The Malala Fund

Founded by Malala and ziauddin yousafzai in 2013, we champion every girl's right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education. Together with our board, leadership council, donors, staff, champions and girl activists, Malala Fund is creating a more equal world by making sure all girls can go to school. This fiscal year, Malala Fund awarded nearly $14 million in grants to organisations in 17 countries our largest annual investment to date. We disbursed funds to our core initiatives, The education champion network and girl fellows programme, while also setting up a new Fund to address The situation in afghanistan. (see schedule o for a continuation of fy23 program accomplishments)education champion network:malala Fund's education champion network invests in The work of educators and advocates to improve access to girls' secondary education in their countries and communities. This fiscal year welcomed 23 new champions to address issues ranging from calling for an end to prohibitive policies for student mothers in tanzania, improving digital access in bangladesh's coastal areas and reducing child labour rates in lebanon. Some of our champions' country-level accomplishments are outlined below:bangladesh: in its second year, champions in bangladesh are working to address The factors that have contributed to a 42% secondary school dropout rate for girls in rural areas. Four new partners joined The bangladesh chapter this year to expand access to education to regions with high rates of poverty, child marriage, gender-based violence and abuse. Working in The climate-affected char (islands), haor (wetlands) and coastal regions, champion projects will also help provide resources to allow girls to continue learning even as extreme weather disrupts their school schedules.brazil: champions brought together a coalition of 20 black, indigenous, quilombola, transgender girls, girls with disabilities and rural workers from across The country to draft a manifesto #girlsdecide for The right to education, which outlined their demands for government officials. Grantee coordenao nacional de articulao de comunidades negras rurais quilombolas (conaq) launched national course for quilombola girls, a two-year program for 90 quilombola teachers and students to help foster a connection to their identity and ask school administrations to include lessons on afro-brazilian history and culture. Participants came from 21 different brazilian states and will reach more than 400 students across The country.ethiopia: education champions brought attention to The ongoing conflict and how it could undo years of hard-earned gains by distributing a spotlight report at side events held during The un high level policy forum. Saba gebremedhin, of The network of ethiopian women associations (newa), delivered an official intervention on behalf of The women's major group. Champions in ethiopia also identified opportunities for girls to participate in The peace process, so their concerns and needs would be addressed in rebuilding efforts. Elsewhere in The country, Malala Fund is supporting projects to improve school conditions, address gender-based violence and end hurtful social norms that limit girls' learning opportunities.india: The indian government has yet to expand free, universal education to include secondary school. While The right to education (rte) act increased primary school enrolment, only 41% of girls attend past age 14 because families struggle to afford tuition fees, worry about their daughters' safety travelling far distances to school or favour their sons' educations. Champions are collectively working to expand rte's mandate and eliminate barriers that prevent girls from finishing their studies.lebanon: education champions launched a right to light initiative to provide electricity to schools during widespread power outages so 4,000 students could continue their studies. Lebanese organisation for studies and training (lost) launched The "education for girls' empowerment" project to install solar panels in six public high schools in The underserved areas of baalbek hermel. The program has also helped 800 students who were falling behind by providing remedial classes and is ramping up efforts to address school closures and change official exams to a pass / fail system to give students a better chance of succeeding. Nigeria: champions in nigeria continue to advocate for strengthening policy to successfully implement The universal basic education (ube) act, which guarantees 12 years of free, safe education to every child in The country. The chapter is also advocating for governments to adopt a curriculum that promotes principles of gender equality and to increase education funding.pakistan: in its first year, steam education for girls clubs have welcomed 7,000 students in 422 schools from 45 districts. By 2027, The programme, a partnership with pakistan's federal government to teach girls science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, hopes to reach 13,000 public high schools in The country and encourage five million girls to study steam. The initiative will also further national education policy and make The case for investing in girls' education.tanzania: in remote areas of northern tanzania, pastoral women council (pwc) is establishing parent teacher associations (ptas) in five high schools to increase enrolment for female students and encourage parents to be involved in their daughters' educations. Girls are more likely to stay in school when families care about their child's academic performance and can help resolve issues that make it difficult for them to learn. Through pwc's initiative, ptas celebrated international days, hosted church events and community meetings to raise awareness for The importance of girls' education. Ngorongoro girls school pta advocated for clean water and bathrooms, while engarenaibor secondary school sought to fight high absenteeism by rallying motorcyclists to end child marriage and gender-based violence. Girl programme:girls have bold visions for The future and strong opinions about what leaders should do to achieve them. Through our girl programme and assembly publication, Malala Fund puts girls at The forefront of our work, providing them with training to hone their advocacy skills and a platform to deliver their message. Girl fellows made their voices heard at cop27, The future impact summit and The 67th commission on The status of women, where they met with government officials, participated in panels and gave speeches demanding action on girls' education. At The 10th african conference on sexual health and rights held in sierra leone, tamilore and meti, two fellows from nigeria and ethiopia, networked with peer activists from across The continent to foster relationships, share campaign strategies and find ways to align on efforts championing for their rights.our digital publication and newsletter (assembly) gave girls a place to share their opinions, experiences and reflections on The year's most pressing issues from climate change and racial justice to gender inequality and girls' education access. Finally, grants totalling $1,575,000 were awarded through The girl programme supporting women-led organisations working to address barriers to education. A selection of projects is highlighted below:- badabon sangho trains young women and girls in bangladesh to advocate for their right to education. The group leads social action projects to raise awareness for societal issues that hold girls back such as early marriage and gender-based violence. Participants will learn community organising skills to challenge discriminatory systems and engage in sports to build their confidence and connections with young women in their community. - in six high schools in tigray, maternal, adolescent, reproductive and child health research center (march)'s 'she heals, we heal" programme provides safe spaces, mentoring and mental health services to ease The transition back to in-person learning for girls displaced by ethiopia's civil war. Girls will learn to express themselves creatively through art and showcase their storytelling, photography, painting or musical projects at two community exhibits. March plans to partner with The ethiopian government to replicate their model in other schools in The region.- zenith of The girl child and women initiative support (zegcawis) will carry out The #freepadforgirls campaign to supply no-charge period products in secondary schools throughout northeast nigeria. At weekly club meetings, girls will learn advocacy skills and produce radio programmes to teach listeners about menstruation and other issues that interrupt girls' attendance at school. These young women will also organise community events with religious leaders and local officials to eliminate taxes on period products further raise awareness for girls' education.