Education and women empowerment: AVSI’s take at G7 high-level event

On October 1 in Caserta, AVSI will present the G7 members with concrete recommendations for building the future of the education system, in partnership with Africa.

Giampaolo Silvestri e Priscilla Achan al G7 di Caserta
Date 04.10.2024

On Tuesday, October 1st, AVSI participated in the G7 high-level event “Investing in lifelong learning for job creation and resilience: a dialogue with Africa” in Caserta, to promote concrete G7 initiatives on education and development during the Italian Presidency, and enhance synergies with the African Union and its continental education strategy. 

2024 was declared the “Year of Education” by the African Union, whose flagship economic report, produced in collaboration with the OECD Development Centre, was presented during the day. The 2024 edition of the report explores how African governments, firms and educational institutions can increase the supply of quality skills, in line with current and future demand, to create jobs and increase productivity.

G7 members intend to engage with African partners and accelerate common efforts to achieve the education targets of Agenda 2030, by supporting quality investments in the continent’s human capital - that is its most valuable asset to generate prosperity and sustainable development in Africa and worldwide. The event brought together a Ministerial participation from the G7 countries, the African Union, African countries and CSOs to uphold and progress the G7’s legacy especially on girls’ education.

Gender equality in primary education is a key tool for empowering girls, broadening their role as agents of change in economy and society. Reducing learning poverty as well as the number of out-of-school girls and investing in quality education and foundational learning is critical, as strong learning outcomes are not only linked with better career and earning prospects, they’re also a crucial determinant of communities’ health, wellbeing, and climate resilience.

AVSI's contribution

AVSI Secretary General Giampaolo Silvestri spoke during the first roundtable discussion of the day, “Primary education, women empowerment and resilience”, offering concrete recommendations for building a new education system capable of reaching every child and fostering their potential.

The participants then listened to the meaningful contribution of Priscilla Achan, head teacher at the pre-primary and primary Luigi Giussani School in Kampala, whose education was sponsored through AVSI's Distance Support Program.

The speech of Priscilla Achan 

Today I stand before you to share my life story and personal experience.
My name is Achan Priscilla. I am 25 years old. I am a Ugandan by nationality. I grew up in a child-headed family consisting of four children, in one of the biggest slums of Kampala City called Acholi Quarter.

I lost my father at the age of three in 2003. After his death, a lot of things in my life became uncertain especially the hope of attending school. My mother struggled so much to raise my siblings and I to ensure that we had at least two meals in a day, but the problem was the provision of school fees. Fortunately, my mother met Rose Busingye, the Director of Meeting Point International. This is a Ugandan NGO born in the 90’s from the encounter of Rose and the women of the slum. Around 1.000 women are now involved in MPI, most of them are war refugees, affected by HIV. MPI works to support the most vulnerable people in our communities, and AVSI has been her important partner over the years. In fact, it is thanks to the AVSI Distance Support Project that catered for our school fees all time through, that my siblings and I continued going to school till date.

Over the years with the help of AVSI, MPI founded its own school, named after an Italian priest called Fr. Luigi Giussani; this is the school we all attended, and the place from where I currently work. I will tell you more about our school later. Back then, when I was a student, I never took any single time for granted, for I knew that education was a priority and the only hope I had in order to change the situation in my family.

Unfortunately, in 2014 my mother succumbed to cancer and passed on too. This was a turning point in my life because I had nothing to do except accept the reality as it was given to me. She left the family in the hands of my elder brother and I, and moreover that year we both had national examinations to sit. Life taught me to mature at a tender age because I had to become a mother to my siblings at that time.
In this situation, the teachers at Luigi Giussani School were always present to help me whenever I was in need. They accompanied me to discover that even in front of challenges, life is still worth living. I never felt alone at any point because I was surrounded with faces of people who truly loved me and desired to see me happy. They encouraged me to take my life as a young girl seriously. Usually so many young girls in my community after such a tragedy give up in life, indulge in early marriages which leads to school dropout. Instead, I worked very hard and, at the end of Ordinary Secondary Level, I managed to emerge among the best students in school.

Besides good results, I was still overwhelmed by my responsibility as a young mother; that’s why I wanted to stop in the O Level in order to look for a petty job; but once more Rose assured me that AVSI would continue to cater for my tuition and support my family. Of course, I did my part: during every single school break, I would work as a cleaner to get some money. I learnt self-independence and resilience, because nothing was got on a silver plate. Eventually, in 2016, I completed my Advanced Level emerging as the best student of Luigi Giussani High School with 17 points. In 2017 I joined Kyambogo University, where I pursued a Bachelor Degree in Education; offering Literature in English and English Language. My journey at the university was equally difficult because I had to study and work at the same time. So, in 2018, I began working with Luigi Giussani Pre-Primary and Primary School as a teacher of English. I accepted this job offer because I wanted to continue living the same experiences that I lived as a student in Luigi Schools. Growing up in the slums, I knew that I would easily relate with the lives of the students I faced. These are children who come from humble but vulnerable families whose hope is in school. I desired to teach these children the same way I was taught; to help them discover their value, that they are important irrespective of the pain, suffering, poverty or hustles that they go throw. I was accompanied in this path, so I desired to accompany them too.

The three years at university were quite intense, but in the end, I managed to get a first-class degree honor. I’m aware that reaching this step is a privilege, considering the challenges that a girl child has to face in Uganda: teenage pregnancies, early marriages, family responsibilities, lack of school fees (normally boy’s education is taken as the priority). Instead, my story taught me that, in order to make a difference, education should be a priority for everyone. Once more I have to acknowledge that even this new achievement was possible because of Meeting Point International and AVSI, that embraced and supported me in the absence of my parents.

