SUPPORTING GIRLS & WOMEN WITH DISABILITY

This report outlines the progress made in the ongoing project aimed at empowering women and girls with disabilities (PWDs) by providing them with essential parenting skills.

The goal is to equip participants with the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively raise their children while overcoming the challenges they face due to their disabilities.

ChallengeWomen and girls with disabilities encounter numerous barriers in parenting, including societal stigma, limited access to parenting resources, and physical challenges.

Many of them lack support networks, financial resources, and knowledge about inclusive parenting methods. This project was created to bridge these gaps by providing targeted training on effective parenting models, focusing on the unique needs of PWDs.

Activities and Progress

1. Training Workshops Held:We successfully conducted three workshops in kibera over the reporting period, with the participation of 50 women and girls with disabilities.

Topics covered include:

Parenting styles and approaches.Communication techniques for PWD parents.Health, safety, and well-being of children in households with PWDs.Financial management for parents with disabilities.

2. Interactive Learning:Participants were engaged in role-playing exercises and group discussions, sharing their experiences as parents.Mentorship programs were launched, pairing experienced mothers with new mothers to provide one-on-one guidance and peer learning opportunities.A resource guide was distributed to all participants, covering key aspects of inclusive parenting.

3. Community Outreach:We conducted two community forums to raise awareness on the challenges faced by PWD parents, reaching an additional 100 community members.The forums facilitated conversations between PWDs and local authorities to promote the creation of accessible parenting programs.

Impact and Achievements.

Confidence Boosted: 90% of the participants reported a significant boost in their confidence to parent effectively despite the challenges they face.Knowledge Increase: 85% of participants demonstrated improved knowledge of parenting techniques and strategies tailored to their unique circumstances as women with disabilities.Stronger

Community Networks:

We have successfully built a network linking participants with disability advocacy groups, mental health services, and financial support organizations.

Feedback: "I now have the tools to confidently raise my child and the support to help me when I feel overwhelmed," shared Ann mumbe one of the workshop attendees.

Next Steps

Follow-up Mentorship: We will continue to provide mentorship and support to the participants, ensuring they have the guidance needed to apply the parenting skills they learned.

Expansion of Training:

In the next phase, we plan to expand the training program to rural areas and underserved communities, where women with disabilities face even more significant challenges.

Advocacy: We will work with local government officials to advocate for disability-inclusive parenting policies and programs at the community and national levels.

Monitoring and Evaluation: A comprehensive monitoring framework will be used to measure the long-term impacts of the training on participants' parenting abilities and their children’s well-being.

Challenges FacedAccessibility Issues: Transportation to training venues was a significant barrier for some participants with mobility challenges.

To address this, we plan to explore mobile training solutions in future sessions.

Limited Resources: Some participants require assistive devices to better engage with the training content, which were not available in this phase. We are currently seeking funding to provide these resources in future sessions.