1 00:00:15,076 --> 00:00:23,836 Speaker 1: Pushkin, this is solvable. I'm Jacob Weisburg. The reason why 2 00:00:23,876 --> 00:00:27,036 Speaker 1: girls are not a school Popoti is the culprit. You know. 3 00:00:27,356 --> 00:00:30,596 Speaker 1: Popot continues to force school solutions on parents and I 4 00:00:30,636 --> 00:00:34,196 Speaker 1: think that needs to be understood. Poverty can take many forms. 5 00:00:34,636 --> 00:00:37,516 Speaker 1: It can mean that families can't afford school fees or 6 00:00:37,556 --> 00:00:42,556 Speaker 1: basic supplies like pens, pencils and stationary or families may 7 00:00:42,596 --> 00:00:45,116 Speaker 1: just need the children to help with work and childcare 8 00:00:45,156 --> 00:00:48,916 Speaker 1: at home, whatever the reasons. It's estimated that there are 9 00:00:48,956 --> 00:00:52,716 Speaker 1: currently more than fifty million girls who've left school before 10 00:00:52,716 --> 00:00:56,276 Speaker 1: receiving their high school diplomas. Those who do manage to 11 00:00:56,316 --> 00:01:00,196 Speaker 1: complete their schooling usually have more support from their families 12 00:01:00,196 --> 00:01:03,876 Speaker 1: and communities. And I remember feeling very guilt and very 13 00:01:03,956 --> 00:01:07,316 Speaker 1: tone that I had gotten the chance that they also 14 00:01:07,596 --> 00:01:10,436 Speaker 1: you know, needed. But you know, I think some people 15 00:01:10,476 --> 00:01:12,676 Speaker 1: call it survive and guilt, but it's just as the 16 00:01:12,716 --> 00:01:16,636 Speaker 1: heartbreaking patrol feed. When Angelie Murramirawa was a young girl 17 00:01:16,676 --> 00:01:20,236 Speaker 1: in rural Zimbabwe, she was nominated by her community to 18 00:01:20,316 --> 00:01:24,996 Speaker 1: receive additional support for her education. That support proved essential 19 00:01:25,036 --> 00:01:28,476 Speaker 1: for her success. She now helps to run the nonprofit 20 00:01:28,516 --> 00:01:32,636 Speaker 1: that helped her. The campaign for female education. It works 21 00:01:32,676 --> 00:01:37,556 Speaker 1: to keep girls in school across the African continent. Universal 22 00:01:37,636 --> 00:01:40,516 Speaker 1: quality education is a human right and one of the 23 00:01:40,636 --> 00:01:44,756 Speaker 1: UN's Sustainable Development goals. It's understood to be a basic 24 00:01:44,836 --> 00:01:48,916 Speaker 1: requirement for any country that hopes to flourish, and it's 25 00:01:48,956 --> 00:01:51,716 Speaker 1: a goal that the world's nations had been getting closer 26 00:01:51,716 --> 00:01:55,676 Speaker 1: to achieving. Between the years two thousand and twenty eighteen, 27 00:01:56,116 --> 00:02:00,316 Speaker 1: primary school completion rates rose from seventy percent to eighty 28 00:02:00,316 --> 00:02:04,316 Speaker 1: four percent globally, and before the pandemic arrived, it was 29 00:02:04,356 --> 00:02:07,876 Speaker 1: expected that nearly ninety percent of all school aged children 30 00:02:08,076 --> 00:02:10,916 Speaker 1: would be able to complete primary school by the year 31 00:02:10,996 --> 00:02:16,356 Speaker 1: twenty thirty. As part of Solvable Setback series, we're talking 32 00:02:16,356 --> 00:02:19,756 Speaker 1: with leaders around the world about the pandemic and how 33 00:02:19,796 --> 00:02:24,236 Speaker 1: to get goals like universal education back on track. COVID 34 00:02:24,356 --> 00:02:28,356 Speaker 1: has been very, very brutal, but Mura Mirwa sees COVID 35 00:02:28,436 --> 00:02:32,956 Speaker 1: nineteen not only as a setback, but also as an opportunity. 36 00:02:32,996 --> 00:02:36,036 Speaker 1: If we have land, we should actually be able to 37 00:02:36,036 --> 00:02:39,396 Speaker 1: expedite our solutions to the crisis that we face. This 38 00:02:39,556 --> 00:02:43,396 Speaker 1: should actually move us a head faster because we have land. 39 00:02:44,716 --> 00:02:51,476 Speaker 1: My name is Angeline Angie. I'm the executive director for Comfort. 40 00:02:52,236 --> 00:02:55,876 Speaker 1: Our work as Comfort solves the problem of girls exclusion 41 00:02:56,236 --> 00:03:02,716 Speaker 1: from education. Angie, thanks so much for joining us today. 42 00:03:02,716 --> 00:03:06,396 Speaker 1: Just to get started, could you describe the gap in 43 00:03:06,796 --> 00:03:11,556 Speaker 1: women's in girls' education in Africa? Well, the figures that 44 00:03:11,756 --> 00:03:15,356 Speaker 1: we have got that our official so far and from UNESCO, 45 00:03:15,716 --> 00:03:19,796 Speaker 1: is that before COVID we had over fifty two million 46 00:03:19,916 --> 00:03:23,716 Speaker 1: girls were out of school in Subside and Africa. We're 47 00:03:23,796 --> 00:03:27,556 Speaker 1: very focused right now on the question of problems that 48 00:03:27,636 --> 00:03:31,916 Speaker 1: we're getting better and that have gone into reverse because 49 00:03:31,956 --> 00:03:36,476 Speaker 1: of the global pandemic. And I wonder what impact COVID 50 00:03:36,636 --> 00:03:40,636 Speaker 1: nineteen has had on girls education. I know that in 51 00:03:40,676 --> 00:03:44,436 Speaker 1: Africa in many countries the numbers are much better than 52 00:03:44,476 --> 00:03:47,476 Speaker 1: they've been in many places in the development world. But 53 00:03:47,556 --> 00:03:50,596 Speaker 1: I assume that there are also different kinds of second 54 00:03:50,716 --> 00:03:54,996 Speaker 1: order effects. So what impact has the pandemic had. COVID 55 00:03:55,076 --> 00:03:58,436 Speaker 1: has been very, very brutal. And yes, it's true that 56 00:03:58,556 --> 00:04:01,476 Speaker 1: you know in Africa we had dead improvements in terms 57 00:04:01,556 --> 00:04:06,036 Speaker 1: of access to primary education for most children. But what 58 00:04:06,276 --> 00:04:10,076 Speaker 1: is COVID done is started eroding the gains that have 59 00:04:10,196 --> 00:04:13,876 Speaker 1: been met in that space as family started losing income. 