LIVELIHOOD
Addressing community needs
“To be relevant,
contemporary educational
and
pedagogical guidelines
must be rooted
in the local cultural context”
Abdeljalil Akkari et Magdalena Fuentes
"Repenser l'éducation. Alternatives pédagogiques du Sud". UNESCO 2021
Improving women’s social status by ensuring literacy and vocational training for them
At present, women are subject to legal and social discrimination in day-to-day life. Their rights and position are contingent on tradition and the ethnic group to which they belong. It is estimated that approximately 47% of girls between 15 and 18 years of age are married, divorced or widowed. Once a woman is married, under the tribal systems, she becomes the possession of the husband with no rights. Although polygamy is prohibited it is very widely spread in rural areas, but no reliable statistics are available.
Any effort to provide education and vocational training to women increases their chances of becoming socially and economically independent. Moreover, because of the decade long civil war, adult women never had access to education.
A few years ago, at the request of the women of the community, literacy classes and sewing classes were organized for them. Currently, 30 women are benefitting from this training.
Empower women through vocational training
Prepare young people for a skilled craft
Hygiene and
family planning courses (Malimba 2021)
In 2021, we started offering hygiene and family planning courses. With the funds given by UNWG, we were able to hire a nurse to lead the workshops.
In 2023, in addition to teaching the courses, the nurse is now also assisting the community with medical advice and is bringing medicine to the people of the Community as they do not have any access to medication or to a medical facility. This is really appreciated by the women of this remote village.
Starting
their own business
(Malimba 2021)
In 2021, we started workshops on manufacturing baskets. In 2022, we were able to add a few more workshops on soap making and weaving.
These workshops allow women to acquire skills and gain independence. At the end of these workshops, they will be able to sell their manufactured items and thus improve their financial situation and start their own business. This also helps them gain more self-confidence.
Becoming a tailor
(Masantigie 2021)
A group of 26 young people (men and women) started sewing classes which will last three years. After their graduation at the end of the second year, the students will receive a sewing machine so they can start their own business. In the third year, they will work at home under the supervision of their sewing teacher.
On 16 December 2022, 10 of them finished their two-year training and graduated.” Education For All” organized their graduation ceremony and also gave each a sewing machine to be able to start their professional career as a tailor. We also provided kits with sewing materials on graduation day so that the graduates will not have any financial constraints to start their business.
This was possible thanks to a grant from the City of Plan-les-Ouates and your support.
Becoming a teacher (Masantigie)
Teachers who have been trained by the NGO “Education for All” make responsible decisions. They are the ones who make the link between the communities and contribute to the development of the villages. The men and women of the villages participate actively in school life through school or extracurricular activities. Women are more involved and represented in the parents’ committee.
Learning skills
in the field of construction
(Masantigie)
The Community is aware of the importance of education and participates actively in all activities organised by the school. Since the start of the construction of the school, it has become the centre of the village where people meet.
• About 10 people of the village were hired by the contractor and helped to build the 4 school buildings. This allowed them to acquire new skills in the field of construction.
• Members of the community together with local authorities conduct regular monitoring during the construction of the new building to ensure a high standard.
• Members of the staff and members of the community built a fence of cane sticks at the entrance of the school to prevent motor bike riders into the school compound.
• The community intends to help maintain the school buildings in the future.
Agriculture
pilot program
(Masantigie 2014)
The Agriculture program was started in order to help provide food for the villages. This was thanks to a donation by St-Andreas Institute-Oostende, Belgium. These images show just some of the fruits and vegetables grown by the villagers. Twelve women from Masantigie and 12 from Matainke volunteered to participate.