Gender Equality Malawi Project #47237

Empower African Girls and Women as Global Leaders

by Afrika Matters Initiative

Empower African Girls and Women as Global Leaders

Project Report | Apr 25, 2024
ShE is Empowered Program April 2024 Report

By Aluwani Ramarumo | ShE Lead

2023-24 ShE Leader Vida during her CEP

Africa Matters ShE is Empowered Program GlobalGiving Report: January - April 2024

Welcome to our first GlobalGiving Report of 2024, where we are happy to present updates on the Africa Matters She is Empowered (ShE) Program. This report offers a unique glimpse into the progress of both the 2023-24 and the newly inducted 2024-25 cohorts. The new year has already ushered in incredible milestones, and with your support, we look forward to many more note-worthy updates and youth-led community impact.

2023-24 Participant Updates:

The Africa Matters 2023-24 ShE Empowered program participants continue to impress us with their dedication and active involvement in program activities. Presently, seventeen (17) ShE leaders from Malawi (5), South Africa (1), Sierra Leone (2), Zimbabwe (3), Kenya (1), Ghana (4), and Tanzania (1) are implementing their community engagement projects, and are soon to graduate from the program. Here are some highlights of the 2023 Community Engagement Projects (CEPs):

Sembe, Malawi:

Reflecting on her journey, Sembe shares, “Last year, I was accepted into the Africa Matters Initiative as a SHE LEADER. This is a learning experience that has definitely helped me grow professionally. As part of the Program, SHE Leaders have to conduct a community engagement program in their area of focus. I am happy to report that with the funding from#AfricaMattersInitiative, I was able to conduct a reusable sanitary pad-making training for 40 women in my community. Teaching women about reusable sanitary pads is crucial, especially in economies where buying disposable pads is expensive. it promotes sustainability, reduces financial burden and empowers women with the knowledge to manage their menstrual health independently.” #MenstrualHealthMatters

Vida, Ghana:

Our 2023 ShE Leader, Vida, transformed a library in Ghana's Ashanti Region. "With a passion for sustainable change, I knew I had to make a lasting impact," says Vida. Despite living in an urban area, students in the Ashanti region struggle with limited educational resources. Vida's mission was to give students the tools they need to succeed. Through her ShE community engagement project, Vida and Lead For Ghana volunteers rebuilt a library at Buokrom M/A school, benefiting over 395 students.

As the 2023-24 Cohort prepares to graduate from the program, the process unfolds as follows:

In April, ShE leaders will submit their final CEP reports, highlighting their implementation processes, the impact of their work, and the financial breakdown of their seed funding expenses. CEP presentation sessions will also be conducted, allowing for peer-to-peer reviews as participants present to their fellow ShE leaders and answer questions from the audience.

In May, we will host the ShE Program 2023-24 Virtual Graduation Ceremony, where ShE leaders will receive their Certificates of Completion and officially join the Africa Matters Alumni Network. The AMI alumni network aims to provide program graduates with further learning opportunities and enhanced technical support for their projects post-program. It seeks to encourage young African change-makers throughout their impact journey while fostering a collaborative approach to African community engagement across various sectors of society. If you are interested in supporting our alumni network development process, please feel free to contact us at info@africamatterinitiative.com

Alumni Updates:

Alumni Meet and Greet:

The Africa Matters team hosted our first AMI Alumni Meet & Greet session on 15 February 2024. We welcomed active alumni from the Africa Matters Ambassadors, ShE is Empowered and Her Environment, Her Future programs, where, for the first time, beneficiaries of these flagship and external program offerings were provided with an evening of networking and collaboration. In this session, alumni received the latest AMI news and programmatic updates, were provided with a platform to network and engage with their peers sincerely, and collaborated with the AMI team to envision and initiate the development of a robust alumni network.

Our Alumni continue to make us beam with pride as they progress in their leadership journeys and lead impactful work; Dorothy and Monalisa from Malawi share the following updates:

Dorothy, Malawi:

“It gives me great joy to provide you with an update on the girls' empowerment visit we conducted at Matapata Secondary School, located just outside Blantyre city, Malawi.

