Page 48 - Aidlink AR 2021

DIRECTORS’ REPORT
For the financial year ended 31 December 2021 Continued
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
2021 was both a challenging and rewarding year for Aidlink as we continued to navigate the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic and severe drought in Kenya. Schools reopened in Kenya in January 2021 and, together with our partners, we welcomed children back to school after 9 months
and a return to a new normal in programme delivery. In Ireland,
staff continued to work remotely and despite ongoing challenges in fundraising, the support and loyalty of our donors ensured we not only maintained but increased overall income and reach. As a result, core programme objectives were met with increased activity among targeted communities in Kenya, and the reestablishment of partnerships in Uganda.
Aidlink’s primary focus in 2021
was on the poorest and most excluded communities in Kenya, particularly girls and women from the nomadic pastoralist Masai
and Turkana communities. The Kenya Inclusive Quality Education Project (KIQEP) funded by Irish
Aid (2018 – 2021) came to a close in June 2021. Favourable exchange rates gains facilitated the inclusion of an additional 8 schools (4 in Kajiado and 4 in Turkana counties) resulting in a further 2,269 children and their families benefiting from the programme. An end of project evaluation commenced in late 2021
with initial findings indicating timely and efficient project delivery with strong results at outcome level.
In May 2021, Aidlink successfully secured a new three-year grant
from the Irish Aid Civil Society Fund scheme totalling €380,000 per annum for the Every Girl in School (EGIS) project in Kajiado and Turkana Counties. This is a 23% increase
on the previous Irish Aid funding grant. This EGIS project targets
20 new schools with a student population of 10,009 children. EGIS builds on learnings from KIQEP and incorporates interventions across four levels: the school, the community, the individual and civil society.
Irish Aid funding carries significant restrictions and conditions.
These include the requirement to contribute 30% to the Every Girl In School project from Aidlink’s own resources. Irish Aid recognises that the EGIS project entails significant inputs from the Dublin office and these costs are considered to be part of Aidlink’s EGIS contribution.
Building on the positive results achieved through our partnership since 2003, the Girl Child Network remains our key partner in the implementation of the Every Girl in School project supported by Irish Aid’s Civil Society Fund.
Schools in Kenya reopened in January 2021 following prolonged closures due to Covid-19. The impact of these closures continues to be
felt in target communities. While we are recording increased enrolments across all target schools, 30% in Turkana and 20% Kajiado, we are seeing higher enrolment rates
in lower classes with increased dropout rates in the higher classes. With mounting evidence of increased rates of child marriage, teen pregnancies, gender-based violence (GBV) and FGM a care package introduced in 49 targeted schools provided supports to 248 young mothers and pregnant girls
to facilitate their re-enrolment in school. While strong uptake was seen initially, severe drought has resulted in communities returning to traditional practices that negatively affect the girl child. Aidlink will continue to work with communities to tackle negative practices and support the girl child to thrive and participate fully in the community.
The Kenyan Government declared
a state of emergency in September 2021 due to the severe and protracted drought in the Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) regions. In response, Aidlink scaled up its school feeding programme to include 44 schools. Food was distributed in November and December 2021 and at its peak over 20,000 children received a daily meal in the 4-6 week period leading up to Christmas.
In Uganda, schools remained closed until January 10, 2022, due to government Covid-19 restrictions. With funding support from
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