Apatseni Mwayi Atsikana Aphunzire (AMAA): Let girls learn: End of project report

Apatseni Mwayi Atsikana Aphunzire (AMAA) is a USAID funded “Let Girls Learn” initiative implemented in 5 districts in Malawi: Mzimba North, Balaka, Machinga, Phalombe and Chikwawa. The main objective of the project is to improve enrollment and retention of girls in upper primary school and in secondary school. The project also seeks to improve transition rates from primary to secondary schools by increasing the number of spaces available in secondary schools.

With support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the AMAA project has been implemented for 5 years from 2016 to 2021. Across the 5 year implementation period, Save the Children (SC) partnered with The Forum for African Women Educationalists – Malawi Chapter (FAWEMA), Concern Worldwide (CWW), Grassroots Soccer (GRS), and Peace Corps to implement a comprehensive package of interventions aimed at improving school access and performance, increasing girls’ agency and self-efficacy, and improving attitudes and support for girls’ education and safety. Employing a “whole of girl” approach, a package of interventions was designed to mitigate the barriers to girls’ retention and success in school by delivering interventions with the girl in her home, at her school, in the community within which she lives, and at the system level. However, following a situation analysis and consultations with local authorities, each district received a package specific to the prioritized needs of the authorities.