Improving lives of 1000 girls in Nairobi's slums

Off the blocks and into the world of Employment and Entrepreneurship is a group of over 40 girls and young women who foundationally graduated from sports based activities and plugged into various partnering colleges for vocational training courses.The group which was involved in various courses including:plumbing,pastry and baking,fashion design and dress making including hospitality,received their diplomas and certificates during their graduation ceremony.”It’s such an honor that my dreams of becoming a plumber is becoming a reality despite my gender.I looking forward to inspire many girls and young women from my community to take more courses that are predominantly male dominated.From this course am sure to be able to support my child and my brothers.” Said 20 years old Wanjiru.

Work Readiness Bootcamp

Fresh from graduation and in readiness to face the world of employment and entrepreneurship, graduates of vocational training courses attended a two days ‘work readiness bootcamp’ to be fine- tuned for their next course of life.The team received rich different types of information from a variety of  invited professionals including:local business professionals,career guidance ,customer care professionals and marketing and branding professionals who took participants through their paces in relations to their respective courses.participants engaged professionals one -on-one ,discussing the challenges and successes of employment and entrepreneurship.

21-year-old Batuli is the new employee at Quickmart chain of stores, Ruai branch this month of February. A footballer by DNA, Batuli got involved with VAP sports and life skills programs at the age of 12 years old right from the primary school, and into her secondary school. After her life skills graduations, she was integrated into VAP’s Employment and Entrepreneurship project where she was enrolled into vocational training to pursue bakery. Immediately after her graduation she was attached for internship opportunity at the Quickmart stores and ended up getting a job at the store’s bakery department. “Am happy for the life skills knowledge and the bakery course that I did while at VAP.Am now economically independent and supporting my two younger siblings: brother and sister with their school fees and books.” Said Batuli

Computer Lab For Digital Marketing Launched

Led by Standard Chartered Bank’s chief executive officer, Mr Kariuki Ngare and other members of the bank’s board of directors and staff, the bank launched a computer lab at VAP’s offices to support the ‘Mauzo Mtandaoni ’project which aims to harness digital market places to support young female entrepreneurs. The project which is part of Goal Girls program is also embedded in the ‘Future Makers’ initiative which is part of the standard chartered global initiative. During the launch, a couple of young women had an opportunity to display their products in an open air market conducted at Buru Buru grounds in front of the invited guests and other interested customers from the community.

Hands On Experience from the Bank's C.E.O

A total of 15 girls who are former Goal program participants have been enrolled in the ‘Mauzo Mtandaoni’ project as the first batch for the year 2022.The training is targeting girls who have gone through various vocational trainings under VAP’s Employment and Entrepreneurship project and are about to venture into their own businesses and those whose businesses were affected by covid-19 outbreak. The digital marketing training will entail: Digital marketing and e-commerce, transcription and video captioning, writing and translation, data entry management, virtual assistance amongst other skills. Participants will own online work accounts in various platforms and will be transition into the second part of training. “I feel so proud to bring my business which was affected by covid-19 online and venture into online business where I can do marketing and deliveries to my potential clients.” Said 21 years old Fatuma

With the aftermath of covid-19 still being experienced in every sphere of live including health sector and loss of livelihoods, VAP’s Employment and Entrepreneurship department has been engaged in digital marketing trainings. The trainings are targeting girls who have gone through various vocational training courses and are about to venture into their own businesses and those whose businesses were affected by covid-19 outbreak. A total of 15 girls have been enrolled into the digital marketing training where they have so far covered trainings on: Digital marketing and e-commerce, transcription and video captioning, writing and translation, data entry management and virtual assistance. Participants are now owning online work accounts in various platforms and are engaged into the second part of training. “I feel so proud to bring my business which was affected by covid-19 online and venture into online business where I can do marketing and deliveries to my potential clients.” Said 21 years old Fatuma.

Participartory Design Workshop

A participatory workshop targeting girls and young women whose businesses were affected by Covid-19 was conducted in Mukuru community. A total of 30 participants drawn from every area of Mukuru gathered at Mukuru community hall to weigh in their insights, opinion and share information towards building up a concrete bottom up approach that is tailor made to fit the target group. In attendance in the meeting was: area chief, Nairobi Metropolitan representatives, teachers and community leaders. The workshop helped in tailoring a psycho social support and Biashara Mtaani (Business in the neighborhood) activities which is currently implemented in the areas by VAP coaches. “This program is well on time given the fact that Covid-19 has really affected many people and especially the vulnerable group, girls and young women who could easily be swayed into other weird ways of seeking money including commercial sex.” Said area chief.

A new Employee At Quickmart Stores

21-year-old Batuli is the new employee at Quickmart chain of stores, Ruai branch this month of February. A footballer by DNA, Batuli got involved with VAP sports and life skills programs at the age of 12 years old right from the primary school, and into her secondary school. After her life skills graduations, she was integrated into VAP’s Employment and Entrepreneurship project where she was enrolled into vocational training to pursue bakery. Immediately after her graduation she was attached for internship opportunity at the Quickmart stores and ended up getting a job at the store’s bakery department. “Am happy for the life skills knowledge and the bakery course that I did while at VAP.Am now economically independent and supporting my two younger siblings: brother and sister with their school fees and books.” Said Batuli.

