BY MBONGENI NDLELA
EZULWINI – Out-of-school adolescent girls and young women in 3 rural communities have been identified for an empowerment programme by Women in Trade and Development (WITAD).
The program is called “Leveraging Technology for Gender Equitable Participation of Vulnerable Adolescents, particularly Out-of-School Girls, and Young Women in Labour Market and Entrepreneurship.” It is open to girls and young women between the ages of 13 and 24 years.
Speaking to the media, WITAD founding director Sebenzile Dlamini said, “You find that there is a lot of information and finance that can help young girls. However, you find that these young women and girls at home don’t know how to use ICT and the internet, such that the opportunities pass them by. We will also train them on how they can generate income – we will include many aspects, including how to create self-help projects and businesses which can sustain them.”
Echoing Dlamini’s words, US Ambassador Jeanne Maloney (as represented by Stephanie Sandoval) said “we must continue to lead the charge by empowering young underprivileged young women and girls with skills and training that will equip them to succeed – and this is exactly what this program proposes to do.” The US embassy also contributed E7,000 to the program.
According to a statement by WITAD, the intervention program will be implemented from July 2022 and it willl be delivered in two phases. During the first phase which will cover a period of four (4) months, WITAD will provide beneficiaries in 3 rural communities (Hhukwini, Nkhaba and Maphalaleni) with a face-to-face introductory workshop that will run for three (3) days. This will be followed by several one-day coaching and feedback sessions.
Each beneficiary will also be offered a field attachment to learn a trade / technical skill from an established business. In addition, each beneficiary will learn how to create a self-help project or business using an online tool that will be accessed on the WITAD website. Beneficiaries that will complete phase 1 will graduate in the fourth month.
“In phase 2, the beneficiaries will receive mentorship, access to microfinance, and market access support for a period of two (2) years. Throughout this period, we will also motivate the beneficiaries to appreciate the importance of formal education so that they can return to school and/or pursue higher education qualifications.” reads the WITAD statement.
