Educate!

🌍 In 2024, Educate! measurably impacted over 200,000 youth across Africa, focusing on those facing the greatest barriers to learning and employment. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 since we launched over a decade ago.🚀 A few highlights from the year: ⭐We signed a new partnership agreement with the government in Tanzania, working together to scale competency-based learning to secondary students nationwide. ⭐We received encouraging new evidence of impact: graduates of Educate!’s livelihood bootcamps are experiencing relative income gains from 50% to over 100%. ⭐We empowered youth as climate advocates and leaders in their communities, building skills for employment and sustainable entrepreneurship. And we’re eager to achieve even more. Together, we can create a future where every young person has the opportunity to transform their livelihood. Thanks to all of you on this journey with us. Learn more about the youth who inspire us and how we're scaling our impact: https://lnkd.in/dSPCuC_q

🎬 ‘𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵’ – a reality many young Africans face. Nearly 𝟱𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆-𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹. In some rural areas, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹. With challenges like early pregnancy, financial constraints, and family responsibilities, formal education remains out of reach for millions. What happens when that path closes? What alternatives exist? This short film explores both the challenges and the possibilities. 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄 – 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬. 📽️‘𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙝’ was produced by The Agency Fund in collaboration with Educate!

🎞️ CPA Priscilla Mwende Paul has spent years mentoring young women in Kenya, helping them turn business ideas into opportunities. 🌍 As a trainer in Educate!'s livelihood bootcamps, she supported Precious, Jackline, and Beatrice to build confidence and skills. These bright young women didn’t have the means to complete secondary education. But with Priscilla’s guidance, they’ve started small businesses and are leading their lives on their terms. Their stories are captured in ‘𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵’, a short film by The Agency Fund in collaboration with Educate! 📣𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 — 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻. Special thanks to James Walsh, filmmaker Michael Clarke, Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Livelihood Impact Fund, and all of Educate!’s valued partners.

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting Educate! alumni and saw firsthand the power of youth entrepreneurship and mentorship.  Tracy, a young businesswoman in Gulu, northern Uganda, gave us a warm welcome to her second-hand clothing shop. She originally built her leadership, communication, and entrepreneurship skills through participating in Educate!’s leadership and entrepreneurship course in secondary school. With the guidance and support of her Youth Mentor and Educate!’s Senior Program Officer Pam Atim, she went on to start the business – first selling from the roadside and eventually opening her own shop.  Tracy’s journey has now come full circle. After earning a degree in Education at Gulu University, she returned to Educate! – this time in our two-year fellowship program for Mentors.  As part of the fellowship, Youth Mentors like Tracy support secondary school students in developing the skills to take charge of their own futures. “It makes me feel proud of myself – and the youth I mentor, when I see them start their own businesses. I feel I’m impactful when I see young girls and boys take my advice, and start something for themselves,” says Tracy.  She’s especially passionate about encouraging young women to build financial independence before starting families. Her next goal is to expand her business by supplying clothing to other vendors, creating more economic opportunities in her community. #YouthEntrepreneurship #EconomicEmpowerment #Leadership #Education #Africa #Educate!

Saturday's launch of the Education, Training Policy, and Revised Curricula is certainly a landmark moment for Tanzania's education system, and representing my organization Educate! at this historic event was such a privilege. This policy has the potential to transform the lives of countless young people, and I'm excited to see its impact unfold. The takeaways were many but here are some that stood out for me: 1. The central theme was the strong link between education which develops knowledge and critical thinking, and national economic development. 2. The new policy introduces changes to compulsory education, increasing the total number of years from 7 to 10. 3. The literacy rate in Tanzania has shown substantial improvement over time, rising from 70% to 83%. 4. The increased availability of teaching and learning materials has facilitated a corresponding increase in student enrollment within Tanzania's educational system. 5. The government underscored the paramount importance of partnerships with the private sector. 6. The World Bank expressed its continued support for lifelong learning as Tanzania implements its new education policy, which was very positive to hear. 7. Technological integration in education is essential for learners to keep pace with global advancements. 8. So inspiring to see the students' innovative projects at the booths, including a car that students from Arusha Science Sec School meticulously built over three years! ✨ 9. During the address, the President highlighted Business Studies as a newly introduced compulsory subject, noting its potential to foster self-employment among young people. This was a significant moment for us as Educate!, as Business Studies is our core focus subject in Tanzania. Honored to be a part of this historic moment, and I'm filled with excitement for the future of our Tanzanian youth! ✨

Whereas the use of rigorous evidence to make decisions by both practitioners and donors has increased, using data and evidence to inform program design and development is not commonplace. Yet by testing an early program model through rapid evaluation, learning from the results, and adapting, practitioners can make important decisions that maximize impact. But this approach takes hard work to get right. My colleagues and I share some insights on how we have leveraged rapid evaluations in program design and implementation in this blog. https://lnkd.in/eCbxtWnB Educate! Hannah Ornas Meghan Mahoney

Wrapping up the year in true Country style! 🤠🎉 Our End of Year Party was an absolute blast—full of laughter, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments. From exciting games and creative team-building activities to heartfelt awards and a delightful Secret Santa exchange, it was a day that truly celebrated the spirit of our organization. I’m incredibly proud of myself, my amazing HR team, and the dedicated organizing committee for bringing this vision to life. It’s no small feat to plan such a memorable event, and the smiles on everyone's faces made it all worth it. As we saddle up for the new year, this party reminded us of the importance of teamwork, appreciation, and having fun together. Here's to closing the year on a high note and looking forward to even greater success in 2025! #Teamwork #EndOfYearCelebration #CountryTheme #Gratitude #HRExcellence #FunAndGrowth

"Secondary education must integrate academic learning, well-being, and employability skills to avoid fragmented policies and investments." We were thrilled to join the inaugural State of Secondary Education (SOSE) Convening alongside global leaders, educators, funders, and innovators working to unlock the potential of secondary education. At Educate!, we’re committed to shaping systems that prepare youth not just for the workforce but for life, empowering them to thrive and lead in their communities and beyond.

After an intensive 4-week training program, Educate! is proud to celebrate the first cohort graduation of Out-of-School Youths in Homabay County,Ndhiwa Sub county. Through hands-on learning, they have gained vital skills in entrepreneurship, from financial management, capital sourcing and record keeping to setting up and scaling small businesses. With the guidance of a dedicated training team, these youths are now equipped to navigate the challenges of the economy and create lasting impact in their communities. We are excited to see these young entrepreneurs embark on their journeys, building businesses and driving change. Together, we are shaping a future of opportunity, innovation, and economic empowerment for the next generation.

🌍 Are you attending the 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐒𝐎𝐒𝐄) 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 hosted by Transform Schools this week? Join us to examine what barriers still exist for secondary education, and how we can address them. Our CEO and Co-Founder, Boris Bulayev, will be joined by experts from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), The Ohio State University, UC Irvine, What Works Hub for Global Education, and Breakthrough Trust in a panel: 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 📅 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟐𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 ⏰ 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝟏𝟏:𝟑𝟎 𝐀𝐌 - 𝟏𝟐:𝟏𝟓 𝐏𝐌 (𝐆𝐌𝐓) 📍 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧, 𝐔𝐊  💻 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤:  https://lnkd.in/eCEHnANk We’re eager to share how Educate! is reimagining education by focusing on transferable skills, project-based learning, and scalable, context-driven solutions. See you there! 🚀