Now I am still in Luigi Giussani Pre-primary and Primary school and since 2022 I’ve been appointed as Head Teacher. I think I am one of the youngest in Uganda: if people visit the school, they fail to identify me as one because I spend my break and lunch time usually with the children (in most schools, a Head Teacher is someone who is feared by the children and being taken to his or her office is more like digging one’s own grave). The task of my job is basically to make a journey with my teachers and students to deepen the things I was helped to discover about education. 

First of all, that education is not all about imparting skills and cramming knowledge but rather helping a young human being to discover him or herself as an infinite value and, therefore, to look at all the aspects of reality as a value. Rose always says that when a person discovers herself, understands her own infinite value, everything that she touches gains meaning, and become precious.
I’ve also learned that we educate by attraction. From my experience as a teacher, even when teaching Reading and Writing or any other subject, there must be an attraction to help the students learn the content I’m delivering. The students have to see that you love what you do, because you can’t teach something you don’t love; and you can’t love something you don’t know: that’s why planning and researching are so crucial in our profession. That’s why in our school we have a saying that: teaching is the adult way of learning.
Another point is how to handle discipline: in Africa most teachers think that beating a child is the best way to make him behave and perform properly. In my experience this is simply a terrible shortcut that creates fear and detachment in relationships; and without relationship, education simply can’t take place. That’s why in Luigi we rather encourage dialogue and mutual understanding.
Lastly, I try to show my teachers that it is just impossible to educate when you are alone. In Africa we always say: it takes a village to raise a child: that’s why we emphasize teamwork among the staff and involve parents in our journey.
I want to conclude with a quote by Fr. Giussani: “To educate is to communicate oneself”, which means to communicate the truth which has become one’s life experience.


I realized that in order to educate, I should start by looking at myself asking: Who am I? Everything starts with me. When I am aware of who I am, that I am made with the same desires of the children I face in class, then I am able to look at them with a true gaze.

For instance, there is a boy fully supported by Meeting Point through AVSI Distant Support. Unfortunately, he faces domestic challenges at home, and many days he just doesn’t want to stay in school. I was so concerned about it, and I resorted to going almost every week at his home, to invite him to school, for 2 full terms. Surprisingly this third term he decided to come back to school by himself. When I asked him why, he told me, “Teacher, I realized that not even my own parents care about my stay in school, but you are different. You sacrificed your time to come and invite me back. This time I decided to come back because I want to concentrate on my studies, I want to take care of myself.” According to me, it was clear that even the fees that was fully paid was not enough to fulfill this boy’s heart. He was yarning for something greater than the fees; that is a need to be loved and to find a meaning in life. My heart is just like this boy’s heart, and being an educator for me just means to journey together with him, towards the discovery of the meaning of our lives.

The whole panel, from left to right: Daniela Fatarella, General Director, Save the Children Italia; Eugenia Roccella, Italian Minister for Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities; Laura Frigenti, Executive Director, Global Partnership for Education; Giampaolo Silvestri, AVSI Secretary General, and Priscilla Achan, Head Teacher at the Pre-primary and Primary Luigi Giussani School in Kampala

The agenda

09.30–09.50 | Welcoming remarks by local authorities and Italian National School of Administration (SNA)

  • Local authorities 
  • Paola Severino, President, Italian National School of Administration (SNA)

09.50–10.10 | Opening remarks

  • Edmondo Cirielli, Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
  • Alberico Gambino, Vice President of the Foreign Affairs Commission, European Parliament

10.15–10.30 | Presentation of the report “Africa’s Development Dynamics 2024: Skills, Jobs and Productivity”

  • Patrick Olomo, Head of Economic Policy and Sustainable Development Department, African Union Commission
  • Federico Bonaglia, Deputy Director of the OECD Development Center 

10.45–11.55 | 1st roundtable: Primary education, women empowerment and resilience
Moderator: Faridah Luanda, GPE Champion

  • Eugenia Roccella, Italian Minister for Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities
  • Daniela Fatarella, General Director, Save the Children Italia
  • Laura Frigenti, Executive Director, Global Partnership for Education
  • Giampaolo Silvestri, Secretary General, AVSI
  • Priscilla Achan, Head Teacher at the Pre-primary and Primary Luigi Giussani School in Kampala
  • Representatives of G7 members

12.00–13.00 | 2nd roundtable: Training and capacity building for resilient and sustainable food systems

Moderator: Massimo Zaurrini, Director, Italian magazine “Africa & Affari”

  • Francesco Lollobrigida, Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (online)
  • H.E. Ibrahim Mayaki, Special Envoy for Food Systems, African Union
  • Maurizio Raeli, Director, CIHEAM in Bari 
  • Matteo Lorito, President, AGRITECH Foundation and Dean, University of Naples Federico II
  • Representatives of G7 members

15.30–16.30 | 3rd roundtable: Technical and professional training for resilient health systems

Moderator: Stefano Gatti, Italian Director General of Development Cooperation

  • Orazio Schillaci, Italian Minister of Health (online)
  • H.E. Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa, Malawi Minister of Education
  • James Campbell, WHO Health Personnel Department Director 
  • Paolo Impagliazzo, Secretary General, “Comunità di Sant'Egidio”
  • Representatives of G7 members

16.30–16.45 | Final remarks

  • Edmondo Cirielli, Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

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