Partners in Education Ethiopia (Formerly Frances G. Cosco Foundation) is a non-denominational Canadian charity registered by the Government of Alberta (No.5117735828) and the Canadian Revenue Agency (No.827187774 RR0001). It is also registered under the revised proclamation (No. 1113/2019) of the Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations (No.3337) and by the State of Alaska (EIN 35-2677945). 

"It is critically important for women to be educated." That was the visionary conviction of Frances G. Cosco as she grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada in the 1930s. A schoolteacher and feminist before her time, she was the mother of co-founder of Partners, David Cosco, who became involved in charitable work in Ethiopia in 2002.

Realizing the enormous impact that a small amount of money, invested in education, can have on reducing poverty and improving people's lives in poor countries, David and his wife, Gina, set up the charity, initially in the name of David’s mother. Frances G. Cosco Foundation was officially registered as a charitable organization in both Canada and Ethiopia in 2015. In 2019, the name was changed to Partners in Education Ethiopia to better reflect the nature and purpose of the charity: undertaking projects in partnership with local communities, governments, universities, and other NGOs, using a holistic approach to improving, and increasing access to, education in Ethiopia. Partners in Education Ethiopia was registered in the United States in 2019.

Why Ethiopia

We focus on Ethiopia because of the need, and because many of the individuals involved in Partners in Education Ethiopia have firsthand experience and knowledge of the opportunities and challenges present in the country. The Ethiopian government, with support from civil society and other development partners, has put significant effort into improvements over the past decade; however, poverty levels in the country are still among the highest in the world.

We work specifically in the Amhara Region, where the needs are high, we have supportive partners, and we feel that we can deliver results. It is also an area where we are confident that our employees, volunteers, Directors, and donors will be safe.

Focus Areas

Poor achievement in rural schools is mainly a result of very poor learning environments and very poor quality of teaching. Substandard physical infrastructure, inadequate learning materials, and health risks from lack of latrines and clean water exemplify existing school conditions. Teaching methods are typically based on a “chalk and talk” teacher-centred lecture approach, even at elementary grade levels. Studies indicate that the current focus needs to shift from number of years of school attendance to improving quality of learning: quality of education is what matters to economic development. Consequently, we have adopted a holistic approach, which addresses all of the factors that contribute to lack of access to, and lack of quality of, education in the region.

Read more about our projects & programs→

Implementation Framework

Communities approach Partners in Education Ethiopia with proposed projects. We assess the need, the commitment of the community as well as the school principals, and the community’s ability to contribute to the cost. Community contributions are deposited into our bank account and then sealed contractor bids are tendered and opened in a public forum. Construction begins immediately thereafter, and normally new schools are opened at the start of term in September. Teacher training, sanitation & hygiene, eye health, and greening and gardening programs follow as soon as the school is built. Outcome measurement begins at the end of the first year.

Our Finances

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