RFPs: Community Engagement for Inclusive Education Initiative (Chad)

Deadline: 20-Jul-2026

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is inviting qualified NGOs to implement community-based initiatives that improve school enrolment, attendance, retention, and inclusive education in Chad. The programme focuses on strengthening community engagement, promoting girls’ education, identifying out-of-school children, and creating safe, accountable, and inclusive learning environments for vulnerable children.

About the UNICEF Chad Education Initiative

UNICEF is seeking applications from experienced non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to strengthen community participation in improving access to quality education across Chad.

The initiative aims to address barriers that prevent children from enrolling in school, attending regularly, and completing their education. It places particular emphasis on supporting girls, children with disabilities, refugees, internally displaced children, children living in rural communities, and children from vulnerable households.

Through stronger partnerships between schools, families, communities, and local authorities, the programme seeks to create inclusive education systems where every child has an opportunity to learn and succeed.

Focus Areas

The initiative supports activities that contribute to:

• Strengthening community engagement in education.
• Increasing school enrolment.
• Improving school attendance and retention.
• Promoting girls’ education.
• Supporting inclusive education.
• Identifying out-of-school children.
• Strengthening collaboration between schools and communities.
• Improving accountability in education.
• Expanding access to non-formal basic education centres.
• Establishing safe and accessible community feedback mechanisms.
• Promoting child protection within education systems.
• Encouraging gender equality in education.

Why This Initiative Matters

Many children in Chad continue to face barriers that prevent them from accessing education or completing school.

Common challenges include:

• Poverty.
• Cultural and social barriers.
• Gender inequality.
• Disability-related barriers.
• Geographic isolation.
• Conflict and displacement.
• School absenteeism.
• Repetition of grades.
• Early school dropout.

Girls and vulnerable children are disproportionately affected by these challenges. By strengthening community participation, the initiative seeks to create supportive environments where families and communities actively contribute to children’s education and wellbeing.

Programme Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Increase school enrolment among vulnerable children.
• Improve school retention and completion rates.
• Reduce school dropout.
• Strengthen community ownership of education.
• Promote inclusive and child-friendly learning environments.
• Encourage girls’ participation in education.
• Improve accountability between schools and communities.
• Support referrals to formal and non-formal education opportunities.
• Strengthen collaboration among education stakeholders.

Key Programme Activities

Supported activities may include:

• Identifying children who are out of school.
• Referring children to appropriate learning opportunities.
• Conducting community awareness campaigns on education.
• Promoting regular school attendance.
• Supporting girls’ education initiatives.
• Building the capacity of community leaders and education stakeholders.
• Strengthening parent-school partnerships.
• Supporting access to catch-up classes and non-formal education centres.
• Establishing community feedback and complaint mechanisms.
• Documenting lessons learned and best practices.

Community Participation Approach

The programme promotes active participation from:

• Parents and caregivers.
• Community leaders.
• Teachers.
• School management committees.
• Women’s groups.
• Youth groups.
• Local authorities.
• Child protection actors.
• Civil society organizations.

These stakeholders will work together to improve enrolment, attendance, child protection, accountability, and inclusive education.

Who Will Benefit?

The programme primarily targets:

• Girls.
• Children living in rural areas.
• Children with disabilities.
• Refugee children.
• Internally displaced children.
• Out-of-school children.
• Children from vulnerable households.
• Children needing access to non-formal education.

Communities, schools, teachers, and local authorities will also benefit through improved collaboration and stronger education systems.

Who is Eligible?

UNICEF is seeking qualified NGOs with demonstrated experience in:

• Education programming.
• Community engagement.
• Child protection.
• Inclusive education.
• Accountability mechanisms.
• Working with vulnerable populations.
• School enrolment and retention initiatives.
• Community mobilization.

Organizations should possess strong local implementation experience and the capacity to collaborate effectively with schools, communities, and government partners.

How the Programme Works

The initiative follows a community-based implementation model by:

1. Identifying barriers to education.
2. Mobilizing communities around children’s education.
3. Strengthening collaboration between schools and families.
4. Identifying out-of-school children.
5. Referring children to suitable education opportunities.
6. Supporting inclusive learning environments.
7. Creating community accountability mechanisms.
8. Monitoring progress and documenting lessons learned.

How to Apply

Interested organizations should:

1. Review the eligibility requirements.
2. Demonstrate experience in education and community engagement.
3. Prepare a proposal aligned with UNICEF’s programme objectives.
4. Describe planned community mobilization activities.
5. Explain strategies for improving enrolment, attendance, and retention.
6. Outline monitoring, accountability, and reporting mechanisms.
7. Submit the complete application before the official deadline.

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants should:

• Demonstrate strong community engagement experience.
• Present practical strategies for increasing school enrolment.
• Include approaches that promote girls’ education.
• Show experience supporting vulnerable children.
• Explain methods for strengthening accountability.
• Include realistic implementation and monitoring plans.
• Highlight partnerships with local communities and education authorities.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid:

• Submitting generic education proposals without community engagement strategies.
• Ignoring the needs of girls or vulnerable children.
• Failing to explain accountability mechanisms.
• Providing unrealistic implementation plans.
• Omitting monitoring and evaluation approaches.
• Not demonstrating local implementation experience.
• Overlooking referral pathways for out-of-school children.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the purpose of this UNICEF initiative?

The initiative aims to strengthen community participation in improving school enrolment, attendance, retention, and inclusive education for vulnerable children across Chad.

2. Who are the main beneficiaries?

The programme benefits girls, children with disabilities, refugees, internally displaced children, out-of-school children, rural children, and children from vulnerable households.

3. What activities are supported?

Supported activities include community mobilization, school enrolment campaigns, identification of out-of-school children, referrals to education services, capacity building, accountability mechanisms, and promotion of inclusive education.

4. Who can apply?

Qualified NGOs with experience in education, community engagement, child protection, accountability, and inclusive education are eligible to apply.

5. Why is community participation important?

Community participation strengthens collaboration between schools and families, encourages school attendance, reduces dropout rates, promotes girls’ education, and improves accountability within education systems.

6. What role do communities play in the programme?

Communities help identify out-of-school children, promote school attendance, support inclusive education, strengthen child protection, participate in accountability mechanisms, and encourage positive attitudes toward education.

7. What outcomes does UNICEF expect?

The programme aims to increase school enrolment and retention, reduce dropout, strengthen inclusive education, improve community ownership of education, and create safer, more accountable learning environments.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Chad Community Participation Initiative provides an important opportunity for experienced NGOs to strengthen education systems through community engagement, inclusive education, and accountability. By mobilizing families, schools, community leaders, and local authorities, the programme seeks to increase school enrolment, improve retention, promote girls’ education, and ensure that vulnerable children have access to safe, inclusive, and quality learning opportunities across Chad.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.