Girls for the future Project

‘Jijenge’ program for girls in Tertiary Education

In the past 8 months, Mango Tree has put a concerted effort into developing a program for young girls to gain gainful basic skills and to become entrepreneurs hence creating jobs for themselves and the market.

We developed 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. The program kicked off with 30 girls engaged in different fields that is hairdressing, Catering, Fashion and design, and many others.

The hairdressing course which takes 6 months completed its 1^st training with 10 girls graduating. The program had a small setback with time because of the COVID19 pandemic which has affected the whole world. As a result, some of the girls have delayed completing their various training. However, 10 girls doing hairdressing completed their apprenticeship and graduated. Apart from the skills gained, they also were awarded some seed capital as a start-up. We are hopeful that these young girls will become successful entrepreneurs in creating employment for others. The project is targeting 200 girls.

OTHER ONGOING PROJECTS

Supply girls with Reusable Sanitary Pads

1)      Health Outreach

2)      School levies to vulnerable children

3)      Holiday Tuition, Reproductive Health, and empowerment Seminars

4)      Alternative Family Based Care (AFBC)

Activities Progress

ü  The organization supplied 442 adolescent girls with re-usable and disposable sanitary towels. The girls were trained on the use and re-use of the sanitary towels and through community health nurse, conducted 15 outreaches programs targeting girls with health education and treatment. HIV counseling and testing was also done.

ü  Through TMT family school holidays, the organization mobilized 800 adolescent girls and conducted health and motivational seminars. The seminars focused on among others; life skills, sex, and reproductive health, career choice, youth empowerment, and entrepreneurship skills.

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

ü  The organization managed to continue supporting 20 highly vulnerable OVC at AFBC (Alternative Family-based Care) by providing foodstuff, medical care, and regular visits.

Challenges

ü  The COVID 19 pandemic is currently the main challenge. With most vulnerable children being at home and are exposed to sexual exploitation and abuse hence being in danger of early pregnancy, contracting HIV/AIDS, and other sexual diseases, because of poverty extreme hunger and illnesses. This will eventually lead to many girls dropping out of school.

ü  Funding remains a key challenge to implementing this project. The organization is constantly engaging its donors for continuous support and for the timely completion of the project. Meanwhile, the organization is trying to come up with innovative ways of continuity of the project.

 Next quarter activities

Supplying of Masks, Sanitizers, Reusable sanitary towels, sensitization and Health talk through home visits by

Community Health nurse

Conducting online tuitions, health and empowerment seminars, while observing the COVID19 regulations

in collaboration with Community nurse and professional counselors/speakers

Offering psychosocial support due to COVID19 effects at Alternative Family-based   Care homes

Strengthen the incubation and entrepreneurship center/resource center at our Farmers Training Centre