60 00:04:14,596 --> 00:04:17,156 Speaker 1: We're not even talking about you know, the school closure, 61 00:04:17,196 --> 00:04:20,876 Speaker 1: the prolonged school closure. So as much as our online 62 00:04:20,916 --> 00:04:25,036 Speaker 1: learning was introduced as a response by most governments, it 63 00:04:25,116 --> 00:04:29,276 Speaker 1: was amazing and awesome for the children that could access 64 00:04:29,316 --> 00:04:32,236 Speaker 1: it and afforded, but it also meant that for the 65 00:04:32,276 --> 00:04:34,836 Speaker 1: majority of the children that we work with as an 66 00:04:34,916 --> 00:04:38,116 Speaker 1: organization were in the hardest to rich communities, they did 67 00:04:38,116 --> 00:04:41,676 Speaker 1: not get support with online learning. So as a result 68 00:04:41,716 --> 00:04:43,716 Speaker 1: of it, I know, Prefect that you know, our alumni 69 00:04:43,796 --> 00:04:47,916 Speaker 1: network are supported with printed out materials. They were doing 70 00:04:48,036 --> 00:04:51,196 Speaker 1: social distance study groups and all that. But you know, 71 00:04:51,396 --> 00:04:53,876 Speaker 1: it is the duty of the government to also ensure 72 00:04:53,956 --> 00:04:56,716 Speaker 1: that our quality education is provided to every child. But 73 00:04:56,836 --> 00:05:01,476 Speaker 1: COVID actually exposed that we have issues of equity, you know, 74 00:05:01,556 --> 00:05:05,636 Speaker 1: informed by technology, you know, access for various sermitis. So yes, 75 00:05:05,716 --> 00:05:10,076 Speaker 1: just to say that unfortunately COVID is exacerbated the inequality 76 00:05:10,156 --> 00:05:14,476 Speaker 1: in Africa, particularly in education on boys and girls, but 77 00:05:14,596 --> 00:05:17,196 Speaker 1: also on those that could afford it and those that can't. 78 00:05:17,516 --> 00:05:21,556 Speaker 1: Also on urban and rural Have schools been closed in 79 00:05:21,956 --> 00:05:24,396 Speaker 1: many countries in Africa? What does the picture look like? 80 00:05:24,476 --> 00:05:27,996 Speaker 1: They're with actually the basic question of whether children are 81 00:05:27,996 --> 00:05:33,156 Speaker 1: going to school. The majority of African countries closed schools 82 00:05:33,196 --> 00:05:36,156 Speaker 1: at the onset of COVID. That was last year and 83 00:05:36,516 --> 00:05:39,716 Speaker 1: right now schools are opened at least another for effect 84 00:05:39,836 --> 00:05:45,556 Speaker 1: across five African countries and Babo, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Ghana. 85 00:05:45,756 --> 00:05:50,356 Speaker 1: But then it's heartbreaking to see what COVID has done. 86 00:05:50,556 --> 00:05:54,996 Speaker 1: We have a situations where we've seen most girls, particularly 87 00:05:55,356 --> 00:05:58,356 Speaker 1: now having to take up more household shoes than they 88 00:05:58,356 --> 00:06:01,716 Speaker 1: were doing before the pandemic. But we've also seen a 89 00:06:01,716 --> 00:06:05,036 Speaker 1: lot of children actually take up work in order to 90 00:06:05,036 --> 00:06:07,796 Speaker 1: sustain their families. And will say work, we're talking about 91 00:06:07,876 --> 00:06:12,236 Speaker 1: working in other people's working in cultural labor because you know, 92 00:06:12,436 --> 00:06:16,236 Speaker 1: because of restrictions, markets were closed, family income fail, so 93 00:06:16,276 --> 00:06:19,876 Speaker 1: we had children stepping in to sustain families or bassets. 94 00:06:20,236 --> 00:06:23,196 Speaker 1: This is even where so child headed families where you've 95 00:06:23,236 --> 00:06:26,236 Speaker 1: got often the older child taking care of the rest 96 00:06:26,236 --> 00:06:29,316 Speaker 1: of the family, or where there are grandparents he headed 97 00:06:29,396 --> 00:06:32,716 Speaker 1: our families where the grandparents are too all themselves to 98 00:06:32,796 --> 00:06:35,836 Speaker 1: fend for the children. So you have children we've had 99 00:06:35,916 --> 00:06:39,916 Speaker 1: to work to be able to sustain themselves. Unfortunately, that 100 00:06:40,076 --> 00:06:43,756 Speaker 1: also goals with issues of you know, transactional sets or 101 00:06:43,796 --> 00:06:46,756 Speaker 1: you know like girls being taken advantage of in exchange 102 00:06:46,756 --> 00:06:49,036 Speaker 1: for food and all that. So those have been there. 103 00:06:49,116 --> 00:06:51,716 Speaker 1: You know, some of the exacerbated crisis are due to 104 00:06:51,796 --> 00:06:54,916 Speaker 1: COVID and this is mainly because of the response to 105 00:06:54,956 --> 00:06:59,556 Speaker 1: COVID where restrictions were put to care the spread. Discrimination 106 00:06:59,596 --> 00:07:03,036 Speaker 1: against girls takes different forms obviously in different parts of 107 00:07:03,076 --> 00:07:07,916 Speaker 1: Africa and North Africa versus West Africa, Central Africa. The 108 00:07:08,196 --> 00:07:15,076 Speaker 1: opposite of school for girls in Africa is often increased poverty, 109 00:07:16,356 --> 00:07:20,396 Speaker 1: full time work and child marriage. That's another way to 110 00:07:20,436 --> 00:07:23,796 Speaker 1: look at the statistics about what's happening. Where is the 111 00:07:23,916 --> 00:07:27,756 Speaker 1: problem the worst and where are you seeing the greatest progress? 