Save the Children in Ethiopia Receives Award for Adaptive Management

Save the Children’s Sponsorship Program in Ethiopia received the global sponsorship award in “recognition for a focus on children” and exemplary management of the 2015-2016 school year in West Showa, during which school attendance fell significantly. In the Global Sponsorship Conference held from October 23 to October 27, 2017 in Manila, the Program was recognized for its adaptive management in which focus was shifted to a community -based approach, to ensure that as many as 27,000 schoolchildren get education in summer learning centers. This intervention also ensured the students make up for regular classes they missed due to recurrent socio-political unrest in the area.

Some 247 learning centers were set up in West Showa through active community participation and provisions of local materials to build these centers in locations closer to where many schoolchildren live. About 951 facilitators from within target communities assisted the children to improve their numeracy and literacy skills. Elders and parents worked with Save the Children to mobilize community members to send their children to the learning centers. The elderly also participated in telling stories to the children attending the centers.

Through its adaptive management, the Sponsorship Programming has adjusted its operations to changing socio-political situation in its West Showa impact area and has compiled its annual updates, collected annual children’s letters, and done its mid-year children eligibility check proactively.