Let's give girls training for a vibrant future

Never was there a need to educate young women in Zimbabwe than there is right now.  As the country moves towards having the highest inflation the world,  the need to educate young women becomes a top priority.    The alternative for many young women is poverty and child marriage. 

The Sandra Jones Centre, in partnership with the American Foundation for Children with AIDS, is committed to helping young women unleash their full potential.  Through their vocational skills training program teenage girls with no formal education can learn skills that will assist them in not only supporting themselves but also their families.  Skills such as running a chicken project, vegetable farming and greenhouse farming are included in their course along with life skills and business skills.  

We currently have 18 young women participating in our course.  We believe that when a girl is educated she is given choices – she gets to choose her own path and fulfill her dreams.  These young women believe they deserve a bright future.   And they know that with hard work and commitment they can achieve their goals.  Shannon knows the training she is receiving will put food on her table.  She is excited to take what is learning back to her community where she can teach other young women the skills she has received.

Thank you to the American Foundation for Children with AIDS for helping us to help the young women of Zimbabwe. 

Everyone here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS, and our partners in Africa, thank you for your continued support of this important project.  If you would like to learn even more about this project and others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org. 

Twelve months ago 20 young ladies arrived at the Sandra Jones Centre ready to start their agricultural training course.  They were obviously nervous and not sure of what they’d got themselves into.  I doubt that any of them expected to be up at the crack of dawn to feed pigs, clean out chicken pens and dig vegetable gardens.  But they did it and they did it well…with smiles on their faces.

It was always a joy to walk through the farm and hear their sweet singing and beautiful harmonies as the went about their chores.  And through it all we watched them learn the importance of commitment, hard work and the importance of a positive attitude.  Their course included training in running a piggery, a broiler chicken project, greenhouse farming, growing vegetables, budgeting, marketing and life skills.

A year later, we have 18 young ladies who stuck with the program and completed the course.  Each one of the students graduated with the skills they needed to return to their homes and support themselves and their families.  Some were keen to run their own chicken projects, others were wanting to grow vegetables for sale and others wanted to find employment on farms.  We are so proud of our girls and have no doubt that each one will be successful at whatever she puts her hand to.

Everyone here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS, and our partners in Africa, thank you for your continued support of this important project.  If you would like to learn even more about this project and others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.