The purpose of our visit was to mentor and encourage the girls at Matapata Secondary School to persevere despite the various challenges they encounter, such as lack of motivation and insufficient school materials. Our team, which comprised of myself, Dorothy Kamoto, Patricia Nyirongo, and Euster Kachingwe from the ShE Leaders 2021-2022 cohort, organized this event with the aim of inspiring these young girls to remain focused on their education.

We are grateful for your support thus far and remain committed to empowering African girls and youth to change their communities. We will keep you updated on our progress and look forward to continuing our partnership with AMI.”

Monalisa, Malawi:

“As a graduate of the Africa Matters Initiative, I can attest to the transformational impact of the program on my leadership and project management journey. AMI provided me with not only effective soft skills, knowledge, and leadership training but also an amazing network that helped me create and implement my social impact project, MIZU, through the ShE is Empowered program cohort 2022.

Two years later, Project MIZU continues to grow and impact the community, having diversified and reorganised. Thanks to the initiative, I'm a phenomenal leader in multiple spaces, making an impact and driving change. I remain grateful for the opportunity that AMI provided me to run so others can walk.”

These are two stories of many that embody our vision to upskill and empower Africa’s youth to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and the continent.

2024-25 Program Updates:

Introducing the 2024-25 Cohort of the Africa Matters ShE is Empowered Program:

The recruitment process for the 2024 cohort commenced on 26 October 2023 and concluded in February 2024. We received over 1,141 applications, with 116 applicants completing the process. Applications poured in from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Egypt, and South Africa. After rigorous application reviews and interviews, we proudly selected the 2024-25 cohort, comprising 20 leaders aged between 18 and 29. We are excited to introduce these leaders representing Ghana (2), Kenya (6), Malawi (6), Nigeria (1), Uganda (2), South Africa (2), and Tanzania (1).

Meet the fourth cohort of the Africa Matters ShE Is Empowered Program here and support them as they work to enhance their skills and drive community impact in their respective regions.

Program Updates:

The ShE Program provides African adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) with a transformative 12-month online program, empowering them to actively participate in their communities' economic and social development. Through modules covering youth advocacy, social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and a practical community engagement project, ShE's vision extends beyond education, aiming to cultivate a generation of empowered women who will shape Africa's future with resilience and determination.

The program encompasses the following components:

Capacity building (Training )
Community Engagement Projects (Practical)
Mentorship Program

For the 2024-25 cohort, the program components remain consistent, with minor adjustments to the contents and structure of the capacity-building modules and a refined format for the mentorship program. However, an enhancement to the Community Engagement Project (CEP) component includes introducing quarterly workshops. These workshops aim to offer extra support to program participants and involve AMI Alumni, who will share insights from their CEP journeys, highlighting challenges and opportunities in executing successful CEPs.

As we mentioned earlier, the new year has already ushered in incredible milestones and below are some highlights:

Welcoming Session

On 27 March, we hosted a joint Opening Ceremony for new AMI flagship program participants in collaboration with the Africa Matters Ambassadors Program. It was an event filled with excitement and eagerness for the year ahead. We thank the AMAP team for co-hosting such an incredible welcome to all Flagship program participants. We wish both programs nothing but the best for the year, and here's to youth-led community impact across Africa.

Capacity-Building Updates:

On 9 March, we hosted our first Capacity Module on Personal Development, focusing on understanding one's purpose through the Golden Circle concept and goal setting for the future. This module emphasises the importance of personal growth alongside leadership development. As one participant reflected, “In as much as I'm fully aware of goal-setting as one of the drivers to success, I have been reluctant to adhere to it. But after the module, I just began to write down some goals with a serious mindset to "go get it". It feels as though the module has kept me in a competition to do well for myself and, most importantly, to know 'the why' to 'my what'”

The capacity-building Component will continue with modules on project management, social entrepreneurship, and an introduction to community engagement projects, among other topics.

