Founders
We are Grace, Ginevra, and Ela — co-founders of Girls Growing Education, a youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Virginia, USA. Having met in primary school and launched GGE while in high school, we share a passion for expanding educational opportunities for underserved students around the world.
OUR STORY
During Covid we learned how fragile education can be, even in a country like the US where we suddenly found ourselves isolated at home with very little support. We relied on Khan Academy to stay on track with our curriculum, and we were ahead of peers when the pandemic was over. We also realized that this fragmented schooling ecosystem was business as usual in parts of the developing world, where children with dreams just like ours, were at a loss for lack of an equitable and accessible education.
We decided to bring Khan Academy (or any online educational platforms of choice) to any student in need regardless of internet access/connectivity. We use an EdTech device, where the entire Khan Academy platform was downloaded and accessible locally through any phone, laptop, computer, iPad, etc. without the need offorn internet connection. We then brought it to Ethiopia for a pilot and ran a summer camp in Addis Ababa for 40 students to test how the students learned. The results were outstanding, and we were able to confirm the concept and evolve to the next level.
We worked hard during that year and were able to register Girls Growing Education as a nonprofit organization and work with the students at a distance to make sure they were successful in their asynchronous learning.
We returned to Addis the following summer and organized another camp with additional students and held an Educational Summit, where we were able to connect and interact with international organizations such as UNICEF, The World Bank, IMF, USAID, and local nonprofits working in education (Imagine 1 Day/ Lululemon and Ayzon Foundation).
We also hired a small team on the ground in Addis to assist with immediate needs. We’ve had many more challenges piloting in a country that is much more complex than anywhere in the developed world. Regardless, we are making progress every day with our local team and the organizations that have partnered with us to secure movement forward at scale.
Our dream is to use our experience to expand to other countries in Africa (and ultimately wherever needed), allowing more students to access our device and truly democratize education. We are about youth to youth (Y2Y) and are looking to be a small part of the solution that can help close the gap in even the most rural areas and refugee camps, ensuring that the basic human right of an education is truly equitable, affordable and accessible to all.
OUR MISSION
Girls Growing Education (GGE) is a youth led nonprofit working to bridge the global digital divide through innovative offline educational technology. We believe every child deserves access to quality education, regardless of where they live or whether they have internet access. By providing underserved communities with world-class digital learning resources, we help students unlock their full potential.
Our Team
As a youth-led organization, GGE is powered by students and volunteers who are passionate about educational equity. Working alongside our partners in Ethiopia, our team helps design, implement, and grow programs that bring high-quality learning opportunities to underserved communities.
Having been raised in a household with Ethiopian parents, I grew up hearing their firsthand experiences and the challenges they faced during their own upbringing. Among the many hardships they endured, it was their stories about the struggle to access quality education—and their unwavering hunger for knowledge—that deeply impacted me.
My first visit to Ethiopia, when I was in middle school, made those needs even more vivid. Seeing the educational barriers faced by children in my extended family and others sparked a strong desire to find ways to bring quality educational resources to Ethiopia.
That desire eventually led me to start Girls Growing Education with my two like-minded friends, Ginevra and Ela. Together, we set out to share the same world-class learning resources we’ve benefited from in the U.S.—like Khan Academy—with our peers in Ethiopia, my second home country. We know that bringing excellent education offline to students who lack reliable internet access—representing the vast majority of the more than 30 million students in Ethiopia—is a monumental endeavor, but we are committed to doing our part and advocating for them and students everywhere.
Born in Milan to an Italian father and American mother, I was taught from a young age what it is to live between cultures, value all cultures, and have a fundamental connectivity and empathy for the greater global community.
I vividly recall the moment when my passion for social development was forged. I was sitting on a park bench in Istanbul when I saw a large family of Syrian refugees. There was one girl with whom I locked eyes and shared a moment of deep connection. I was looking at a reflection of myself and I knew she felt the same. We were two human beings that just happened to be female, happened to be the same age, happened to have our hair in similar braids, and just happened to have such different paths ahead that we could feel the insurmountable chasm growing between us… even though we were standing only meters apart.
The value proposition of proven, high-level modules of learning combined with this EduTech device is powerful and far-ranging. From underserved children in Ethiopia to the promise I made a Syrian girl years ago… this is more than investing in young minds. It’s about helping humanity bridge the abyss and getting back on the very path that manifests what it is to be human.
Born into an Indian family that values education as a transformative force, I grew up listening to stories of my ancestors’ struggles and triumphs, instilling in me a profound appreciation for the power of knowledge. These stories served as a catalyst for my mission to bring education to those who need it the most.
Rooted in my Indian heritage, my family has always believed in the adage that education is the key to unlocking a brighter future. I witnessed the transformative effects of education firsthand through my family’s work to help children from humble beginnings break free from the cycle of poverty through access to quality education.
Inspired by the resilience and determination displayed by my family, I am embarking on a personal journey to bridge the education gap for underprivileged children, particularly in rural areas of Ethiopia. I firmly believe that every child deserves an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and realize their full potential.
