No, in order for school to distribute, firstly the government had to supply the school with these equipment. We received nothing from the government. Our school is state owned. Meaning the school's safety level is low, it is weak.
Can you tell us what are the Covid-19 prevention measures that school has created to ensure the safety of students inside the schools?
We have a general rule that the government orders all institutions to follow. Before entering the classroom, each student must wash their hands with water and soap, the desks inside the classroom are already organized 1 meter apart from each other.
Could you tell us how do you feel in this new phase of post covid-19 education? How is the dynamic of schools in this period?
I'm not happy. Sadness hurts me because it is a disease that is killing lives worldwide. Although the level of death in Angola is not as high as we usually see in the European countries, but it is really very sad.
On the other hand, despite the fact that some students are studying, it is still a detriment to these same students who are studying, because today students study in phases, one week they are at school and the other week they stay at home.
Even the fact of staying at home is already a brainstorming for the students. Since the education in Angola is grotesque and weak, this new beginning shouldn't be like this anymore, holidays after holidays, when it is to study we must really study. But unfortunately, the disease forces us to go as far as we cannot.
After this long interview, professor Inacio told us that he is a gospel singer and decided to sing us a COVID-19 song in an Angolan traditional language "kimbundu".
Brief considerations
In sum, from the Africa educates her campaign launched in August to the Girls back to school campaign ended in November, more than 60 students including two teachers were interviewed. Educators and students have all expressed concerns about the safety of schools and lack of details as class begin. "It's important to recognize and honor girl's knowledge and insights in their thinking right now."
Most students said they are afraid of the virus but want to return to class and have missed various elements of school, especially seeing friends. A lot of the them we talked to were really aware of the pandemic and of what you need to do to stay safe, and they were worried about other people not following the rules.
Furthermore, the pandemic has deepened the inequalities between students. Preschool and primary school children have been excluded from quality education in Angola. Many children received no instruction, feedback, or interaction with their teachers. “Children are not taught during this period”. Schools in Angola reopened in early October, the Angolan government postponed the resumption of lessons in primary education (1st to 5th grade), the largest chunk of the education system. The postponement in the Primary Education owed to the increase in Covid-19 positive cases in the country.
So far, Angola’s Covid-19 figures show 13,451 positive cases, 322 deaths, 6,444 recoveries and 6,682 active patients.
Covid-19 poem in Portuguese- Rosalia
However, studies shows that After Covid-19, millions of girls may not return to the classroom. The educational consequences of coronavirus will last beyond the period of school closures, disproportionately affecting marginalized girls.
Meet our participants!
Interviews: The Complete Collection
The school doors reopened in Angola, measures like handwashing stations, physical distancing, mask wearing and temperature checks are being integrated into school life. Here’s a glimpse of what a return to school looks like for students in Angola.
Please click every links below to watch all the webisodes. From season 1 to season 3
1. The grand finale. Celebrating the completion of Girls back to school campaign: https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-grand-finale-congratulations-we-are.html
2. The launch of '' Girls back to school after lockdown camapaign: https://she-leads.blogspot.com/2020/10/we-are-happy-to-announce-new-campaign.html
2021 SEASON 3 OF AFRICA EDUCATES HER CAMPAIGN
3. The launch of season 3
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2020/12/we-are-back-africa-educates-her.html
4, Successful completion of the Season 3 - https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2021/01/wow-we-are-celebrating-successful.html
Overview of Africa Educates Her Campaign Angola. Interview with Sofonie Dala. Bonus 2020
COVID-19 lockdown in Angola has had a devastating impact on children and young ladies with 80 percent saying they learned little or nothing during the pandemic. According to the results, 60 percent of the children reported had no contact with teachers at all during and after lockdown.
This short video provides an overview of the challenges and issues that girls in Angola have faced during the COVID-19 related school closures (this include some of the issues the girls we interviewed shared with us) and what actions we have taken as part of the #AfricaEducatesHer campaign to promote girls re-entrance to school.
1. Celebrating the completion of Girls back to school campaign:
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-grand-finale-congratulations-we-are.html
Celebrating the successful completion of Africa Educates Her Campaign - Angola: https://she-leads.blogspot.com/2020/10/congratulations-we-are-celebrating.html
Ladies and gentlemen, meet our singer Dorothea
''Longing for you in this quarantine''
COMING SOON: FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF #AFRICA_EDUCATES_HER CAMPAIGN, A RALLYING CALL TO GET GIRLS BACK TO SCHOOL
The African Union International Centre for Girls and Women's Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA) officially launched its #Africa Educates Her campaign on 20th September 2020. This campaign is a rallying call to African Union Member States, education stakeholders and youth to take positive actions to ensure that girls and young women return to school as they re-open.
We have so far received over 200 pledges, including creative submissions from African youth to help girls to return to school. Pledges include financial interventions, sanitary kits, and initiatives to support vulnerable girls.
From these creative submissions, AU/CIEFFA selected a theme song for the campaign with the title: “I am an African girl””, written by Afrie, a young artist from Uganda, and features Ifé from Nigeria and Smarty, the UNICEF Burkina Faso Goodwill Ambassador. AU/CIEFFA facilitated the collaboration among these artists and co-produced the song and video. The song is a powerful call for Africa to continue educating girls.
The first anniversary of the campaign offers an opportunity to officially release the theme song and music video to the world.
In the meantime we encourage you to watch the behind the scenes video of the making of the music video and to subscribe to our YouTube channels:
Let's remember how the first and last editions was in Angola led by Sofonie Dala
Successful conclusion of the first phase of Africa Educates Her Campaign - Angola 2020
Times like these – lockdown through a child’s eyes
Missing friends, school and teachers, can't go out without face masks, will repeat the academic year but enjoying spending more time with family; lockdown for children across the region has had both upsides and downsides.
Over 90% of the world’s children and students have missed out on school because of coronavirus. Children everywhere have had their lives turned upside down. Right now, their future hangs in the balance.
We spoke to children in Angola to hear how they were feeling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it was impacting their lives and their education.
Phase 2
As prepared for delivery
Good evening, everyone, and thank you for always being here with us!Today we don't have interviews, we have a musical concert. These songs go out to all the people who were impacted by Covid-19 pandemic.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet our singer Loide with the song '' Don't let your faith fail away.''
COVID -19 has affected over 133 million female learners across the continent and through this campaign we seek to highlight the experiences of learners at primary, secondary and tertiary education levels during the COVID 19 related school lockdown.
We spoke to students and teachers in Angola. Over twenty girls and young ladies were interviewed.
We also count with the participation of some boys, the gospel singer Loide Paulino and two musical groups. Moreover, we had the privilege to distribute some school and bio-safety materials to girls in need.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet our musical group with the song '' Together we'll beat Covid-19.''
The real measure of success lies in what this campaign will enable schools to create the necessary conditions to protect student's life during the time of Covid-19 pandemic and also develop solutions to minimize the damage already caused by the pandemic and combining efforts to mitigate the current situation; which is by far the worst crisis of the 21st century.
We're Done With the Project. Now it's Time to Celebrate!
A total of 30 episodes were produced, and launched between August - October with a series of 25 internet broadcast webisodes.
Thousands of students from the university education and transition classes of the I and II cycles of secondary education returned to classes last Monday (05), throughout the country. Unfortunately, ninety-seven teachers from Luanda, who underwent the molecular biology test (RT-PCR), last week, tested positive for Covid-19.
So far, Angola’s Covid-19 figures show 6,031 positive cases, 212 deaths, 2,685 recoveries and 3,134 active patients.
Thanks largely to many of you here! We are not saying good bye, we will come back soon with new webisodes.
Meet our participants!
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