By Qondisa Sibeko, Kubepo Saul and Yara Hamed | ShE is Empowered Program Team
Introduction
The second year of the ShE is Empowered Program officially kicked off on 19 April 2022 with 20 ShE Leaders between the ages 15-29 from the following countries: Ghana, Rwanda, Lesotho, Uganda, Malawi, Eswatini, Egypt, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The aim of the program is to equip the selected program participants for this program with skills, knowledge and mentorship to invest in a community engagement project that will empower their communities for the better good.
Program Updates So Far
Cohort of 2022
At the beginning of the program, the number of participants per country was as follows: Egypt (1), Eswatini (1), Ghana (4), Lesotho (1), Malawi (7), Nigeria (2), Rwanda (1), Sierra Leone (1), Uganda (2). During the course of the program, 5 ShE Leaders were either dismissed or withdrawn from the program, either due to inactivity and noncompliance with the program’s requirements or due to personal reasons. The program now continues with 15 ShE Leaders from the following countries: Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
Module Sessions
ShE hosts module sessions twice a month, facilitated by industry professionals and Africa Matters Initiative team members that are knowledgeable about the topics. At the end of each module, the ShE Leaders are given a module assignment to assess the skills obtained from the sessions. The following sessions have been hosted this year so far:
We look forward to delivering the remaining sessions with the ShE leaders.
Community Engagement Projects
The community engagement project (CEP) is an essential part of the program. It provides an opportunity for the ShE Leaders to apply what they have learned from the program and implement it through a project that addresses a problem or need in their community. During the course of the year, we have specific sessions, modules 3, 6, 11, 14 and 16, dedicated to coaching and advising the ShE Leaders with the planning and execution of their projects. On top of assistance and guidance, the program also offers seed funding to each ShE Leader to be able to kick start their project. Last year each ShE Leader received $120 (USD) in seed funding towards their projects. This year it has been increased to $250 (USD) to enable ShE leaders to expand their impact from 20 to 50 community members This will total 1 000 community members impacted from the 20 ShE leaders. In order to receive this funding, each ShE leader will be required to provide a project plan (with clear monitoring and evaluation components) and a budget. At the end of the program, all ShE Leaders are required to submit a final project report and present the progress of their project execution to the rest of the cohort during the ShE Residential Summit. The aim of these projects is to be genuinely impactful and sustainable.
So far, one ShE Leader has started her CEP. Based in Ghana, her project aims to upskill women in her community by teaching them how to bead and create jewellery so that they can sell it and earn a living. See evidence of this incredible project below:
Mentorship
Along with the module sessions and community impact projects, during the course of the program, ShE Leaders are assigned a mentor who will provide them with career guidance and assist them with personal and professional growth. At present, eight (8) ShE Leaders have been matched and introduced to their mentors. The ShE Team is currently interviewing another group of potential mentors to match them to the remaining 7 ShE Leaders. The ShE Team hopes to conclude this process by 22 August 2022.
Program Plan For the Rest of the Year
Regarding the module sessions, there are 5 modules remaining which include:
Within the next month, the ShE Leaders will start receiving their seed funding and Africa Matters Initiatives t-shirts and executing their projects. The remaining 7 ShE Leaders will also be matched with mentors.
The ShE Team also hopes to execute a residential summit in December 2022 in Johannesburg, South Africa. During this period, all ShE Leaders will meet in person where over a week; they will network, experience various sessions on skills and professional development facilitated by industry professionals and AMI team members and learn about projects started by AMI alumni. During the summit, the ShE Leaders will also have the opportunity to present their community engagement projects to the rest of the cohort.
Conclusion
We are deeply grateful to you for the support provided to the ShE is Empowered Program thus far, and we hope that you will continue to support us as we continue to strive for meaningful impact with the cohort of ShE leaders for 2022.
If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at she@africamattersinitiative.com.
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