GLOBAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT FUND (GEDF)
Global Education Development Fund (GEDF)
OUR GOAL
The Global Education and Development Fund Tanzania was established to provide support to vulnerable and marginalized people especially children, whose circumstances of hunger and poverty make them vulnerable to a host of challenges including lack of access to education, child labour, poor health, sexual exploitation, violence, and abuse. Our target population includes orphaned children, homeless children and youth, the girl child, women and disabled children and adults.
We envisage a world where children, women, and girls, have unhindered opportunities to break the cycle of vulnerability, fulfil their potential, and contribute to their communities. Cultivating hope, and fostering change is our reason for being. Hope and change will help vulnerable and marginalized children and youth (especially girls), women move beyond vulnerability. Our mission is to empower people and alleviate poverty through education, vocational and skills, training, entrepreneurship, and community development.
GEDF articulates a humanitarian and social justice agenda. We believe sustainable development requires the meaningful participation of all people especially traditionally marginalized groups. GEDF will therefore work in and with vulnerable and marginalized communities and groups in rural and urban environments in developing countries in Africa and the Caribbean and among marginalized peoples in Canada. GEDF’s projects and initiatives are collaborative and participatory. We partner with local stakeholders in project countries on developmental priorities they identify that represent a good fit with our areas of focus.
Areas of Focus
Global Education and Development Fund focuses on education and community development with an emphasis on vulnerable children and adults. Our projects cover the broad area of poverty alleviation among vulnerable segments of the population. Specific areas of focus include Education, Food & Nutrition Security, Health, Well-being and Community Development and Women and Girls' Education and Empowerment.
OUR PROJECTS
Girls Leadership and Empowerment Program
The GLEP is an education and training program for secondary school girls in Singida, Tanzania. It seeks enhance self-esteem, confidence, leadership, advocacy, and agency among girls. It is a two-week program with one week of workshops and educational activities followed by a week of school visits. There are currently ten participating public secondary schools which are each represented by six girls and a female chaperone teacher. The 60 girls and their teachers arrive after school Monday to Friday for a week and spend two to two and half hours each day engaged in planned curriculum activities covering topics such as financial literacy, rights of children, human rights and the rights of women and girls, women’s health, hygiene, STEM, HIV/AIDs education, careers, setting goals, community service, and building networks and communities of support and learning.
This is a great collaborative project that is primarily funded through Rotary District 6400 and the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) grants and matching funds, while the educational activities are developed and implemented by teacher candidates in the Global Community Engagement Program in the Faculty of Education, University of Windsor. Your support through funding will help us provide this training for more girls.
Tanzania Textbook Project
Since 2017, GEDF has implemented a textbook project for primary and secondary schools in Tanzania. To date, over 2500 textbooks have been provided to around 15 schools. Textbooks are critical to schools and school children given the traditional nature of education and the lack of access to the opportunities afforded by technology, social media and electronic resources. Seeing the excitement, joy and gratitude on the faces of principals, teachers and students when the books are provided tells the story of the books mean to them. By donating just $12.00 you could provide a primary school textbook. For a donation of $25.00 you could provide a secondary school textbook. This would make a big difference to the education of countless children.
Education Support Program
Through this program, GEDF provides support to students for secondary and post-secondary education and vocational and training. Funds are provided for tuition fees, examination fees, textbooks and other learning resources, uniforms, tools among other educational needs. This program is supported through private fundraising and intermittent personal donations and sponsorships. Please consider donating to this important program that helps children and youth to get a good education and reach their goals and potential. This program has become increasingly important as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. For example, we have provided funds that have supported over two dozen students in Tanzania and Jamaica in acquiring data for online learning.
Social Justice Project
Our special social justice project is an outreach program for people living with albinism. This debilitating genetic disorder afflicts many people and families. People who suffer from albinism are the victims of discrimination, abuse and violence. They are shunned by society are forced to live in the shadows on the fringe of society. Our outreach program comprises an integrated social justice strategy. This includes an anti-discrimination public education program to raise awareness and promote social activism to end violence and discrimination against albinism sufferers. The focus of this is the development of public education resources and materials such as posters, brochures, fact sheets, and infographics. We also provide medical clinics and items for skin care, eye protection, and hats. Because people with albinism are economically disadvantaged and many have young children, food and school supplies are also provided.