112 00:07:28,876 --> 00:07:32,836 Speaker 1: If you know, the issue of girls exclusion, like you said, 113 00:07:32,836 --> 00:07:37,076 Speaker 1: it takes so many forms. There's exclusion from education totally, 114 00:07:37,156 --> 00:07:38,956 Speaker 1: you know, like where girls not in school, but there's 115 00:07:38,996 --> 00:07:43,516 Speaker 1: also exclusion within the system where girls do not have 116 00:07:43,716 --> 00:07:47,036 Speaker 1: the academic self esteem to participate, where girls do not 117 00:07:47,196 --> 00:07:49,756 Speaker 1: have the confidence to be able to participate. So from 118 00:07:49,756 --> 00:07:54,196 Speaker 1: our stities as an organization, academic self esteem is the 119 00:07:54,276 --> 00:07:58,076 Speaker 1: second highest after poverty in terms of girls participation in school. 120 00:07:58,276 --> 00:08:00,916 Speaker 1: And I think you know that Africa there's huge challenges 121 00:08:00,956 --> 00:08:03,916 Speaker 1: of child marriage. But we actually you know discovered that 122 00:08:03,996 --> 00:08:06,316 Speaker 1: actually child marriage is not the reason why girls are 123 00:08:06,316 --> 00:08:09,316 Speaker 1: not in school. It's actually every sort of girls not 124 00:08:09,436 --> 00:08:12,196 Speaker 1: being in school. So when girls are in school, they 125 00:08:12,196 --> 00:08:16,236 Speaker 1: are least likely to be married because they are in school, 126 00:08:16,316 --> 00:08:20,196 Speaker 1: and also it addresses issues of adolescent pregnancy. The statistics 127 00:08:20,196 --> 00:08:24,116 Speaker 1: have continued to show that that education actually protects girls. 128 00:08:24,356 --> 00:08:25,916 Speaker 1: So I just want to be able to point out 129 00:08:25,996 --> 00:08:28,956 Speaker 1: that it is important for us to continue to be 130 00:08:29,156 --> 00:08:34,076 Speaker 1: newest and responsive to children in each context, rather than 131 00:08:34,596 --> 00:08:38,436 Speaker 1: probably over generalizing, because like you rightly say, they are 132 00:08:38,596 --> 00:08:43,716 Speaker 1: varying levels and magnitude of the problem in each context 133 00:08:43,796 --> 00:08:47,316 Speaker 1: and from each country. That's the tragedy of it. Camp 134 00:08:47,316 --> 00:08:51,716 Speaker 1: FED is the campaign for Female Education your organization. Can 135 00:08:51,756 --> 00:08:53,756 Speaker 1: you tell me a little bit about how camp FED 136 00:08:53,796 --> 00:08:59,236 Speaker 1: works and what it does. I love comfort, and just 137 00:08:59,236 --> 00:09:01,876 Speaker 1: just to say that I'm actually one of the very 138 00:09:01,956 --> 00:09:06,436 Speaker 1: first girls supported by Camford through school and Comfort supported 139 00:09:06,476 --> 00:09:08,556 Speaker 1: me at a time in my life when I was 140 00:09:08,716 --> 00:09:11,676 Speaker 1: about to drop out of school. I was transitioning from 141 00:09:11,676 --> 00:09:15,116 Speaker 1: primary to secondary school. So I know comfored quite intimately. 142 00:09:15,556 --> 00:09:19,236 Speaker 1: So what comfort does is it supposed families without their 143 00:09:19,236 --> 00:09:23,156 Speaker 1: financial means to support their children through school. So we 144 00:09:23,196 --> 00:09:26,036 Speaker 1: meet our old school going course we're talking about it 145 00:09:26,236 --> 00:09:31,476 Speaker 1: is a stationary pencils pans, sanitarywhere and where children have 146 00:09:31,516 --> 00:09:33,956 Speaker 1: to travel long distances. We also support them with that. 147 00:09:34,556 --> 00:09:36,236 Speaker 1: But the most important thing that I want to be 148 00:09:36,276 --> 00:09:39,636 Speaker 1: able to share here is that comfort response to each 149 00:09:39,636 --> 00:09:42,956 Speaker 1: and every individual child's barriers to education and works with 150 00:09:43,036 --> 00:09:45,436 Speaker 1: the community to be able to add raise that. So 151 00:09:45,476 --> 00:09:49,036 Speaker 1: today CONFID is supported over four point eight million children 152 00:09:49,076 --> 00:09:51,916 Speaker 1: to go to school across Africa. So tell me a 153 00:09:51,916 --> 00:09:53,836 Speaker 1: little more about your story. You said when you were 154 00:09:53,876 --> 00:09:57,796 Speaker 1: finishing primary school it wasn't given that you were going 155 00:09:57,836 --> 00:09:59,716 Speaker 1: to stay in school. Is that right? And was that 156 00:09:59,796 --> 00:10:04,116 Speaker 1: when Camford began to support you? Sure? So okay, let 157 00:10:04,116 --> 00:10:05,836 Speaker 1: me just give you a bit of background on me. 158 00:10:05,996 --> 00:10:08,556 Speaker 1: I went on the first born in a family of 159 00:10:09,116 --> 00:10:13,116 Speaker 1: you know, five children, So I went through Zimbabwe. I'm sorry, 160 00:10:13,156 --> 00:10:16,556 Speaker 1: just to start even further back, yes, yeah, I'll start 161 00:10:16,596 --> 00:10:19,476 Speaker 1: from there. So I was born in I grew up 162 00:10:19,516 --> 00:10:21,876 Speaker 1: in a grew of village in Zimbabwe Court then theres 163 00:10:22,356 --> 00:10:25,676 Speaker 1: the southeast part of a which is the capital city. 164 00:10:25,956 --> 00:10:30,076 Speaker 1: As I went through primary school, I had to work 165 00:10:30,516 --> 00:10:33,436 Speaker 1: you know, in other people's seals. But also I remember 166 00:10:33,956 --> 00:10:37,756 Speaker 1: really watching people's dishes, so such basic things as pencils 167 00:10:37,756 --> 00:10:41,716 Speaker 1: and exercise books. And when I received my primary school 168 00:10:41,756 --> 00:10:45,836 Speaker 1: leaving certificate, I had the best possible results in the country. 