                                        Mental Health Counselors

In the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, a total of 8 VAP’s coaches were trained and certified to become mental health counselors and psycho social support care givers. The trainings have been so timely as most of the youth have been grappling with mental illness coupled with other disorders driven by the after math of covid-19 that has affected both their social and economic lifestyles. The one day training touched on various critical topics such as: self-awareness, developmental stages with key focus on psychoanalytic and Eric Erickson theories. In self-awareness, counselors learnt important background information on what makes up one’s personality and why personality defects are more likely to reduce one’s capacity to grow and develop as human-beings. Throughout the training, counselors got a better understanding of themselves, achieved their personal goals and ready to serve the youth in different programs as well as the entire community. “The knowledge I have gained will be additional to my current skills and will position me adequately to provide total support to the youth and the community, especially this covid time and beyond.” Said 20 years old Judy.

                                    VAP Participant Honored in the ‘Here For Good’ Series

Damaris who is a beneficiary of the ‘Breaking The Barriers’ project which was supported by Standard chartered bank, participated in the global ‘Here For Good’ series: life lessons of football filming with standard chartered bank, London office. The series was all about sharing their stories in relation to being part of the Goal program and experience with football.Damaris filming was done in her community here in Kenya where she does the football refereeing job, after successfully undergoing a football refereeing course under VAP’s Breaking The Barriers project that targeted girls and young women to venture into male dominated careers. Certified as a football referee by Football Kenya Federation, Damaris continues to inspire many girls and women in the football space and sports in general. As a way of appreciating the girls in taking part in the filming project SCB London office sent all participants each a porret of themselves extracted from the video engraved with a thank you and also an encouraging message from SCB.

Mixed Gender Forum

On Saturday 14^th August, VAP held a mixed gender forum in Kiambio areas. Convened under the belt of Secure Future’s program, the meeting’s aim was to create an open dialogue and conversations on social, healthy and economic issues with gender lens. Attended by pregnant adolescent girls, young mothers and their respective male partners from all the walks of Kiambio and its neighborhoods who have been participating in the program, the meeting aimed increasing knowledge and enacting the right attitudes and perspectives on gender equality. Participants received talks on Gender Roles, Gender Based Violence, Drug Abuse, Parenting and contraceptives from experts and held a moderated debate on the same. “Since participating in the program I have learnt how to take care of myself and going for antenatal care.” Said 20 year old Salima.

Graduation of Young Fathers

After a successful involvement in Secure Futures program, a group of 23 male partners: boyfriends and husbands of secure futures program participants: pregnant adolescent girls and young mothers were awarded with certificates as confirmation of participating in the program. Their participation and commitment in the program as ‘Influencers’ has been of great help towards supporting the impact of the entire program, increasing knowledge and enacting the right attitudes and perspectives on gender equality and promoting positive masculinity. Despite the graduation exercise they were engaged in candid group discussions with invited experts on issues surrounding: Gender roles, Gender Based Violence, drug abuse, parenting and contraceptives.” These talks have been of great help to me, as men we really need to support our women/wifes and have open communications on family matters including family planning” Said 21 year old J Otieno.

Goal Program Stretches to the outskirts of Nairobi

Participants from Ngalala primary school located on the outskirts of Nairobi participated in Goal program as their first sports fun based extra- curricular program. Led by VAP’s experienced Goal coaches, they were taken through various topics which included: Menstruation, Hygiene, Building self-Confidence, importance of teamwork, and reproductive health among others. Participants received sanitary pads distributed to them and were also taught on the proper usage and disposal of the pads. With the demand of sports based life skills program on the rise from other neighboring schools and communities, VAP will build on this relationship and establish its presence in the area reaching out to additional communities.” Our youth have had fun and enjoyed playing sports as they also learned vital life lessons that are very key to the youth of these areas.” Said  head teacher of Ngalala.

 VAP's Youth Empowerment Centre

The development plans of VAP’s youth empowerment centre is taking shape with the building drawings already submitted for approval at the lands authority. Once approved, the official construction of the facility will commence. With the ‘Empower The Future’fundraising campaign still going on, VAP through its partners and well-wishers is looking forward to having the following at the Centre: Health clinic (For community members and program participants to access HIV testing, counseling, and health referrals), Vocational training block (for various employment and entrepreneurship courses for youth),Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre (For girls and young women with GBV cases) Mental Health & Psycho social support block (Counseling area for program participants/community members with Mental health),Common space (for program trainings and workshops),Sports facility (A gym, football pitch & basketball court for sports based programs and well-being),Library and volunteer accommodation blocks. The Centre will create a safe space for VAP community to gather, learn, and play as well as establishing a social enterprise and a source of pride for the community. For partnership opportunities including in-kind, monetary support and branding and marketing opportunities, please write to info@vijanaamanipamoja.org.Let’s ‘Empower The Future’ together!