Additional Updates:

Call for Mentors:

Africa Matters Mentorship Program is aimed at providing ShE Leaders and AMAP Ambassadors an opportunity to engage with experienced and accomplished professionals to assist in their personal and professional development as leaders. We facilitate the creation of successful relationships between Mentors, Leaders, and/or Ambassadors outside of the AMI community. Africa Matters seeks mentors to provide guidance and support to our leaders and ambassadors so that they can manage their own learning in order to maximize their full potential, develop their skills, and improve their performance throughout their program.

As we continue to upskill and empower youth to better their communities, we believe mentors are key to the developmental growth of our youth today. Mentors are the stepping stone to providing young leaders with the right skills, tools, support, and platforms to engage in this competitive world. Please complete the following form if you are interested in joining our mentor network.

GlobalGiving Little by Little Campaign

On April 8th, we launched the GlobalGiving Little by Little Campaign, a five-day crowdfunding campaign from April 8th to April 12th. GlobalGiving matched your donations at 50%, doubling the impact of your contribution. If you missed out on the campaign, you still have an opportunity to contribute and make a difference in our programs!

Merchandise

This is a reminder that you and a friend or two can get fashion statement pieces items by purchasing our AMI merchandise. Visit our website to purchase our products. This is one way of supporting our program because 50% of proceeds from merchandise sales go towards the upkeep of flagship programs, directly impacting ShE leaders and their ongoing participation within the program.

Closing Remarks:

The Africa Matters ShE is Empowered Program is grateful to all our donors, partners, GlobalGiving, ShE Alumni, supporters, and the broader African community and beyond for your unwavering support in the new year. Your generous contributions continue to empower youth across Africa, bringing about positive change and sustainable development. Let us work hand in hand, supporting our cause through donations, advocacy, or in-kind assistance. A reminder that your donations support our participants with the following:

Providing ShE leaders with seed funding to conduct their community engagement projects that impact a minimum of 50 people per participant
Supporting the development and enhancement of program components such as our modules or our mentorship program

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for!

Thank you once again for your continued support. If you have inquiries or want to connect with us, please email she@africamattersinitiative.com

Yours African Youth Development,

Africa Matters ShE Team

2023-24 ShE Leader Sembes' CEP beneficiaries

ShE Leaders Dorothy and Euster with beneficiaries

2024-25 ShE leaders Revealed

ShE Alumni and their Volunteers rocking AMI Merch

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Dec 19, 2023
ShE is Empowered Program December Report 2024

By Kedibone Shuping,Melissa Sithole,Aluwani Ramarumo | Africa Matters ShE is Empowered Program Team

Greetings, and thank you for your continued support of the Africa Matters She is Empowered program throughout 2023. As we end the year, we are excited to present the final ShE program GlobalGiving report for 2023. This report summarises the impactful milestones and collective achievements made possible by your generosity and commitment to empowering African women and girls.

We are happy to share some exciting program updates and discuss the areas we are developing and preparing for the upcoming year.

Participant Updates:

The Africa Matters' ShE Empowered program participants continue to make us proud through their active dedication and engagement in program activities. Presently, we have seventeen (17) ShE leaders from Malawi (5), South Africa (1), Sierra Leone (2), Zimbabwe (3), Kenya (1), Ghana (4), and Tanzania (1) actively participating in the program.

Capacity-Building Updates:

On 21 November 2023, we successfully concluded the capacity-building component of the ShE program, where we presented Module 17- Project Management (Monitoring and Evaluation) Pt 2, which focused on monitoring and evaluation (M&E). This module is significant in our ShE leaders' journey as it emphasises the importance of monitoring and evaluation in their community engagement projects. This ensures that they are equipped with the necessary information and tools to effectively and accurately evaluate the impact of their CEPs and any future projects they take on.

