GirlsRead! Zambia DREAMS Innovation

INTERVENTION: Selected schools will be randomly assigned to arms by generating a random number for each school in Microsoft Excel, then sorting by that random number and assigning arms A, B, or C in sequence. Arm A: Community engagement activities, safe space groups and e‐readers. Arm A sessions will devote approximately 30‐45 minutes to the safe space curriculum and 30‐45 minutes to discussing content on the e‐reader. Arm B: Community engagement activities and safe space groups. Arm B sessions will devote approximately 30‐45 minutes to the safe space curriculum and 30‐45 minutes to group review of school material in order to determine if time devoted to reading material considered to be entertaining improves literacy skills and performance on the Grade 7 Composite Exam more than time devoted to academic review Arm C: No activities Community engagement activities will involve adults who influence girls’ opportunities and attitudes toward education to create a supportive environment for the safe space groups, and foster gender equality, literacy development, and secondary school attendance and completion. Safe space groups will include 15 to 20 girls and will meet weekly, outside of school hours. Groups will be led by female mentors who will facilitate using participatory, learner‐centered pedagogies and cover such topics as the right to education, gender‐based violence, financial literacy, sexual/ reproductive health (SRH), HIV, and advocacy. E‐readers designed for sub‐Saharan Africa will be layered onto this safe spaces model with each girl being given her own e‐reader for the duration of the project. In the groups with e‐readers, additional time will be spent reading and discussing books together. To ensure equal exposure in terms of time, the girls in the safe‐spaces‐only group will have homework or other academic support for the same number of minutes. Mentors will be compensated for their time. Content on e‐readers will showcase alternative views of gender roles, suc CONDITION: HIV ; Infections and Infestations ; HIV PRIMARY OUTCOME: Literacy skills are measured using an assessment developed in English for 6‐16 year olds by the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network for Anglophone African countries at baseline and 12 months. INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Female 2. Girls enrolled in Grade 7 (last year of primary school in Zambia) SECONDARY OUTCOME: 1. Time spent reading is measured using a structured questionnaire by asking participants how much time they usually spend reading, how much time they spent in the last day and how much time in the last 7 days at baseline and 12 months; 2. Score on the Grade 7 Composite exam is recorded for all participants interviewed at baseline who are sitting for the exam in October 2017; 3. Progression to secondary school is assessed using a structured questionnaire by asking participants whether they are enrolled in secondary school at 12 months; 4. Numeracy skills are measured using an assessment developed in English for 6‐16 year olds by the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network for Anglophone African countries at baseline and 12 months; 5. Attitudes and knowledge:; 5.1. Gender attitudes are measured through administering GEM scale questions to participants as well as additional questions about women’s rights at baseline and 12 months; 5.2. Reproductive health knowledge is measured through a series of questions to participants on HIV and pregnancy risk as well as knowledge about where services can be obtained at baseline and 12 months; 5.3. Self‐efficacy is measured through a generalized self‐efficacy scale administered to participants as well as additional questions on expressing opinion and confidence asking questions at baseline and 12 months; 6. Sexual behaviour is assessed using ACASI at baseline and 12 months; ; Exploratory Outcomes:; 1. Critical consciousness is measured through five questions to participants on women’s experiences in Zambia regarding gender equity in employment, abuse from male partners, early marriage, and speaking out about injustice at baseline and 12 months; 2. Perpetration of school violence is measured through five questions about participant name calling, teasing, stealing, physical violence etc. directed at other students at baseline and 12 months