Winrock International and its partners, including EdIntersect, implemented the three-year, USAID-funded Mali Girls’ Leadership and Empowerment through Education (GLEE) Program. GLEE built upon other programs to support and leverage efforts by the Government of Mali and civil society to increase girls’ educational opportunities in the regions of Mopti and Kayes.
STS collaborated with EdIntersect and Malian research firm CERIPS to assess which of the project’s approaches are working well in which region, as well as the factors required for adolescent girls to access education and to transition into formal schools. Special emphasis was placed on programmatic approaches in conflict zones. The Mid-project Research Study employed qualitative methods, supported by the analysis of secondary, quantitative data supplied by the project.
STS’s work allowed the project team to measure performance, understand the reasons behind the project’s successes and challenges, and adapt interventions to the high-conflict zone of Mopti. More broadly, the evidence generated from STS’s research helped USAID adjust GLEE’s design for new locations throughout Mali. Finally, the research allowed stakeholders—particularly government and NGO stakeholders—to design and implement better education programs for adolescent girls.