Throughout these modules, the ShE leaders consistently demonstrated their commitment to the capacity-building component, and they attended their sessions in numbers, communicated in time when unable to participate and participated in robust dialogue and engagements in the sessions. Notably, sessions that covered African Feminism, Social Entrepreneurship, and the Project Management series (sessions 1–3) drew the highest levels of engagement from the cohort. We encourage ShE leaders to utilise the lessons learnt in their personal and professional development to ensure that they become effective leaders of society.

As we prepare for the 2024 cohort, our team has been actively discussing the successes and challenges of each module and the overall capacity-building component. We're committed to refining and enhancing this component to empower and upskill our ShE leaders. Over the next few months, we will focus on re-evaluating the modules and addressing any identified gaps to further strengthen the program.

AMI Mentorship Program Updates:

The Africa Matters Mentorship Program aims to provide ShE Leaders and Africa Matters Ambassadors an opportunity to engage with experienced and accomplished professionals to assist in their personal and professional development as leaders. We facilitate the creation of successful relationships between Mentors, Leaders and/or Ambassadors outside of the AMI community.

Within this program, participants have found support in diverse areas, including personal development, career strategies, networking, entrepreneurship, and higher education. The partnership has been mutually beneficial, proving successful and enriching for both sides.

In August, we hosted an AMI Mentor Meet & Greet in collaboration with the Africa Matters Ambassadors program. The aim was to formally welcome mentors into the program, introduce them to the flagship and mentorship program, and offer a platform for them to share expectations and areas where support is needed. Additionally, it served as a networking opportunity for mentors. Looking ahead to 2024, we plan to host more of these gatherings to expand the network of mentors and foster networking among them.

While it was challenging, we had one of our mentors withdraw from the program due to personal reasons and changes in availability. During our debrief call, the mentor expressed appreciation for the chance to collaborate with AMI and saw the mentorship program as an ideal way to partner with us. They also shared valuable insights and suggestions for improvement, which our team is actively considering as we prepare for the 2024 cohort.

Africa Matters seeks mentors to provide guidance and support to our Leaders and Ambassadors to manage their learning in order to maximise their full potential, develop their skills, and improve their performance throughout their program. As we continue to upskill and empower youth to better their communities, we believe mentors are key to the developmental growth of our youth today. Mentors are the stepping stone to providing young leaders with the right skills, tools, support, and platforms to engage in this competitive world. Please complete the following form if you are interested in joining our mentor network.

We thank all our mentors for their commitment to supporting the next generation of African leaders!

Community Engagement Project Updates:

We are excited to announce the commencement of the Community Engagement Project (CEP) component, where participants are either launching or finalising plans for their respective CEPs.

The ShE Leaders, after months of preparing their community engagement projects, incorporating lessons from the capacity building component and their mentorship programs, are now actively implementing projects that aim to address challenges within their communities. The CEPs focus on the following themes: mental health, SRHR-related issues, promoting girls' education, skill development, entrepreneurship, water management, and environmental sustainability and are set to continue until early 2024, focusing on applying the skills and knowledge acquired throughout the program.

Examples of projects include:

Climate Action: The Environmental Conservation Community of Tanzania (ECCT) is dedicated to empowering young girls and women to become leaders in green initiatives. These initiatives include advocating for green energy, implementing green economy practices, recycling projects, planting tree seedlings, and providing green education. Focused on developing leadership skills amongst climate activist to increase their knowledge of climate change, its impacts, and ways to mitigate and adapt to its effects. This project also aims to build a network of empowered young women and girls who can support and learn from each other and collaborate to advance climate justice, advocate for policies and practices that support a sustainable future and ensure that young women's and girls' voices are heard in decision-making processes related to climate change.

Skills development: The project was created due to widespread of early pregnancies, sexual harassment, and scarce educational resources, causing many young girls to leave school in Malawi. Its aim is to empower women and girls by teaching them sewing and design, enhancing their financial prospects. They'll sell these creations daily, fostering financial independence while also supporting others. Through this initiative, these individuals will gain self-sufficiency and advocate for their rights. The training includes diverse designs, encouraging these young women to craft a livelihood. A fashion show will showcase their creations, spotlighting the cause of girls' rights and integrating them into the community.

