Girls for the future Project

 ‘Jijenge’ program for girls in Tertiary Education

There has been a consistent problem that has been caused by mismatch of the trainings acquired against what the employment market demand. Dealing with this eventuality is a big struggle for many young people, and if not well taken care of, the community may end up having many young people with no relevant skills which is dangerous.

This past quarter Mango Tree has put a concentrated effort in developing a program for young girls to gain gainful basic skills and to become entrepreneurs hence creating jobs for themselves and the market.

We want have developed p a succession program for our young girls in tertiary education so that they may be able to contribute positively towards the community at whatever capacity by being creative, innovative and entrepreneurs or business people. This program looks at entrepreneurship and innovation for the young girls. We have so far engaged 30 girls and are looking at targeting 200 girls.

OTHER ONGOING PROJECTS

1)     Supply girls with Reusable Sanitary Pads

2)     Health Outreach

3)     School levies to vulnerable children

4)     Holiday Tuition, Reproductive Health and empowerment Seminars  

5)     Alternative Family Based Care (AFBC)

Activities Progress

ü  The organization supplied 226 adolescent girls with re-usable and disposable sanitary towels. The girls were trained on the use and re-use of the sanitary towels.

ü  The organization through community health nurse conducted 9 outreaches programs targeting girls with health education and treatment. HIV counselling and testing was also done to 37 of the adolescent girls.

ü  Through TMT family in August during the school holidays, the organization mobilized 55 adolescent girls for health and motivational seminars. The seminars focused on among others; life skills, sex and reproductive health, career choice, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship skills. A graduation of 39 adolescent girls was also held for the TMT family that had finished there VCT, College or University education.

ü  Over the last ten (10) years the organisation has used AFBC (Alternative Family based Care to support highly vulnerable OVC. The foster homes have provided the OVC with adequate family environment to enhance development.

ü  The organization managed to continue supporting 8 highly vulnerable OVC at AFBC (Alternative Family based Care) by providing foodstuff, medical care and regular visits.

Challenges

ü  Funding remains a key challenge to implementing this project. Meanwhile, the organization is trying to come up with innovating ways of continuity of the project.

ü  School levies for the AFBC OVCs is a challenge especially when the foster parents cannot afford whatever levies are required

ü  Most of the adolescent girls are not willing to use the re-usable sanitary towels due to of inadequate water for sanitation and safe spaces for the management of the same. They dont have their own rooms, adequate birth rooms,etc.