Sisay Kebede has a BA degree in Foreign Languages and Literature from Addis Ababa University and a MA degree in Education (Special Needs) from the University of Joensu (Eastern Finland). He has also earned high level certificate in Inclusive Education (Quality Educating) from the University of Oslo (Norway) and a high-level certificate from KIE (Kenya Institute of Education) in ECD (Early Child Development). Sisay’s recent work experience includes panel head at ICDR (Institute for Curriculum Development and Research, MOE), Director of Ethics and Anti- corruption, and Director of Finance, procurement and administration at MOE.
Abinet Hailemariam serves as a Computer Lab Instructor at DilBetigil primary school and as a Learning Lab Coordinator for Girls Growing Education. In addition to supporting students at his school, he helps coordinate activities across several GGE learning labs, ensuring labs operate on schedule, students are properly enrolled, and monthly reports are collected and submitted. His dedication helps ensure that students have reliable access to educational technology and learning opportunities.
Tamagn Habte serves as a Computer Lab Instructor at Qusquwam Taytu Btul primary school and as a Learning Lab Coordinator for Girls Growing Education. In addition to supporting students at his school, he helps coordinate activities across several GGE learning labs, ensuring labs operate on schedule, students are properly enrolled, and monthly reports are collected and submitted. His dedication helps ensure that students have reliable access to educational technology and learning opportunities.
Hi, my name is Emnet Getachew. I am a student at Robinson Secondary School in Virginia and an ambassador for Girls Growing Education. I love going to school to learn, and I’m lucky to attend a world-class school—one with a rigorous program called the International Baccalaureate. I’m eternally grateful for the cards I have been dealt and hope to use them well. Outside of school, I enjoy learning about human psychology and reading.
Hi, my name is Betel Yonas. I am a student at the International Community School (ICS) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and an ambassador for Girls Growing Education. Living in Ethiopia while attending an international school has given me a front-row seat to the vast differences in educational opportunities available to youth. Outside of the classroom, I am a competitive soccer and basketball player, and I find balance by playing my guitar. I have always been passionate about community work, from founding a music organization focused on mental health to advocating for women’s empowerment by providing menstrual health support to disadvantaged women in my community.
I am Bereket Tewolde. I attend Freedom High School in Virginia, but I spend time in both Virginia and Ethiopia, which is home to my family. I have always wanted to learn, build things, and help people who are not as fortunate as I am.
My path started when I was very sick and had to be in the hospital for months. This experience changed how I see the world. It made me want to create opportunities for other people; specifically, it made me want to create opportunities for children who feel stuck or overlooked.
My path started when I was very sick and had to be in the hospital for months. This experience changed how I see the world. It made me want to create opportunities for other people; specifically, it made me want to create opportunities for children who feel stuck or overlooked.
Outside of school, I enjoy playing soccer, engineering projects, and working on ideas that combine technology and actual positive impact. I have coached younger players and also developed community projects. Each project I work on ties into my ultimate goal to provide an opportunity for another person.
One of the things I'm most proud of is helping the digital divide in unrepresented communities here in Virginia. This is a way to bring all three of the things I care about education, technology, and providing opportunities for young people to develop together. I want to continue doing similar types of projects on a larger scale for many more people.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors provides guidance, oversight, and long-term strategic support for Girls Growing Education. The board brings together individuals with experience in education, technology, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement who share a commitment to expanding educational opportunity for underserved students.
Samuele Rosa works as Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund. He has carried out his career entirely in international organizations. He worked at the European Commission and the European Monetary Institute, involved in the preparatory work related to the establishment of the European single currency, then moving to the European Central Bank until the launch of the Euro. Since 2001 he has been working at the International Monetary Fund, currently working for developing countries for Fund financial programs in countries implementing adjustment policies to restore the condition for economic stability and growth.
Fikre Zewdie has a MA degree in Development Studies and Political Science from London School of Economics and has over 25 years of work experience in international NGOs including Action Aid, Oxfam GB and Digital Opportunity Trust Canada. He has led and managed multi-faceted large-scale country programs in Ethiopia, Pakistan and Southern African countries.
Fikre has also served as member of the Executive Board for Poverty Action Network Ethiopia (PANE), Consortium of Christian Relief and Development Associations (CRDA) and Debo Micro Finance Institution.
Fikre has also served as member of the Executive Board for Poverty Action Network Ethiopia (PANE), Consortium of Christian Relief and Development Associations (CRDA) and Debo Micro Finance Institution.
Nina, is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in the eCommerce industry. Her career journey began at DuPont, a global science and innovation company, where she held various technical and business leadership roles. She was instrumental in driving the adoption of new business models leveraging emerging e-business technology. Following her tenure at DuPont, Nina ventured into entrepreneurship and successfully bootstrapped an information security and CX startup, Phena Partners, LLC. She then moved on to InQuira (startup acquired by Oracle) where she led Sales Strategy for the company’s CX portfolio. Before joining Walmart as Head of Product, Omni Care, Nina served as Senior Director, Global Customer Experience Product at eBay. At Walmart, Nina has been instrumental in driving digital transformation for Customer Care & Engagement across the ecosystem. Her deep passion for creating solutions that foster strong customer and employee engagement has been a driving force in her career. She brings a wealth of cross-industry experience, having successfully managed large-scale organizations, developed world-class global teams, led significant business transformations, and fueled innovation.