Adolescent girls from vulnerable communities are often faced with challenges as a result of their economic disadvantage and limited skills for economic growth. Interventions for their economic empowerment are especially critical at this point in their lives as they transition into adulthood to prevent them from engaging in acts like prostitution, crime among others to achieve their social economic goals and aspirations.
Action For Fundamental Change And Development (AFFCAD) together with Serving Lives Under Marginalization (SLUM) under the Central Cluster with support from Children’s Rights and Violence Prevention Fund (CRVPF) trained 360 adolescent girls from twelve girls only safe spaces in various income generating activities that included; bar soap making, weaving, bead and bottle designing and baking.
“I am happy that we were equipped with these skills. I can now design and make beaded jewellery and designed bottles for sale to get money to support my family. I have already received orders for these items since the training occurred,” Namigadde Shamim, Kyebando Nsooba, Nyumbani Safe Space.
The training was part of the interventions under the Adolescent Girls Power Program aimed at building girls power through economic empowerment. There is also need for the community to support these initiatives by the girls through purchasing these items produced to not only boost them economically but to also boost their confidence. The program is being implemented in Kawempe Division in Kampala and Nansana Division in Wakiso District. Income generating activities are especially vital for them to reduce on unemployment, poverty and vulnerability because they improve on their capabilities to earn an income as girls and young women.
