By Magdaline Majuma | Project Lead
In the past quarter we provided specialized training to 20 young women champions in the 5 villages of Nyawaitanchiria, Nyatira, Nyamekoma, Nyamosense, and Nyankore. This training was crucial for expanding their educational and income opportunities, particularly for those who had completed secondary education but faced limited post-secondary opportunities in rural and cross-border communities of Kenya where issues such as FGM, child marriage, defilement, and teenage pregnancy are prevalent. These young women not only gained valuable skills through the training but also serve as leaders of girl-led safe spaces across their villages, creating vital support systems for other girls.
The training covered essential topics aimed at enhancing their personal and professional growth. Key areas included financial literacy, entrepreneurship, leadership, goal-setting, and problem-solving, using a design thinking approach. These sessions were designed to equip them with skills that would enable them to become role models and advocates for positive change within their communities.
The introductory session laid the foundation for an entrepreneurial mindset, understanding that entrepreneurship is not just about starting businesses but about taking control of their lives and future prospects. This session was particularly relevant as many of the young women are entrepreneurs themselves, running small sized enterprises that contribute to their economic independence laying foundation for their future lives. This enabled the young women to have discussions on the challenges they are facing in entrepreneurship and one coming up was the lack of safety for women because of the deep rooted cultural norms that prompts the society to undermine women’s businesses, devaluing their efforts and creating an environment where male counterparts often exert influence, limiting their autonomy and control over their own ventures.
The second session emphasized identifying their personal value proposition (PVP), allowing the participants to recognize their strengths, skills, and passions. This process boosted their confidence, self-awareness, and agency, enabling them to see their unique potential and how to leverage it in both personal and professional endeavors.
A pivotal part of the training was the introduction to design thinking, a strategic problem-solving approach. This session provided them with the tools to empathize with others, identify problems, and come up with creative solutions, enabling them to address challenges effectively. The session on goal-setting taught them how to create a roadmap for their aspirations, emphasizing the importance of long-term planning, assessing risks, and developing contingency plans. Practical exercises helped them visualize their personal and professional futures, anticipate obstacles, and build strategies for success.
The financial literacy session increased their knowledge on foundational skills for managing personal finances, including budgeting, saving, and planning for future expenses. Discussions focused on the significance of financial independence and aligning financial decisions with their Life Operations Plan. By the end of this training, the young women were equipped to manage their finances responsibly and understand how these decisions impact their long-term goals. The practical sessions included creating personal budgets, learning about saving and investment strategies, and understanding key financial terms like debt, credit, and savings to enhace their financial resilience.
This specialized training has provided these young women with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to become leaders and change-makers in their communities, breaking cycles of violence, ending generational poverty, and opening doors to future opportunities. With their new skill set, they are better positioned to secure employment, start and expand their businesses, and become role models who inspire and support other girls.
Thank you GlobalGiving for making this possible.
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