Oxfam is a global movement working to end the injustices of poverty and inequality. In
Zimbabwe, Oxfam supports initiatives that advance social justice, gender equality, and the rights
of women and girls.
Background of the programme.
Oxfam is implementing the Empowering and Safeguarding Girls' Rights through Education (BEH)
Project in Zimbabwe and Malawi. The project seeks to improve access to education, strengthen
girls' agency and life skills and address harmful social norms that hinder girls' educational
attainment. The project focuses on adolescent girls and young women, particularly those facing
barriers such as poverty, child marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, lack of
menstrual hygiene products, and long distances to school.
Through interventions such as bursaries, bicycles, dignity kits, vocational skills training,
community awareness campaigns, leadership engagement, and parent-child champion
initiatives, the project has contributed to improved school attendance, retention, transition and
empowerment of girls in targeted communities.
Rationale of the short videos and pictures
As the project reaches a significant milestone, Oxfam intends to document achievements, lessons
learned and transformative impact through a high-quality documentary film and photography
package for dissemination to funding partners, partners, stakeholders, and the wider public.
The documentary seeks to provide compelling evidence of the project's contribution towards
improving girls' access to education and safeguarding their rights. It will showcase real-life
experiences of participants, communities, schools and stakeholders while highlighting innovative
and sustainable solutions promoted through the project.
The documentary will serve as:
o A funding partnersaccountability and reporting product.
o An advocacy tool for girls' education and protection.
o A knowledge and learning resource.
o A communication asset for fundraising, stakeholder engagement and public awareness.2
Key Documentary Themes and Storylines
Story 1 : Girls Returning to School and Completing Their Education
The documentary should feature girls whose educational journeys have been transformed
through project interventions.
Key areas to explore include:
• Barriers that kept girls out of school.
• Child marriage and teenage pregnancy challenges.
• Poverty and inability to pay school fees.
• Long distances travelled to school.
• Lack of learning materials.
• Impact of receiving bursaries, bicycles, solar lanterns, and educational support.
• Aspirations and future career ambitions.
Potential participants include girls who received bicycles, school support and educational
assistance.
Story 2 : Economic Empowerment and Skills Development
Document stories of girls acquiring vocational and livelihood skills through project-supported
training.
Focus areas:
• Agripreneurship activities.
• Poultry production.
• Tailoring and sewing.
• Catering and baking.
• Small business development.
The documentary should demonstrate how skills training contributes to economic independence
and school retention.
Story 3: Menstrual Health and Dignity3
The documentary should showcase how menstrual hygiene interventions have improved
attendance and participation of girls in school.
Key questions:
• What challenges did girls face before receiving support?
• How have dignity kits improved attendance?
• In what ways have girls’ clubs strengthened members’ confidence to openly discuss
menstrual health?
• How have attitudes among boys and teachers changed?
• What impact has gender-responsive education had?
This segment should include testimonies from learners, teachers, and school authorities.
Story 4 : Challenging Harmful Social Norms
The documentary should examine how communities are addressing:
• Child marriage.
• Gender discrimination.
• Unequal household responsibilities.
• Negative perceptions about girls' education.
Capture voices from:
• Parents.
• Community leaders.
• Parent-child champions.
• Traditional leaders.
• School Development Committees.
Highlight changes in attitudes and community ownership of girls' education initiatives.
Story 5 : Community Leadership and Advocacy4
Document the contribution of trained local leaders and community champions in promoting girls'
education.
Focus on:
• Community dialogue processes.
• Advocacy initiatives.
• Success stories resulting from community engagement.
• Evidence of increased support for girls' education.
Outputs for each person/story:
o 1 x Transcript (English, time-stamped)
o 1 x Video of interview (3-5Mins)
o 15-20 Photos showing neutral head of person looking straight at camera individual shot
- compelling, engaging, eyes to camera.
o Relatively close-up environmental portraits, shows the person’s strength head shot –
close happy, close serious establishing shot – with family, with community or in their
environment (residential or school, marketplace)
o Photos of them inside home, or school every day shot – such as at school, doing
homework, cooking etc.
o Photos of tangible items received – bike, pens, books, uniforms etc