169 00:10:45,996 --> 00:10:47,796 Speaker 1: But as young as I was at that time, I 170 00:10:47,916 --> 00:10:51,796 Speaker 1: knew that there was no way my parents could afford 171 00:10:51,876 --> 00:10:54,716 Speaker 1: the cost of secondary school because come on, you're starting 172 00:10:54,796 --> 00:10:58,356 Speaker 1: from just doing four subjects at primary. At secondary school 173 00:10:58,356 --> 00:11:00,996 Speaker 1: were doing like over nine subjects. You needed more books, 174 00:11:01,356 --> 00:11:03,876 Speaker 1: more pens to write in, you needed more discent clothes. 175 00:11:03,876 --> 00:11:06,836 Speaker 1: And I was getting older as well. So that's that's 176 00:11:07,036 --> 00:11:09,436 Speaker 1: at the point when I knew that I there was 177 00:11:09,476 --> 00:11:12,476 Speaker 1: no way mine reselves, We're just not enough to get 178 00:11:12,516 --> 00:11:14,996 Speaker 1: me to secondary school. So that's when CANFID was also 179 00:11:14,996 --> 00:11:18,236 Speaker 1: starting to wake in my community and I was selected 180 00:11:18,276 --> 00:11:20,876 Speaker 1: for support and CONFID started supporting me at that time 181 00:11:21,196 --> 00:11:24,756 Speaker 1: to secondary school. And what did that support consist of? 182 00:11:24,756 --> 00:11:28,756 Speaker 1: What else did they provide? I got decent clothes for 183 00:11:28,876 --> 00:11:31,916 Speaker 1: the first time, imired at a school uniform, which meant 184 00:11:31,956 --> 00:11:35,516 Speaker 1: that I looked like any other child who was in school. 185 00:11:35,556 --> 00:11:39,316 Speaker 1: I had not want any new parents of shoes at all. 186 00:11:39,436 --> 00:11:42,596 Speaker 1: So when we were about to go for shoes sitting, 187 00:11:42,676 --> 00:11:45,516 Speaker 1: everybody was saying size six, so come on. I also 188 00:11:45,556 --> 00:11:47,956 Speaker 1: didn't want to embarrass myself, so I just said size six. 189 00:11:48,316 --> 00:11:51,716 Speaker 1: Turns out that I was size eight. So those are 190 00:11:51,716 --> 00:11:55,076 Speaker 1: some of the descent clothes that we talk about about, 191 00:11:55,076 --> 00:11:57,516 Speaker 1: the showing that even children that are coming from the 192 00:11:57,556 --> 00:12:02,756 Speaker 1: most disadvantaged families can also participate confidently with them such 193 00:12:02,796 --> 00:12:06,356 Speaker 1: systems as well. For the first time, I was not 194 00:12:06,796 --> 00:12:10,436 Speaker 1: worried about being as get to leave the classroom because 195 00:12:10,476 --> 00:12:12,396 Speaker 1: I had not paid school fees to go home and 196 00:12:12,476 --> 00:12:15,036 Speaker 1: collect it, because that's the practice if you have not 197 00:12:15,116 --> 00:12:17,356 Speaker 1: paid your ask it to go home and collected. I 198 00:12:17,436 --> 00:12:20,076 Speaker 1: knew that she wasn't never there, so for the first time, 199 00:12:20,196 --> 00:12:23,516 Speaker 1: I learned without fear. But I just also want to 200 00:12:23,516 --> 00:12:26,836 Speaker 1: point out that there was a point during that phase 201 00:12:26,876 --> 00:12:28,716 Speaker 1: in my life where there was a lot of guilt 202 00:12:28,876 --> 00:12:31,996 Speaker 1: because when I was selected for support, I was one 203 00:12:32,036 --> 00:12:33,996 Speaker 1: of the girls from my school, so it supported its 204 00:12:33,996 --> 00:12:37,196 Speaker 1: twenty one inter secondary school from various schools. But I had, 205 00:12:37,356 --> 00:12:39,916 Speaker 1: you know, failure colleagues from primary school that did not 206 00:12:39,996 --> 00:12:42,996 Speaker 1: get the same chance, and I remember feeling very guilt 207 00:12:43,076 --> 00:12:46,116 Speaker 1: and very tone that I had gotten the chance that 208 00:12:46,276 --> 00:12:49,716 Speaker 1: they also you know, needed. But you know, I think 209 00:12:49,716 --> 00:12:52,236 Speaker 1: some people call it Survivor Guild. But it's just as 210 00:12:52,276 --> 00:12:55,396 Speaker 1: the heart breaking part of fate that when resources are 211 00:12:55,436 --> 00:12:58,556 Speaker 1: limited and the first you have to select, and which 212 00:12:58,596 --> 00:13:00,956 Speaker 1: is the crisis that we were facing with COVID right now, 213 00:13:01,076 --> 00:13:04,596 Speaker 1: that there's just so much need. It's heart breaking. But 214 00:13:04,636 --> 00:13:05,756 Speaker 1: I just want to be able to say that the 215 00:13:06,436 --> 00:13:11,116 Speaker 1: community selected me, and yeah I am. I not only 216 00:13:11,396 --> 00:13:14,716 Speaker 1: know what it means to be excluded at one point, 217 00:13:14,796 --> 00:13:19,396 Speaker 1: but I also understand personally and intimately the potential that 218 00:13:19,476 --> 00:13:21,356 Speaker 1: comes with that and just how much more you can 219 00:13:21,436 --> 00:13:24,556 Speaker 1: do as an individual and as a collective. What kind 220 00:13:24,556 --> 00:13:27,236 Speaker 1: of impact has