Girls for the future Project

Introduction

The Girls for the Future project aims to support young women and girls in rural areas, particularly in Homa-bay County, Western Kenya, by providing them with educational opportunities and empowering them through various interventions. This project seeks to enhance their access to education, build resilience within the community, and mitigate discrimination, gender-based violence, and stigma.

Project Objectives

The Girls for the Future project focuses on two key objectives:

• Recruiting vulnerable women who dropped out of school and providing them with apprenticeship opportunities to enhance their business skills and improve their livelihoods, supporting their own and their children's education.
• Empowering women through education, vocational training, and enterprise projects to enhance their economic independence and resilience.

Key Activities and Progress

The Girls for the Future project has undertaken several activities in the reporting period of January to April 2023 to achieve its objectives:

a)           Family Matters Program

Caregivers and parents have been engaged in the Family Matters Program, which aims to improve their understanding of and relationship with their adolescent children. Through this program, 350 guardians/parents have benefited from talks and sessions that enhance their parenting skills.

b)          Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) Sensitization

Sensitization programs on SRH have been conducted in primary and secondary schools across the county. These programs aim to raise awareness among students and provide them with essential information regarding sexual and reproductive health. So far, 522 pupils and 142 students (362 girls and 298 boys) have participated in these sessions.

c)           Apprenticeship Program

A total of 24 girls and young women are currently enrolled in the apprenticeship program, focusing on beauty and hairdressing courses. This program aims to equip participants with the necessary skills for self-reliance and economic independence.

Nine girls are preparing for field exposure (attachment) to gain practical experience and learn more about business skills. Additionally, they are awaiting the National Industrial Trade Authority (NITA) examinations scheduled for August 2023. These examinations will provide them with certification for their acquired skills.

d)          Support for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)

The project has supported persons with disabilities by facilitating correctional surgeries to enhance their mobility. Three individuals have been referred for surgeries in the past three months. Moreover, 87 PWDs have been assisted in registering for national identity cards, enabling them to access services such as bursaries more easily, particularly children with disabilities.

e)           Menstrual Hygiene Support

A total of 360 young girls have received reusable sanitary towels to improve their menstrual hygiene, thereby enhancing their educational attendance and retention.

f)            Business Support and Village Saving Groups

Out of the 70 women whose businesses were boosted, 50 have managed to sustain their businesses despite the challenging economic times faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) throughout the country. To further support their entrepreneurial ventures, the project has established small village saving groups, involving 10 trained business skills groups, where women can save and access loans.

Conclusion

The Girls for the Future project has made significant progress in empowering women and girls in Homa-bay County, Western Kenya. Through a range of interventions such as apprenticeships, business training, counseling support, and SRH sensitization, the project has worked towards building resilience and economic independence for women and girls. However, there is an ongoing need to expand financial support and create market linkages to ensure the sustainability of women's businesses. Additionally, efforts will continue to raise awareness on gender-based violence, children's rights, and reproductive health through seminars and workshops. The project's ultimate goal is to create employment opportunities and foster a more inclusive and empowered community for women and girls.