Improving lives of 1000 girls in Nairobi's slums

Part of Secure Future’s project menu is football league owned and played by young mums. The football league provides physical activities and well-being tailored to their needs as they bounce back to their normal healthy lifestyles. The league also provides a safe space for learning critical life skills to the entire sexual health reproductive and rights. The league is backed up by a parallel league for male partners (boyfriends and husbands of the young moms) who are learning skills for positive masculinity, parenting and how to respect and support their women and families.

IT'S GIVING TUESDAY AND WE NEED YOU!

This #GivingTuesday, @GlobalGiving is giving away $500,000 in matching funds to its nonprofit community members. How much we earn depends on how much you give! We've only got 24 hours—help us win big. http://www.globalgiving.com/2221

Adolescent girls and young moms under ‘Secure Futures’ program had a privilege of being visited by nurses from Bahati health care Centre, a local hospital that has forged a partnership with VAP as one of its referral points. The nurses addressed issues of: family planning, prenatal, antenatal care, delivery, sexual reproductive health related issues and several topics regarding maternal to prepare expectant young moms for safe delivery. Participants were invited to visit Bahati to familiarize with the equipment and the procedures. Bahati hospital will work hand in hand with the secure futures participants as they provide maternal health and family planning information and services to the participants.

Standard Chartered Bank's Global Staff Visits VAP

Standard Chartered Bank’s staff from different parts of the world came all the way from their respective countries to: learn, network and exchange knowledge with VAP’s Employment Entrepreneurship participants. Led by standard chartered bank’s local representative, the staff had an opportunity to learn more about GOAL program and its Employment Entrepreneurship transition including the challenges and success that participants encounter during the entire program. The staff had a mentorship session with participants sharing their own experiences, challenges and successes from their own backgrounds while inspiring participants.

VAP At The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum

With its advocacy of economic empowerment for young women through the platform of football, VAP was part of the delegation that was invited at the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) hosted at Cape Town International Convention Centre. The event which is Africa’s most prestigious award event was designed to showcase excellence and celebrate the achievement of women entrepreneurs and business leaders who contribute to the transformation and development of Africa’s economy, creating jobs and opportunities across the continent. Through Employment +Entrepreneurship project, VAP has been propelling girls and young women into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities with the foundation of vocational training courses.

Inclusion Walk

Over 120 youth participants with and without intellectual developmental disabilities including teachers, volunteers, VAP staff and coaches, participated in a 4 hours procession walk that ended with a petition statement at the central organization of trade union offices (COTU). The petition letter presented to the secretary general, banked heavily on inclusion to the: society, schools and job opportunities for people with intellectual developmental disability.Additionally,leaflets with inclusion messages in the  society, schools and jobs were distributed  to various entrepreneurs and employers. The 7 kilometer procession walk aimed to amplify VAP’s commitment of integrating youth with intellectual developmental disability into our society, programs and moreover into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities through vocational training courses.

The last work preparedness Boot Camp for Employment+ Entrepreneurship for 2019 was held with 45 participants on board. The 3 days workshop was attended by various invited professionals including successful entrepreneurs, local employers from different fields and companies who gave out inspirational talks to the participants even as they prepare to join the world of employment and entrepreneurship. Some of the talks and skills presented to the participants included: CV writing, goal setting, personal branding, interviews, self-expression, personal skills etc.

Secure Futures Sessions

 Impacted with enough knowledge and trainings, secure futures coaches are hitting the ground running in communities working with expectant young mothers. Participants are taken through girl-centred approaches in safe sports spaces with information that would increase their social impact support, life skills and livelihood opportunities. Additionally, participants are taken through fitness activities to keep fit, healthy and in shape during their pregnancy period and help get back in shape those in motherhood period. “The information that am receiving is quite helpful and feeling am in good shape even as I draw near my delivery time.” Said 19 years old Caroyln.

A Visit to Standard Chartered Bank

As a routine and part of its community engagement exercise, standard chartered bank invited the last batch of 2019 VAP’s Employment+Entrepreneurship participants at the bank’s headquarters for some financial literacy sessions as a supplementary to what they have learnt  through previous business and micro finance trainings. Conducted by the bank’s staff, participants were taken through sessions that included: Budgeting, Importance of saving, differentiating between needs and wants, Benefits of saving money in an account and the process of opening an account.

