Girls Education
Educated Girls Change the World
At the Girls Gotta Run Foundation, education is the cornerstone of our work. We provide adolescent girls with full scholarships to attend primary and secondary school, ensuring they have the support they need to stay in school, succeed, and build futures of their own choosing.
In the communities where we work, the cost of education and daily living often puts school out of reach. Girls are expected to contribute at home, and without consistent support, many are forced to drop out. Our model removes these barriers and creates the conditions for girls to continue their education with confidence.
How Does Education Spark Change?
Removing Barriers
Each scholarship covers the core costs of education, including tuition, uniforms, and essential school supplies, allowing girls to remain in school without placing additional strain on their families.
Academic Support
We invest in each girl’s success in the classroom through regular tutoring in core subjects. We also cover the cost of annual and national exams, ensuring students can progress through school and access higher levels of education.
Health and Dignity
A girl’s ability to learn is directly connected to her well-being. Students receive daily meals to support focus and attendance, along with access to soap, sanitary pads, and basic health resources. A medical subsidy is available for both girls and their mothers, helping families manage essential health needs.
A Community of Support
Girls are part of a consistent and supportive environment where they are encouraged by mentors, coaches, and one another. This sense of belonging helps build confidence, resilience, and a vision for what is possible. Together, these supports ensure that girls are not only able to attend school but are also equipped to succeed, graduate, and shape their own futures.
Life Skills and Leadership
Safe Spaces, Friendly Faces
Education goes beyond the classroom. Each Saturday, Girls Gotta Run scholars participate in weekly life skills sessions designed to help them navigate adolescence, build confidence, and make informed decisions about their futures.
These sessions are led by trained female mentors and follow a dynamic curriculum that evolves based on the needs, experiences, and realities of the girls. Topics may include reproductive health, financial literacy, healthy relationships, leadership, and personal development.
Through open dialogue, peer support, and practical learning, girls build the skills and confidence to advocate for themselves and support one another.
As they grow, many students step into leadership roles as peer educators, mentoring younger girls and strengthening the community from within.
Success Stories
Diborah Eyasu
From Scholar to Trailblazer
In July 2024, Diborah (right) sat for Ethiopia’s nationwide university entrance exam. Out of thousands of students in the city of Soddo, her score of 560 stood out as the highest of any girl in the entire city. It was a moment of immense pride, not only for Diborah and her family, but for all of us who have had the honor of watching her grow.
Diborah joined GGRF when she was just 12 years old. She was the youngest of 11 children, raised by a single parent, and the resources to focus on her education simply weren’t available at home. Through the GGRF Athletic Scholarship Program, she received the academic support, mentorship, and daily nourishment she needed to thrive in school.
Now 18, Diborah is taking her next big step: attending Addis Ababa University, the top university in Ethiopia, where she plans to study software engineering. Her dream is to create innovative technology that can solve problems in her community and open new opportunities for others.
Betelehem Amanuel
Growing Confidence and Leadership
Before she became a top student or a confident voice in her classroom, Betelehem was a girl on the verge of giving up. School wasn’t just challenging—It was a battleground until Betelehem was identified for support through the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF) project, implemented by Imagine1day. What she received went beyond supplies—It restored her sense of self-worth.
“I was given dignity,” Betelehem says. “I was seen. Through the program, I received school fees, a new uniform, sanitary pads, books, and meals. I also joined the girls’ running club and life skills training. Spaces where I found my voice, my strength, and my confidence. Now, I raise my hand. I lead discussions. I run with pride. I no longer hide in the back of the room. I know I belong.”
With the chance to focus fully on her education, Betelehem soared, earning first place across all Grade 9 sections at her school. Her favorite subjects are Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and her dream is bold: to become a cardiologist.
Yeabsira
Support after Girls Gotta Run
Through our partnership with Wegene Foundation, GGRF alumni attending universities in Addis Ababa now have access to the Wegene Knowledge Center, a space filled with invaluable resources to help them succeed, including:
📚 A library with academic materials
💻 Computers and a printer
🍲 Daily lunch
…and so much more!
Yeabsira, a GGRF alumni, is now pursuing her degree at Addis Ababa University, making the most of these amazing opportunities. We are so proud of her journey and excited about the bright future she’s building!
Understanding The Issues
Early childhood marriage
In Ethiopia, early childhood marriage remains a significant barrier to girls’ development, limiting their access to education, harming their health, and restricting their agency. Girls who marry young are often forced to leave school, cutting short their learning and future economic opportunities. Early pregnancy—common in these marriages—poses serious health risks, including complications from childbirth and higher maternal mortality rates. Beyond these impacts, child marriage reduces a girl’s ability to make decisions about her own life, reinforcing cycles of poverty and gender inequality that can persist across generations.
Teen pregnancy
Teen pregnancy in Ethiopia is closely tied to early marriage and carries serious consequences for young girls’ health and futures. Adolescents are more likely to experience complications which can have lifelong physical and social effects. Beyond health, early pregnancy often forces girls out of school, limiting their opportunities and increasing economic dependence. With limited access to reproductive healthcare and education, many girls have little ability to delay or space pregnancies, further reducing their autonomy and long-term well-being.
Gender-based violence
In Ethiopia, gender-based violence like domestic abuse, sexual violence, and harmful traditional practices remains a pervasive threat to young girls. Limited access to trusted legal, medical, and support services, especially in rural areas, can make reporting feel unsafe or futile. Additionally, a lack of awareness about rights, along with uneven enforcement of laws, can leave girls with little confidence that reporting will result in protection or accountability. This violence can lead to lasting physical and psychological trauma, disrupt education, and isolate girls from their communities.