This project provides handcrafts skill and business trainings, start-up capital through a revolving fund, monitoring and mentorship of business as well as branding and marketing of handcrafts to 100 young mothers survivors of sexual and gender based violence living in Nairobi slums. The survivors have remained in abusive relationships and environment due to economic dependence on partners who are the perpetrators. 30 such women beneficiaries of pilot project now run their own businesses.
A survey in 2008 (The Kenya Demographic Survey) suggests that 39 percent of the women who were a part of the survey had been abused by family members, and especially their partners. Most of these women are economically depended on perpetrators with over 70% of women depending on men and over 90% in rural setting. 100 young mother's survivors of gender based violence will benefit from skills training and business start-up capital in order to attain economic independence and self-sufficiency.
This program will build economic capacity through unique handcrafts and business skills as well as offering business start-up capital as revolving fund. The aim is to create self employment, get source of income to provide food, pay house rent, clothes, medication and sent children to school. This will stop financial dependence to perpetrators as well as enable young mothers to say no to violence, leave abusive relationships and even be able to seek justice on the long term.
We believe that the strength of a woman is the strength of Africa. Economic empowerment of women is a means to reduce sexual and gender based violence as well as poverty among women hence better health, girl child education, better health and nutrition for children and families. Ultimately it will promote gender equality, reduced violence and self sufficiency. Projects reports and documentations will provide updates on survivor's skills and businesses progress as the funds to work.
