A young girl smiles slightly as she peers out from behind a wall in Parsa, Nepal
VSO/P Mathema

Webinars: Our ongoing work during COVID-19

Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October 2020

Discover more about how we're continuing to work during COVID-19.

Recap the Keeping children safe and learning during COVID-19 webinar

Recap the Your questions answered by VSO's Executive Board webinar

Keeping children safe and learning during COVID-19

Wednesday 21 October 2020, 9.30 - 10.45am UK time

As cases of COVID-19 around the world surge, and many schools remain closed, more than a billion children are out of school globally. We are constantly adapting our programming to meet the psychological and learning needs of children.

The longer closures continue, the greater the risks to young people’s health and welfare – particularly for the most vulnerable. When schools stay shut, incidences of teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence and sexual exploitation increase.

The role of national and community volunteers, and their work with local partners and educators, is critical in reaching the most marginalised and disadvantaged families and children.

Meet our speakers

The work taking place in Nigeria and Nepal is innovative and multifaceted in its approach to tackling these barriers. We will be joined by:

Adewunmi Christabel Omolade
Adewunmi Christabel E. Omolade

Adewunmi Christabel E. Omolade: Programme Manager, Inclusive Education, Nigeria

Christabel has extensive experience as a technical lead in the areas of policy, capacity building, advocacy, strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation. She has previously worked at WaterAid, and as a consultant for the World Bank and Nigeria's Federal and State Ministries of Education, before joining VSO in 2018.

Christabel currently manages VSO’s Inclusive Education programme in Nigeria, working with a diverse range of volunteers, managing partnerships, and delivering projects which reach some of the country's most marginalised and vulnerable children.

Abhina Adhikari
Abhina Adhikari

Abhina Adhikari: Project coordinator for the ENGAGE (Empowering a New Generation of Adolescent Girls with Education) project, Nepal

Abhina has extensive experience of delivering programmes which focus on women's empowerment, girls' education, gender equality and social inclusion.

She currently manages a diverse group of volunteers from different cultural, socio-economic and linguistic backgrounds, as part of the ENGAGE project, which supports 2,660 marginalised and out-of-school girls - especially those living with a disability - to access a quality education.

Aarzoo Parajuli
Aarzoo Parajuli

Aarzoo Parajuli: Project coordinator for the Sisters for Sisters' Education project, Nepal

Aarzoo’s passion is advocating for the rights of women with intellectual disability. She has worked with many national NGOs to improve the education rights of marginalised girls on the verge of being trafficked. She has led projects for the UN Trust, Mama Cash and Freedom Fund, and has conducted community and national level campaigns to advocate for the labour rights of marginalised girls.

Aarzoo currently leads on the Sisters for Sisters' Education project, which has so far supported over 9,000 girls in rural Nepal to stay in education.

We will also be joined by:

  • Sarah Kayongo, Country Representative for Nigeria
  • Ananda Paudel, Head of Inclusive Education in Nepal
  • Purna Shrestha, Lead Advisor for Education.

Recap the webinar

Presentation slides

Webinar recording

Recording of the Keeping children safe and learning webinar on 21 October

Your questions answered by VSO's Executive Board

Thursday 22 October, 9.30 – 10.30am UK time

We will be joined by:

  • Philip Goodwin, CEO
  • Donne Cameron, Executive Director of Programmes
  • Kathryn Gordon, Director of Human Resources

This is an opportunity to ask members of the Executive Board questions, and have an open discussion.

Recap the webinar

Presentation slides

Webinar recording

Recording of the Your questions answered by VSO's Executive Board webinar on 22 October

Find out more

Students washing their hands at Shree Nepal National Community Secondary School, Surkhet
VSO/Suraj Ratna Shakya

COVID-19 response

How we’re adapting our work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A young girl sits outside with her mother and father, who are both wearing face masks, using a tablet to learn
VSO/Craig Mawanga

COVID-19 response: Inclusive education

We're adapting our ongoing education programming to keep children safe and learning - both throughout periods of lockdown, and as they start to return to school.