In preparation to launching Secure Futures project that will focus on pregnant adolescent girls and young mothers, a group of boys and young men from various parts of the targeted areas who are close to the targeted participants converged for a one day workshop. The aim of the workshop was to engage boys and men who will implement supplementary activities that will positively influence pregnant adolescent girls and young mothers’ safety and security. The boys and young men will be involved in a parallel football-based program dubbed ‘Heshima’ (Respect) which aims to teach male partners (boyfriends, husbands) of pregnant adolescent girls and young mothers about positive masculinities, women’s rights, violence and child development.

 Secure Futures Training of Traininers' Workshop

With all systems geared to go, VAP female coaches went through an intensive 3 days training of trainers’ course on Secure Futures project. The trainings conducted by Women Win, one of VAP’s partners focused on utilizing girl-centered approaches, designing activities in safe sports spaces to increase the social impact support-life skills and livelihood opportunities to young moms. Through partnership with mom in balance, the project will strive to help expectant young mothers to keep fit, healthy and in shape during their pregnancy journey and those who have given birth to help them get back in shape during motherhood period.

   World Youth Day

VAP’s Employment +Entrepreneurship youth participants were amongst the youth invited by standard chartered bank at their headquarters to celebrate World Youth Skills Day on 20^th July. With over 200 youth both boys and girls from different schools across Nairobi in attendance, the youth were engaged in interactive sessions with staff mentors from the standard chartered bank. The bank’s staff shared life experiences as they trained participants on career planning, personal discipline and branding, financial savings amongst other topics.

Providing Medical Care

20 year old  Anita (on the left) who is now a nurse at mater hospital is the latest entrant of VAP’s  Achievers Club  (a group of participants who have been empowered both socially and economically).Anita has had a roller-coaster ride, since her first participation in the skillz mabeste HIV awareness program while in her primary school, and moved on to secondary school and participated in Skillz Mtaani HIV awareness program as well as Mrembo program, and finally after finishing her secondary school, she was enrolled into vocational training  under Employment Entrepreneurship project where she majored in nursing. “Am happy for participating in the social and economic programs that have really equipped me with the necessary life skills.” Said Anita.

My First Job

Fresh from the ‘Employment +Entrepreneurship Job Preparedness Boot Camp’ Natasha landed her first job with Hue Agency. Belonging to the 3^rd cohort of Employment + Entrepreneurship 2019 with focus on Information and Technology as her vocational training course, she also participated in the Business Plan competition supported by standard chartered bank and won herself a computer for her business and marketing research studies.” The teachings and skills displayed by various invited well established entrepreneurs and employers during the Employment +Entrepreneurship job preparedness boot camp was of great value and impact towards my career. Am economically ready to support myself” Said 21 years old Natasha.

All in the spirit of creating a society that is socially, economically, and healthy empowered which is the cornerstone of VAP’s programs, lot 3 of the ‘Employment +Entrepreneurship gathered for a 3 days work preparedness boot camp prior to their graduation. Attended by diverse established professionals from all the spheres of business and corporates, armed with cutting-edge information and speaker after speaker, including representatives from: standard chartered bank, VIVO company and Rotaract amongst others, participants were filled up various techniques. Amongst the skills that were taught included: CV writing, goal setting, personal branding, interviews, self-expression, personal skills etc.

 Career Awareness Forum

No sooner had the graduation of cohort 3 completed, than the career awareness for cohort 4 was conducted. Accompanied by their parents and guardians, various participants including youth with intellectual developmental disability were taken through the nitty- gritty of various vocational training courses of their choices by different professional experts from the partnering institutions. A couple of former VAP Achievers ‘Employment Entrepreneurship’ graduates who are currently working and some operating their own businesses were on board with testimonies that inspired the newly recruited cohort. “I have gone through all the social and economic program pieces of VAP and am comfortably living independently while supporting my siblings.” Said 22 years old Jacinta, a VAP Achiever.

New Vivo Employee

Fresh from participating in VAP’s life skills and Employment + Entrepreneurship projects, Judy got an internship opportunity with Vivo active wear, a Kenyan-based clothing retailer operating in major malls in Kenya. After a few months of internship dedication, exemplary performance and display of the tailoring course that she had undertaken, she impressed the management and finally landed a job placement with Vivo Active Wear Company.Judy now lives independently and can confidently support her siblings and her parents.