Education is a vital tool for empowering girls in slums. Studies have shown that an educated woman is able to get gainful employment, to take her children for immunization, to practice family planning (delayed child bearing and fewer children), spends over 40% of her income on her family's welfare as compared to the male counterpart who spends far less on his family. This program will empower girls in the slums of Kampala to help them make positive and healthy decisions.
Kampala has a population of 1,507,080 people.49% to 64% of the total urban population live in slums. Most slum dwellers moved to Kampala because of civil wars and land conflicts. Life in Kampala's slum is characterized by drug abuse, crime, poverty and poor sanitation. This exposes the girls to sexual abuse, teenage pregnancies, early marriage, prostitution, HIV/AIDS and Increased school dropout. The girls lack the basic necessities in life like clothing and sanitary towels.
Girls will be enrolled back for secondary school education to bridge the knowledge gap. Through reproductive health training's, girls will learn the dangers of early sex. The group bead sales will help supplement their family income and the tailoring scheme where they make re usable sanitary towels both for use and sale will help empower other girls. while in school the girls will be encouraged to take up a sport for discipline and fun.
Through the social & economic empowerment program, Girls in Kampala's slums will be trained in entrepreneurial skills supplementing on their family income and hence reducing poverty. The program will also reduce child prostitution, teen pregnancies, early marriages and abortions, the spread of HIV/AIDS & keeping girls in school.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
