Women’s Economic Independence and stability is central to their overall well-being, stability and reduces their vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence. Additionally, amongst women who have experienced some form of SGBV, those who are economically independent have more avenues for response and support than those who are not. To this end, Teenseed runs a women’s economic empowerment program that focuses on young mothers and survivors between the ages of 18-30 years as we have identified them as the most at risk of violence and specifically intimate partner violence. This program is aimed at ensuring that these women are able to achieve economic and financial independence and autonomy. The program has several interventions/projects:
- Mentorship: the project provides an all-round holistic approach towards economic stability that begins with a curriculum aimed at shifting the mindset of these young women through healing, confidence building, support and self-esteem. After this curriculum, the cohort undergoes financial literacy training and entrepreneurial capacity building. Living in informal settlements and most having limited academic backgrounds, entrepreneurship is the most ideal income-generating avenue for these women. Teenseed supports them to access these skills and links them to government affirmative action programs and social protection schemes/funds and investments in seed capital for their businesses.
- Skills training: most income generating avenues for these women are business and blue-collar job markets. To support them through this, Teenseeds supports them to build skills in this market such as tailoring, baking, bead making, mat-making and soap making. We have identified women from the community who train these young women on these skills and support them to start their own businesses, understand the markets and how to sustain a living from these jobs. Teenseed has also leased a workshop space for the tailoring project as we understand that equipment for tailoring is expensive. We have a work for pay scheme that includes Teenseed procuring materials for tailoring and the women can use the workshop and materials and earn the profit gained through sales. This ensures that they can tap into Teenseed’s market and have stability as they save to start their own tailoring businesses. The products made include different types of bags. Teenseed is also able to secure a market through vending at feminist convening thereby also exposing these women to bigger spaces and opportunities to engage with other feminists and learn more about women’s rights.
- Village level Chama: Teenseed supports these women to form their Village Savings and Loans Groups that ensures a support system and community beyond Teenseed. They are able to save, take loans and invest in each other’s businesses all while having a supportive community to lean on.
- Access to Psycho-social support: Teenseed provides counseling for the beneficiaries of this project. In the future we hope to provide day-care services to these women.
