UK pledges Millions to improve education in Rwanda
On Tuesday, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) will launch a partnership with Rwanda to improve education in the region. The program, entitled “Innovation for Education (IFE),” will offer a minimum of £50,000 and a maximum sum of £800,000 to participating organizations. Marc Van der Stouwe, the head of the initiative, revealed that IFE looks to spend about £10 million in total.
NGOs, faith-based organisations, private sector projects, foundations, and consortia are all encouraged to apply for funding — but competition looks fierce. Calls are welcome on September 4th, and applications will close just two weeks after that date. Stouwe anticipates an extensive vetting process, coordinated under strict guidelines. Applicants will be screened by four criteria. Projects need to be innovative, easily replicable by the Rwandan government, cost-effective, and of course, make long-lasting improvements to the quality of education in the region.
Successful applicants will start their work in Rwanda in December 2012, and should work for approximately two years under the DFID’s tutelage. Funded projects will be under close scrutiny by the IFE, constantly evaluated for effectiveness and direction.
The project is but a part of the DFID’s efforts in Rwanda. In total, the UK government spends £83 million each year in Rwanda, and looks to continue doing so until 2015. This stands in stark contrast to the US, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, which have all decided to cut Rwanda off from aid for the year. The countries allege that Rwanda has been offering military assistance to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The US offers more total foreign aid than any other country. However, the picture changes when aid amount is calculated as a percentage of gross national income. Under such a metric, the US lags far behind, spending a mere 0.21% of its GNI. The UK spends 0.52% of its GNI in foreign aid.
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