PROJECT
Biruh Tesfa: Safe Spaces for Out-of-school Girls in Addis Ababa

Biruh Tesfa (meaning “Bright Future” in Amharic) is a program for adolescent girls in the Mercato area of Addis Ababa. The program is designed to assist out-of-school girls by creating safe spaces through which they can build support networks with other girls, as well as relationships with supportive adults. The program promotes functional literacy, life skills, livelihoods skills, and HIV/reproductive health education through girls’ clubs led by adult female mentors. Girls' clubs are held in meeting spaces donated by the kebele (local administration). Meeting times are varied to accommodate the various schedules of working girls.

Over 3,700 out-of-school girls are participating in Biruh Tesfa groups: Nearly 2,400 participants are from Addis Ababa slum areas, and 1,300 are from Bahir Dar. Overall, one-third of participants are in the younger age group, 10–14 years; in Addis Ababa, nearly half (49 percent) are younger adolescents. Biruh Tesfa girls are from very disadvantaged backgrounds: 21 percent are double orphans, and 34 percent are single orphans. Although many girls do not know the reason for their parents’ deaths, it is more than likely that many have lost their parents to AIDS. Less than one-third (27 percent) of participants are living with their parents. Many are living with extended family members (37 percent) or nonrelatives (12 percent). One-quarter of Biruh Tesfa girls are domestic workers living with their employers.

Biruh Tesfa is giving most of these participants the chance to attend school for the first time in their lives; 79 percent of participating girls have never attended school before.

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Population Council researchers

Annabel Erulkar, Mesfin Tegegne, Tekle-Ab Mekbib

Non-Council collaborators

Ethiopia Ministry of Youth and Sport

Addis Ababa Youth and Sport Commission

Bahir Dar Youth and Sport Office

Donors

Nike Foundation

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief

The Turner Foundation

UK Department for International Development

United Nations Foundation

United Nations Population Fund

US Agency for International Development

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