CAMPED had on a village like the 221 00:13:27,276 --> 00:13:31,436 Speaker 1: one you grew up in Zimbabwe? Has it supported other 222 00:13:31,556 --> 00:13:34,516 Speaker 1: girls going to school from that same village and what 223 00:13:34,996 --> 00:13:37,476 Speaker 1: other sort of effects does that have? So what it 224 00:13:37,556 --> 00:13:40,276 Speaker 1: is meant is that you know, as we graduate through school, 225 00:13:40,676 --> 00:13:45,596 Speaker 1: we also are very much anchored and inspired to do 226 00:13:45,716 --> 00:13:47,996 Speaker 1: something within our community. So as I speak to you 227 00:13:48,116 --> 00:13:50,956 Speaker 1: right now, as the first group of young women supported 228 00:13:50,956 --> 00:13:53,116 Speaker 1: through school by CAMPED, we started what we call the 229 00:13:53,636 --> 00:13:57,356 Speaker 1: Camford Association, which is a network of young women leaders 230 00:13:57,396 --> 00:14:00,036 Speaker 1: that are paying it forward literally, So we one hundred 231 00:14:00,116 --> 00:14:04,236 Speaker 1: seventy eight thousand members now and counting, and each of us, 232 00:14:04,236 --> 00:14:07,196 Speaker 1: on average suppose three more girls to go to school. 233 00:14:07,396 --> 00:14:10,156 Speaker 1: So you ask what has been the impact. The major 234 00:14:10,196 --> 00:14:13,876 Speaker 1: impact has been, you know, the sustainability through the commitment 235 00:14:14,276 --> 00:14:17,356 Speaker 1: by former beneficiaries or clients of Comfort to be able 236 00:14:17,356 --> 00:14:21,236 Speaker 1: to support the next generation of children. So by one graduating, 237 00:14:21,356 --> 00:14:25,156 Speaker 1: three more are graduating. So that's the phenomenal impact. And 238 00:14:25,676 --> 00:14:29,076 Speaker 1: you you mentioned this feeling of survivor's guilt, which is 239 00:14:29,116 --> 00:14:32,756 Speaker 1: quite understandable being someone who was supported in this way 240 00:14:32,796 --> 00:14:36,916 Speaker 1: and a community where most people don't and most women, 241 00:14:36,996 --> 00:14:41,316 Speaker 1: most girls don't have that opportunity. I wonder how people 242 00:14:41,316 --> 00:14:45,196 Speaker 1: in the community do treat someone in your position, people 243 00:14:45,236 --> 00:14:47,476 Speaker 1: in your family, people in the place you grew up. 244 00:14:47,956 --> 00:14:52,836 Speaker 1: Was their envy, pride? What's the reaction to the girls 245 00:14:52,836 --> 00:14:55,396 Speaker 1: who get this support and prosper and the way you 246 00:14:55,476 --> 00:14:59,036 Speaker 1: have The beauty of the Comfort model is that it's 247 00:14:59,236 --> 00:15:02,156 Speaker 1: very thought through. So just to say from from my part, 248 00:15:02,236 --> 00:15:05,796 Speaker 1: the fact that the community itself identified me for support 249 00:15:06,596 --> 00:15:09,636 Speaker 1: meant that there was the sense of ownership and the 250 00:15:09,676 --> 00:15:13,036 Speaker 1: saints of pride that this is what we have enabled, 251 00:15:13,316 --> 00:15:16,796 Speaker 1: and that means that girls are celebrated in the community. 252 00:15:16,876 --> 00:15:20,356 Speaker 1: I can give you multiple examples where community members they 253 00:15:20,356 --> 00:15:23,996 Speaker 1: have stepped up and assisted my mother in various ways 254 00:15:23,996 --> 00:15:26,556 Speaker 1: to be able to make sure that I stayed in school, 255 00:15:26,676 --> 00:15:28,636 Speaker 1: even with comfort support. Because one of the the things that 256 00:15:28,636 --> 00:15:31,396 Speaker 1: we've learned as an organization is that it's not just 257 00:15:31,476 --> 00:15:35,036 Speaker 1: about the financial means, it's also about the psychosocial support 258 00:15:35,396 --> 00:15:37,676 Speaker 1: that children need to be able to stay in school. 259 00:15:38,116 --> 00:15:40,996 Speaker 1: I was crying. I was weeping most of the time. 260 00:15:41,076 --> 00:15:44,596 Speaker 1: I was really not in the classroom. And then I 261 00:15:44,676 --> 00:15:47,556 Speaker 1: learned later that you need to decide how you use 262 00:15:47,636 --> 00:15:51,676 Speaker 1: every opportunity you get. I started looking at this as 263 00:15:51,756 --> 00:15:54,756 Speaker 1: an opportunity to do better by me and for the 264 00:15:54,756 --> 00:15:58,476 Speaker 1: community that it trusted me, rather than feeling like, you know, 265 00:15:58,516 --> 00:16:00,876 Speaker 1: it's okay for all of us to wallow in poverty 266 00:16:00,956 --> 00:16:03,916 Speaker 1: and end like that. And the fact that these young 267 00:16:03,956 --> 00:16:06,716 Speaker 1: women are coming back and supporting one average three other 268 00:16:06,796 --> 00:16:12,076 Speaker 1: children were not even their relatives, continues to increase communal 269 00:16:12,156 --> 00:16:15,036 Speaker 1: support for supporting more and more girls to go through this, 270 00:16:15,356 --> 00:16:18,476 Speaker 1: because it's more like confidence become the gift that continues 271 00:16:18,516 --> 00:16:22,916 Speaker 1: to give through what's enabled within every community. I'm wondering 272 00:16:22,916 --> 00:16:26,156 Speaker 1: how much it costs to support a girl in school 273 00:16:26,636 --> 00:16:30,516 Speaker 1: via camp fed. In Africa, it's actually basically just one 274 00:16:30,556 --> 00:16:33,636 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty dollars per year for one year of 275 00:16:34,036 --> 00:16:36,796 