We support in Zimbabwe together with the foundation Hilfe mit Plan and Plan International especially young girls and women to prevent child marriage and strengthen their rights.
We strengthen the rights of girls:
- with youth clubs at all project schools, which are based on the „Champions of Change“ model developed by Plan International: Girls learn how to confidently stand up for their rights and utilise educational opportunities.
- Boys learn how they can actively campaign for gender equality.
- with annual events on topics such as equal rights, the importance of education - especially for girls - and the negative consequences of child marriage.
In total, we reach around 1,800 members of the community with these events.
In regular meetings with traditional and religious authorities, we talk about social and cultural norms that favour child marriage. In this way, we want to ensure that the community authorities are more committed to upholding the rights of children and women.
Dormitories for girls are built
Many schoolchildren in Zimbabwe in the Chipinge and Mutare regions have to walk kilometres to school and therefore spend the night in simple, unsupervised accommodation near the school. This is known as „bush boarding“. To counteract this, we are building a girls' hostel at each of four secondary schools. Each dormitory can accommodate 45 girls and the buildings are each equipped with seven bedrooms and at least six beds. The beds have mattresses, pillows and bed linen, and the dormitories will also have a reading room with tables, chairs and electric light. This is an absolute rarity, allowing the girls to read and study even after dark. The kitchens of the dormitories will be built outside the main buildings.
Further measures to strengthen the rights of young girls and women:
- Access to quality education and vocational training
- Careers advice and mentoring programme
- Training on sexual and reproductive rights
- Involving parents in educational work and nutrition programmes
- Implementation of psychosocial first aid measures as well as training and sensitisation campaigns on child protection and the sexual and reproductive rights of girls and boys for teachers and community members
- Income-generating measures for families
The marriage contract between adult men and young girls is often a “solution” for poor families in Zimbabwe who do not have the means to provide for their children or pay for their schooling.
One of our programmes is therefore aimed specifically at caregivers and parents of children at risk of child marriage and children who have escaped or fled child marriage. In a 3-day training course, the 150 participants learn about child protection, inclusion and how they can join together in savings groups to continue financing their children's education.
In order to strengthen families in the long term so that they can continue to finance their children's education after the end of the project, we are committed to local economic measures. Under the guidance of community helpers, income-generating opportunities of their choice are identified, planned and implemented. In order to generate income, they are supported with start-up materials or the development of skills. The families commit to using the income generated to support their children's education and basic needs, menstrual products (for girls) and nutritional needs. 20 families from Mutare and Mutasa are taking part in this programme.
We also want to reach people who have not attended school. As part of the project, 35 girls and 15 boys are learning the basics of telephone repair and electrics as well as motorbike and car mechanics. The training courses are organised with a certified local training company. At the end of the training, the 50 participants are also provided with basic equipment. The young adults can use the skills they have learnt to generate income and improve their living conditions (and those of their children).
Young people who are at risk of child marriage or are already married also receive agricultural training in another project. The 18 girls and 12 boys gain practical experience in vegetable growing for two months before they are able to put their knowledge into practice themselves with start-up equipment.
With our experience of the fish ponds that have already been successfully created and the other Income-generating projects of the last few years in Zimbabwe, we are looking forward to the next project years with optimism. We are delighted to be able to reach so many people together with Plan and to continue to contribute our expertise in income-generating measures there.
Would you like to support the project in Zimbabwe?
