Summary:

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: BOMA uses innovative microfinance and job-skills training programs to help the pastoral nomads of Northern Kenya to establish sustainable small businesses in their communities. In a region devastated by drought and poverty, women are using the tools of economic self-empowerment to feed their families, educate their children and pay for medical care.

LOCAL LEADERSHIP: BOMA’s economic empowerment program is led by trained Village Mentors. They are respected local residents with professional experience, such as schoolteachers and shop owners. http://bomaproject.org. Here’s how The BOMA Project works:

Summary:

Most schools are not equipped with water or sanitation facilities, leading to further dropouts particularly among girls.

Climate change is exacerbating these problems in education. Due to its location in the middle of two different climatic zones, Madagascar is hit by three or four cyclones in an average year, which damage or destroy thousands of schools and threatens children’s safety. Climate change is making Madagascar more susceptible to cyclones by increasing their frequency and intensity in the region.

UNICEF is working in Madagascar to rehabilitate and replace schools affected by cyclones with cyclone-resistant structures, while installing child-friendly and gender-friendly sanitation facilities. By equipping these schools with a safe structure, gender-sensitive amenities and safety programmes and bringing schools close to home, more children, and especially girls, will be able to attend school and complete their primary education. Cyclone-proofing schools will ensure the building stays standing and education continues despite the growing impact of climate change.

Find out how you can help children adapt to climate change.

Summary:

Mauritania is one of the poorest countries in the world and its population face a severe lack of health coverage, safe drinking water, sanitation and education. Widespread poverty and underfunded schools have dealt a blow to the educational attainment of poor children, restricting Mauritania's chances for development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

UNICEF's Education for All initiative works with the Government to improve the number of the most deprived children, particularly girls, completing basic education. UNICEF is helping improve the school environment by providing and installing solar systems for rural schools. Solar systems provide light and electricity for schools from a clean and cheap source of energy. This especially helps girls education because they can have longer hours in school.

UNICEF aims to have solar systems in all 429 UNICEF schools projects and works in partnership with the local communities so they are empowered to lead and sustain the projects. http://bit.ly/JiX0JW