Speaker 1: supporting a girl through secondary school. That's the average cost 276 00:16:36,836 --> 00:16:39,916 Speaker 1: for a year. So in the United States that sounds 277 00:16:39,916 --> 00:16:44,916 Speaker 1: like nothing. And you've said you've supported nearly five million 278 00:16:45,516 --> 00:16:49,876 Speaker 1: girls through school. What's the scale that you think the 279 00:16:49,996 --> 00:16:53,236 Speaker 1: organization can achieve and what's the what's the ultimate goal 280 00:16:53,356 --> 00:16:57,196 Speaker 1: is a parody between girls and boys. Our vision as 281 00:16:57,236 --> 00:17:01,076 Speaker 1: an organization has always been a world in which each 282 00:17:01,116 --> 00:17:06,956 Speaker 1: and every child is educated, protected, respected, valued, and girls 283 00:17:07,036 --> 00:17:10,116 Speaker 1: up to ten the tide of poverty every child. And 284 00:17:10,556 --> 00:17:13,276 Speaker 1: our strategic plan over the next five years is to 285 00:17:13,356 --> 00:17:17,796 Speaker 1: support five million more girls through school. And I think 286 00:17:17,796 --> 00:17:20,036 Speaker 1: you realize that. You know, we've supported close to five 287 00:17:20,076 --> 00:17:22,276 Speaker 1: millions since nine to three, and we're going to support 288 00:17:22,276 --> 00:17:25,556 Speaker 1: five millions in five years. That's ambitious. But we're also 289 00:17:25,636 --> 00:17:29,596 Speaker 1: counting on the support of our Comfort Association with we're 290 00:17:29,596 --> 00:17:32,156 Speaker 1: actually traveling the support that you know we're providing as 291 00:17:32,156 --> 00:17:36,036 Speaker 1: an organization at the moment. So looking at forward to 292 00:17:36,076 --> 00:17:38,476 Speaker 1: the end of the pandemic, do you think there is 293 00:17:38,516 --> 00:17:41,596 Speaker 1: going to be a lasting deficit from that or do 294 00:17:41,636 --> 00:17:44,396 Speaker 1: you think we will quickly get back to where we 295 00:17:44,396 --> 00:17:49,316 Speaker 1: were before the pandemic. In relation to girls education in Africa, 296 00:17:49,516 --> 00:17:52,276 Speaker 1: we need to pull up our songs in a very 297 00:17:52,316 --> 00:17:57,756 Speaker 1: big way because the pandemic exposed, like I said earlier 298 00:17:57,796 --> 00:18:02,196 Speaker 1: on the disparities and the system that we already knew existed, 299 00:18:02,756 --> 00:18:07,276 Speaker 1: but they just exacerbated them. Do you think COVID sets 300 00:18:07,356 --> 00:18:11,196 Speaker 1: back your call of girls education in Africa for a 301 00:18:11,276 --> 00:18:13,156 Speaker 1: year or two and then we get back to where 302 00:18:13,196 --> 00:18:15,836 Speaker 1: we were or is this something that sets us back 303 00:18:15,876 --> 00:18:21,116 Speaker 1: a generation? Over ninety seven point four percent of our children, 304 00:18:21,196 --> 00:18:23,236 Speaker 1: like of the girls that we're supporting, came back to school, 305 00:18:23,236 --> 00:18:26,156 Speaker 1: returned to school. That's not true for the majority of 306 00:18:26,156 --> 00:18:28,836 Speaker 1: other children who didn't have the same social support. So 307 00:18:29,196 --> 00:18:31,116 Speaker 1: that's an area that we need to work on. We 308 00:18:31,156 --> 00:18:33,996 Speaker 1: also need to address issues around, of course, teacher training, 309 00:18:34,356 --> 00:18:38,156 Speaker 1: issues around ensuring that we continue to recognize that girl's 310 00:18:38,236 --> 00:18:42,476 Speaker 1: exclusion is still an issue even after the pandemic. For me, 311 00:18:42,516 --> 00:18:45,036 Speaker 1: it's you know, for us as an organization, it's continuous 312 00:18:45,036 --> 00:18:48,196 Speaker 1: an ensuring that there's this pipeline of young people that 313 00:18:48,276 --> 00:18:50,836 Speaker 1: continues to be supported and support the next generation too. 314 00:18:51,156 --> 00:18:54,876 Speaker 1: You know, having fifty two million girls out of school 315 00:18:54,876 --> 00:18:58,356 Speaker 1: in subsid and Africa is nowhere where we want to go. 316 00:18:58,796 --> 00:19:01,556 Speaker 1: But I acknowledge the fact that this really set us 317 00:19:01,556 --> 00:19:04,516 Speaker 1: back in terms of the progress that we've met. But 318 00:19:04,956 --> 00:19:08,956 Speaker 1: then lessons that come from tragedy means that if we 319 00:19:09,116 --> 00:19:11,556 Speaker 1: we have learned, and when I say we are then 320 00:19:12,076 --> 00:19:15,716 Speaker 1: not just civil society and then the government, everybody who 321 00:19:15,796 --> 00:19:19,436 Speaker 1: was working in education or in rise in climate every day. 322 00:19:19,436 --> 00:19:22,396 Speaker 1: If we have learned, we should actually be able to 323 00:19:22,436 --> 00:19:25,556 Speaker 1: expect diet our solutions to the crisis that we face. 324 00:19:25,716 --> 00:19:29,276 Speaker 1: This should actually move us a head faster because we 325 00:19:29,316 --> 00:19:33,876 Speaker 1: have learned that these are not hypothetical realities around things 326 00:19:33,876 --> 00:19:36,156 Speaker 1: could get worse. They did get worse in a way 327 00:19:36,156 --> 00:19:38,716 Speaker 1: that we all didn't think it would. We saw a 328 00:19:38,796 --> 00:19:44,316 Speaker 1: lot of flight of people that basically just been planted 329 00:19:44,316 --> 00:19:46,636 Speaker 1: into communities to be able to work with communities. Well 330 00:19:46,716 --> 00:19:50,316 Speaker 