The COVID-19 pandemic presented a host of challenges to Lesotho’s schooling, including its FutureLife-Now! programme, which depends on schools as entry points to reach and support young people.
COVID-19 brought with it a serious communication challenge. Lockdowns, restrictions on public gatherings and face-to-face meetings resulted in curbs on all educational activity, including FutureLife-Now! programmes.
In response to this challenge MIET AFRICA assisted the 10 FutureLife-Now! schools in Malawi by establishing an effective e-platform solution. Each school was equipped with solar panels, laptops, projectors and Wi-Fi access, allowing for online communication, meetings and workshops. This has enabled the schools to conduct virtual meetings with their own stakeholders, including learners, educators, parents, local and religious leaders, task team members and civil society organisations, as well as with one another.
One of the schools that has benefited from the installation of the e-platforms is Umbwi Secondary School in Dedza district. Dave Mchakama is the youth facilitator at the school. He prides himself on utilising the e-platform to provide civic education to students at the school.
Welcome to the Chalimbana Clinic Youth-friendly Corner, situated in Chongwe District in the province of Lusaka in Zambia. A Youth-friendly Corner is a safe zone for young people. It is a place where adolescents can access health information concerning their lives, and non-judgmental services relating to reproductive health. It is also a healthy environment for “hanging out” and developing some life skills.
It is always inspiring to hear stories of learners taking matters into their own hands and making decisions that have a positive impact on their lives as well as those of their family and their community.
In the face of hunger and hopelessness brought on by COVID-19, one such learner, a 15-year-old girl named Diana Zariro, made the decision to take charge of her future, and empower herself through her own actions.
An important component of the FutureLife-Now! programme is the testing of a package of school-based HIV/SRHR services and support in secondary schools. The medical service fair, facilitated by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in partnership with FutureLife-Now! and its local partner, the United Methodist Church, made a significant contribution towards this support package.
The SADC Secretariat, UNESCO, UNICEF, MIET AFRICA and key partners held a successful webinar on 3 September which provided a platform for exchange between education leaders and stakeholders on good practices and challenges related to the re-opening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CSTL in Zimbabwe has enabled scaling-up and systematising support for children and responding to a broad range of barriers. In 2017, over 90 workshops and training sessions on CSTL priority areas were conducted by MoPSE in collaboration with various partners.
The South African government has made significant gains in increasing access to affordable basic education for the majority of the country’s previously marginalised citizens. Notwithstanding these gains, the provision of quality education is one of the most urgent challenges facing the government
Clean hands save lives. It’s as simple as that.
According to UNICEF, in 2016 diarrhoea was responsible for approximately 8% of all deaths of children under five.
Simple hygiene practices, including washing hands with soap, can reduce the rate of diarrhoea by almost 40%. But in many areas of South Africa, water and soap are scarce commodities and for thousands of school children, this situation is potentially deadly.
In February 2021, the CSTL Technical Committee and FutureLife-Now! Sharing Meetings were held virtually. Member States and partners shared country reports, provided expert inputs and discussed challenges experienced in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to view and download the presentations.
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