Many children drop out of school after losing a parent(s) or enduring violent atmospheres, or due to other reason. If a girl gets pregnant before finishing school, she is most likely not allowed to finish the studies and will, therefore drop out. She will struggle to get a job, so she can’t create an income.
SOLUTION
To achieve this goal, we have established a training workshop, where trainees (participants) acquire skills in training and knitting so they can use these in the job market – allowing them to support themselves. This workshop is used for making school uniform and sweaters for children at our school, production of sanitary pads for distribution to school girls, and making educational toys / dolls from cloth cut-outs, thus enhancing their skills and allowing them to contribute to the development of their community.
Through the tailoring workshop, we also provide these alternative skills to some of the older children at our school – preparing them to work a specific trade or occupation that can help them create sustainable lifestyles. As part of skill development training, we also impart soft skills such as financial literacy and record-keeping, business management / entrepreneurship, savings mobilsation, life skills and other employability skills necessary to make an income.
To expand training and work opportunities, we are planning to also introduce hairdressing, crafts making (paper beads, shoes, bags,), and liquid soap making,