1: COVID here people started leaving and local communities said to 331 00:19:50,316 --> 00:19:53,276 Speaker 1: find their own foots. So if we've invest and built 332 00:19:53,356 --> 00:19:57,356 Speaker 1: on our license around local engagement, local ownership of issues, 333 00:19:57,436 --> 00:20:00,556 Speaker 1: local capacity building, but we also built on the opportunities 334 00:20:00,556 --> 00:20:02,956 Speaker 1: that are through technology, I don't see a reason why 335 00:20:03,076 --> 00:20:06,196 Speaker 1: we shouldn't be able to gallop further faster than we've 336 00:20:06,196 --> 00:20:09,796 Speaker 1: done over the past few years. As you say, educating 337 00:20:09,796 --> 00:20:13,076 Speaker 1: girls has so many positive effects on other problems. I 338 00:20:13,116 --> 00:20:16,676 Speaker 1: think part of the reason you've camped has attracted so 339 00:20:16,796 --> 00:20:21,076 Speaker 1: much high profile support. I note that Megan and Harry 340 00:20:21,156 --> 00:20:24,756 Speaker 1: listed it as one of the charities they were supporting. 341 00:20:24,916 --> 00:20:28,196 Speaker 1: Rihanna has been a supporter of yours. Nick Christoph, the 342 00:20:28,236 --> 00:20:31,116 Speaker 1: New York Times columnist, at the end of the year 343 00:20:31,276 --> 00:20:34,996 Speaker 1: make suggestions if what charities people should support, and a 344 00:20:35,116 --> 00:20:37,636 Speaker 1: camp fed was at the top of his list this year. 345 00:20:38,396 --> 00:20:43,036 Speaker 1: What you're doing is getting noticed. What else has to 346 00:20:43,076 --> 00:20:47,756 Speaker 1: happen for your organization to be able to do as 347 00:20:47,876 --> 00:20:52,916 Speaker 1: much as it's capable of doing, to scale its response. Yeah, 348 00:20:52,956 --> 00:20:54,956 Speaker 1: I'll say to you what I said to a lot 349 00:20:54,996 --> 00:20:58,196 Speaker 1: of people over the past year, particularly the work of 350 00:20:58,356 --> 00:21:03,476 Speaker 1: COVID and everything. Continue to invest in girls education. You 351 00:21:03,596 --> 00:21:06,476 Speaker 1: support me, I support three more. You know, that's the 352 00:21:06,516 --> 00:21:10,436 Speaker 1: wealthy investment, right, That's the most important thing. Talk to 353 00:21:10,476 --> 00:21:15,116 Speaker 1: your friends, talk to your colleagues and everything. The problem 354 00:21:15,356 --> 00:21:18,956 Speaker 1: is real, but so is the solution. It's so simple 355 00:21:18,996 --> 00:21:22,156 Speaker 1: and so straightforward. You live to tell a different narrative, 356 00:21:22,276 --> 00:21:24,636 Speaker 1: and I look forward to that does your model have 357 00:21:24,716 --> 00:21:29,036 Speaker 1: application beyond Africa or is the situation just too different 358 00:21:29,076 --> 00:21:33,116 Speaker 1: in different parts of the world. My better World, which 359 00:21:33,156 --> 00:21:35,556 Speaker 1: is the you know, the curriculum that have been used 360 00:21:35,596 --> 00:21:38,316 Speaker 1: across the spectrum. They have been huge demand for it 361 00:21:38,356 --> 00:21:41,756 Speaker 1: to be used beyond Africa because at the center of 362 00:21:41,836 --> 00:21:45,356 Speaker 1: it is the principal accountability to the child, to the 363 00:21:45,436 --> 00:21:48,236 Speaker 1: child's needs, to the child's reality, to the child's priority. 364 00:21:48,476 --> 00:21:51,796 Speaker 1: How do we make the child the non negotiable component 365 00:21:51,876 --> 00:21:55,716 Speaker 1: of our intervention? And I believe that's universally acceptable everywhere, 366 00:21:55,836 --> 00:21:59,076 Speaker 1: but it's also messuring that this is done in total 367 00:21:59,236 --> 00:22:02,676 Speaker 1: engagement and liaison of the community of the parents as 368 00:22:02,676 --> 00:22:06,276 Speaker 1: equal partners, not just as mere recipients of aid. So 369 00:22:06,356 --> 00:22:09,676 Speaker 1: I believe that this is applicable across the spectrum and 370 00:22:09,756 --> 00:22:13,036 Speaker 1: it's replication a close Africa actually with speed and is 371 00:22:13,116 --> 00:22:15,916 Speaker 1: it is also proved that Yeah, And you, as an educator, 372 00:22:15,956 --> 00:22:18,236 Speaker 1: I know you think about what kinds of tools are 373 00:22:18,276 --> 00:22:22,236 Speaker 1: going to get people to really understand the problem, not 374 00:22:22,316 --> 00:22:25,636 Speaker 1: just past the test by knowing the facts, but really 375 00:22:25,796 --> 00:22:28,716 Speaker 1: relate to it. And I wonder if they're books or 376 00:22:28,836 --> 00:22:32,396 Speaker 1: movies or things that you would recommend to our listeners 377 00:22:32,396 --> 00:22:35,076 Speaker 1: who want to really understand better what you're talking about. 