Pakistani education activist, Malala Yousafzai
Malala Fund has impacted over 26 million students globally through its education-focused initiatives in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, according to its latest annual report released on Monday.
The organization invested $66.4 million, supporting 123 education champions, 65 girls’ program fellows, and various partners across six key countries: Nigeria, Pakistan, Brazil, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
The report highlighted significant strides in advancing girls’ education, particularly in Nigeria, where nearly five million adolescent girls remain out of school.
In Kano State, the BridgeConnect Africa Initiative’s advocacy led to the adoption of the Gender Responsive Education Budgeting (GREB) framework, training over 50 government stakeholders and establishing a 15-member GREB Committee.
“This framework drove an increase in the education budget from 19% to 35% for girls’ education, enabling the reopening of 15 girls’ secondary schools, expanded access to free transportation and uniforms, and the hiring of more female teachers,” the report noted.
In Adamawa State, the Center for Advocacy, Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI) collaborated with the government to introduce the state’s first comprehensive education policy.
This policy promotes gender equity through mentorship, safe learning environments, and enhanced parental involvement.
Globally, the Fund supported legislative efforts in Nigeria, Brazil, and Tanzania to protect girls’ rights and pushed for reforms to end gender apartheid in Afghanistan, the only country banning girls from secondary education.
The Malala Fund also awarded $10.2 million in grants to 57 organizations across ten countries, primarily through its Education Champion Network, Afghanistan Initiative, and Girls’ Programme.
Additionally, it launched an initiative to reform global debt structures, aiming to unlock billions for education to address challenges like inadequate school infrastructure and teacher shortages.
Fund’s CEO, Lena Alfi, emphasized the organization’s achievements: “We unlocked $7 billion in donor commitments to finance education and supported 13 million students to continue learning despite setbacks.”
She highlighted the role of grantee partners in securing landmark policies, such as Brazil’s constitutional amendment for education funding and Nigeria’s Child Rights Act, which safeguards girls from child marriage.
“Our partners ensured policies improved girls’ access to education, from supporting adolescent mothers in Tanzania to increasing funding for teacher salaries and safe transportation in Pakistan,” Alfi added.
The report marks the conclusion of the Malala Fund’s 2020-2025 strategy, setting the stage for its next five-year plan.
Co-founded in 2013 by Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai, the Fund continues its mission to ensure 12 years of free, safe, and quality education for girls worldwide. (NAN)
