unleashing the power of girls_carrie miller_10.14.11
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My Skills, My Money, My Brighter FutureHighlights from Qualitative Research on
Economic Strengthening Interventions for Adolescent GirlsIn Vulnerable Children Programs
Carrie MillerSenior Technical Advisor for HIV
CORE Group Fall MeetingOctober 14, 2011 - Washington, D.C.
Focus & Purpose
• Programs not designed with a “girls lens”
• Interventions most likely to influence economic outcomes
• Purpose:• Successes• Challenges• Recommendations
Educa-tion (vo-cational training) Economic
Strengthening
(savings groups)
Food Se-curity &
NutritionPsychosocial support
Shelter
Health
Child Protec-
tion
Context
• PEPFAR Track 1 OVC program (2004 - 2010)– Child-headed households– Vocational training– Adolescents integrated into adult
savings-groups
• Out-of-School-Adolescents Project (2007 – 2010)– 1 in 4 children orphaned– Vocational training: private sector
apprenticeships – Savings-led microfinance for
adolescents
Source: CIA Fact BookSource: CIA Fact Book
Why Vocational Training?
• Pregnant girls not permitted to attend school
• Need to balance household responsibilities
• Prohibitive cost of school fees & supplies
Vocational Training Structure
• Center-based or Community-based
• Technical Skills• Complementary Skills
6-month Classroom Training
• Local entrepreneurs• Graduates• Private sector entities
6-month Apprentice-ship
Successes
• Girls valued complementary skills
• Extensive support system• Increased self-esteem• Less likely to engage in
transactional sex
“My sewing machine is now my
boyfriend. It is what gives me
money.”- Adolescent girl vocational
trainee, ZimbabwePhoto: Wendy-Ann Rowe
Recommendations
• “Earning while learning” • Market assessments• Provide job
counseling/modeling to support non-standard options
• Link with private sector for job placement
Photo: Melita Sawyer
Sithandazile’s Brighter Future
• Now employed• Supports self and
family members• Serves as a role
model for other girls
Photo: Melita Sawyer
“We’re orphans, and our guardians can’t take care of us. To keep going with our education, and to take care of ourselves, we decided to join SILC.”
- Adolescent girl SILC participant, Zimbabwe
Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC)
What is a Savings and Internal Lending Community (SILC)?
• Group of self-selected members
• Meet regularly to save, borrow & repay
• User-owned and self-managed
• Independent of outside investments
Successes
• Financial benefits– Improved access to
healthcare & education• Non-Financial benefits
– Peer support– Increased self-esteem and
confidence– Mentoring from adults– Development of
entrepreneurial and problem solving skills
– Reduced transactional sex for girls
“There was a temptation before to have sex for food, but now if I’m approached, I say I don’t need it. Now I can pay for my own lunch.”
- Adolescent girl SILC participant, Zimbabwe
Recommendations
• Engage adults • Ensure sound
child protection practices
• Include additional services
Photo: Melita Sawyer
Take Away Messages
Economic Strengthening: Not a stand alone activity
Work at all levels to create an enabling environment
Institutional
Community
Household
Adolescent Girl
Acknowledgements
• Participants: All the girls, boys, caregivers, community and local leaders who generously shared their time with us
• Nike Foundation: Amy Babchek• Partner staff: Caritas Kibungo, ORAP, ASAP• CRS staff: Wendy-Ann Rowe, Rwanda,
Zimbabwe, Central and Southern Africa Regional Offices
Thank you
“Get all the knowledge you can, so you can stand on your own and earn a living.”–Sithandazile
Thank you for your attention
Photo: Wendy-Ann Rowe
What were the food security interventions in Rwanda?
• Bio-intensive kitchen gardens
• Goat fairs and pass-on scheme
Photo: Rick D`Elia Photo: Jean Claude Mugenzi
What do adults have to do with it?
• Adolescent & youth participation is essential, but adults are important too...
– Project staffo Skills & capacity to work with adolescents and adults
– Parents and caregivers of adolescents:o Encouragement & support - first savings, IGA ideas, assist with IGAs, time
management
– Teachers o Create supportive environment for learning & earning
– Community Leaderso Legitimacy & enforcement of SILC constitutions
What we did...
• Population: program participants and key stakeholders
• Informed consent• Data collection
– Local language– Group discussions– Key informant interviews– Document review
• Data analysis– Synthesis of themes– Verification
Photo: Wendy-Ann Rowe
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