378 00:22:35,476 --> 00:22:39,516 Speaker 1: I have a phenomenal resources that I could share. There 379 00:22:39,636 --> 00:22:43,036 Speaker 1: is a film done quite recently by Iden like Why 380 00:22:43,276 --> 00:22:48,236 Speaker 1: Ida m It was Hidden Pride for Education Development, which 381 00:22:48,396 --> 00:22:52,316 Speaker 1: is revolutionizing how girls education is delivered. You can listen 382 00:22:52,356 --> 00:22:56,396 Speaker 1: to that. It covers myself and Michaelague Lucy like as 383 00:22:56,396 --> 00:22:58,236 Speaker 1: we talk about our work as well. That's something that 384 00:22:58,276 --> 00:23:03,836 Speaker 1: we're listening to. There's Nick Christoph and Cherio's book Half 385 00:23:03,836 --> 00:23:07,716 Speaker 1: the Sky, Turning Oppression into Opportunity for women worldwide. There's 386 00:23:07,756 --> 00:23:09,996 Speaker 1: a chapter also that types of about my life and 387 00:23:10,036 --> 00:23:13,116 Speaker 1: we're started from. But more than that, it also talks about, 388 00:23:13,676 --> 00:23:18,236 Speaker 1: you know the fact that actually talent is universal opportunities not, 389 00:23:18,356 --> 00:23:20,476 Speaker 1: so how do we make a difference. So I think 390 00:23:20,476 --> 00:23:23,836 Speaker 1: that's that's really good. I also have a book that 391 00:23:25,316 --> 00:23:29,676 Speaker 1: I really like that he helped me and my fellow sisters, 392 00:23:29,716 --> 00:23:33,396 Speaker 1: like you know, the Confidate Association members, to understand our 393 00:23:33,476 --> 00:23:37,036 Speaker 1: reality as we graduated from school. And it's a book 394 00:23:37,036 --> 00:23:41,316 Speaker 1: by A Machia Sam Development as Freedom, because it talks 395 00:23:41,436 --> 00:23:46,116 Speaker 1: about just you know, just that you know, development um 396 00:23:46,796 --> 00:23:51,036 Speaker 1: is freedom. That's that's less that I never really perceived 397 00:23:51,116 --> 00:23:53,516 Speaker 1: my life through and that's you know, that's what he 398 00:23:53,596 --> 00:23:56,276 Speaker 1: helped us structure camera in a big way when we're 399 00:23:56,276 --> 00:23:58,916 Speaker 1: just starting the Confidate Association in a big way, when 400 00:23:58,916 --> 00:24:00,916 Speaker 1: we're just starting to look at ourselves as you know, 401 00:24:00,956 --> 00:24:05,556 Speaker 1: how is this education widening our freedom as young women 402 00:24:05,716 --> 00:24:09,196 Speaker 1: from patriarchical communities, as young women were the first in 403 00:24:09,196 --> 00:24:12,076 Speaker 1: our communities to graduate. So I think that's another book 404 00:24:12,116 --> 00:24:16,156 Speaker 1: that i'd recommend. And finally, Max and Molina talks about 405 00:24:16,316 --> 00:24:20,036 Speaker 1: a gender justice Development and Rise. So there's an article 406 00:24:20,076 --> 00:24:21,916 Speaker 1: that you know, she wrote in a book that I 407 00:24:21,916 --> 00:24:24,556 Speaker 1: would recommend that you also read because it talks about 408 00:24:24,596 --> 00:24:29,796 Speaker 1: power and how just opportunity also allows to challenge power 409 00:24:29,956 --> 00:24:33,436 Speaker 1: is specific in various communities, and for me, this is 410 00:24:33,476 --> 00:24:36,356 Speaker 1: also about gender justice. So I would say those are 411 00:24:36,356 --> 00:24:38,796 Speaker 1: the four articles, but there's just so much to read 412 00:24:38,876 --> 00:24:41,316 Speaker 1: out there. But I also just admit that some of 413 00:24:41,356 --> 00:24:45,876 Speaker 1: the work I don't agree with around that talks about 414 00:24:46,356 --> 00:24:48,876 Speaker 1: our culture as the reason why girls are not a school. 415 00:24:49,276 --> 00:24:52,476 Speaker 1: Poverty is the culprit. You know, poverty continues to force 416 00:24:52,556 --> 00:24:55,236 Speaker 1: coool solutions on parents, and I think that needs to 417 00:24:55,236 --> 00:24:57,676 Speaker 1: be understood. So I would say look for articles that 418 00:24:57,756 --> 00:25:01,836 Speaker 1: talk about that for me, the most important message that 419 00:25:02,236 --> 00:25:04,676 Speaker 1: I just want to be able to reaterate is that 420 00:25:04,796 --> 00:25:10,836 Speaker 1: girls education continues to be a problem, but it's and 421 00:25:10,956 --> 00:25:14,196 Speaker 1: we can do something in this generation to make the 422 00:25:14,236 --> 00:25:16,796 Speaker 1: world a beta place. You know, all the challenges that 423 00:25:16,836 --> 00:25:21,156 Speaker 1: we face today, improved incomes for families we talk about 424 00:25:21,316 --> 00:25:25,676 Speaker 1: climate action can be solved, you know, through investing in education. 425 00:25:25,716 --> 00:25:27,236 Speaker 1: So I just want to be able to say that, 426 00:25:27,276 --> 00:25:31,716 Speaker 1: you know, that's that's the most important area to invest in. Angie, 427 00:25:31,756 --> 00:25:34,956 Speaker 1: thanks for joining us Unsolvable. Thank you so much for this. 428 00:25:35,276 --> 00:25:41,596 Speaker 1: I appreciate. Angeline Murramirawa is executive director of the Campaign 429 00:25:41,676 --> 00:25:45,516 Speaker 1: for Female Education or camp SET. To learn more about 430 00:25:45,556 --> 00:25:48,636 Speaker 1: access to education and the rest of the un sustainable 431 00:25:48,676 --> 00:25:52,316 Speaker 1: development goals, please check out the links in our episode notes. 432 00:25:53,436 --> 00:25:57,156 Speaker 1: Solvable Senior producer is Jocelyn Frank, Research and booking by 433 00:25:57,196 --> 00:26:01,076 Speaker 1: Lisa Dunn. Catherine Girardell is our managing producer, and our 434 00:26:01,116 --> 00:26:05,276 Speaker 1: executive producer is Mia Lobell. Solvable is a production of 435 00:26:05,316 --> 00:26:09,356 Speaker 1: Pushkin Industries. If you like the show, please remember to share, rate, 436 00:26:09,396 --> 00:26:11,756 Speaker 1: and review us. It helps us get the word out. 437 00:26:12,436 --> 00:26:15,876 Speaker 1: You can find Pushkin Podcast wherever you listen, including on 438 00:26:15,916 --> 00:26:20,516 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app and on Apple Podcasts. I'm Jacob Weisberg.