Additionally, the ShE program, in collaboration with the Matters Ambassadors Program (AMAP), hostedworkshops dedicated to supporting program participants with CEP expectations and providing additional support for their CEPs. This included tools for fundraising and sustaining their CEPs beyond their participation in the programs. The first workshop was hosted on 11 October 2023. It was focused on sustainability and scalability, while the second and last one was held on 7 December 2023 and focused on monitoring, evaluation, and reporting requirements of their CEP.

The distribution of seed funding for the CEPs is also currently underway, and instructions on how to effectively utilise these funds, along with guidance on accounting for them, will be provided to the ShE leaders. This forms an essential part of our training, aiming to instil a sense of accountability in our future leaders.

AMI Merchandise Updates:

As part of their participation in the program, participants receive merchandise packs that they can use during the implementation phase of their community engagement projects. The merchandise also flies the African Matters brand high amongst the participants. For the 2023 merchandise packs, the ShE leaders received three t-shirts, one for themselves and two for their volunteers, and an Africa Matters branded tote bag and button. The merchandise was sent to each participant in their respective countries via the DHL/PostNet postal services.

Thirteen (13) packages were shipped on the 7th of November, 2023, and the remaining four were sent on the 23rd of November, 2023, from our Africa Matters Initiative head offices in Cape Town. As it currently stands, all seventeen (17) participants have received their merchandise. Click Here to see our ShE leader, Zanaib Koroma from Sierra Leone, unboxing her merchandise pack.

2024 Recruitment Cycle

The 2024 recruitment process was officially launched on 26 October 2023, when applications were opened to recruit the next cohort of ShE. Before launching the applications, we took on stakeholder engagement by conducting a country search on social media, allowing our community to choose eligible countries for the 2024 recruitment cycle. The applications were open for five weeks and officially closed on 3 December 2023. The original application deadline was 26 November 2023. However, we extended the deadline to allow more applicants to complete their applications.

We received over 1,141 applications for the 2024 cohort, but only 116 applicants completed them. We are currently reviewing applications with the help of the Africa Matters team, mentors and ShE Alumni. We received applications from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Egypt, and South Africa. The review process is expected to conclude on 20 December 2023. The next step in the recruitment process is to contact applicants who have made it to the next stage of the recruitmentfor interviews, which are expected to take place in early January 2024.

Closing Remarks

The Africa Matters ShE is Empowered Program would like to thank all our donors, partners, GlobalGiving, facilitators, mentors, ShE Alumni Africa Matters team and our She leaders for your invaluable and continued support throughout 2023. We could not have come this far without you. We appreciate your support more than words can convey.

We wish you a joyous festive season, and we look forward to continuing our journey together in the new year!

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for!

Thank you once again for your continued support. If you have any questions or concerns or would like to support and connect with us in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us at she@africamattersinitiative.com

Yours sincerely,

Africa Matters ShE Team

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Aug 21, 2023
Empowering and upskilling young women and girls

By Kedibone Shuping and Melissa Sithole | ShE is Empowered Program Team

Thank you for your continued support of the Empower 20 Girls and Women as Leaders project.

Programmatic Updates

Adolescent girls worldwide are speaking up and advocating for a more gender-equal world. One of the most successful tactics for pushing progress on the continent towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth has emerged as the necessity to invest in young women's economic empowerment and skill development. From April through July of the first quarter of the Africa Matters ShE is Empowered Programme 2023, the ShE program has been committed to continuing with programming activities on capacity building, mentoring, and Community Engagement Projects.

Capacity Building

The portfolio in 2023 has held over ten online module sessions on topics so far. This includes Personal Development, Essential Skills, Project Management, African Identities, African Leadership and Youth Activism, Social Entrepreneurship, and African Feminisms. Leaders were introduced to theoretical frameworks of what skills women and girls need to break into the ever-changing world, taught practical methods essential for their community projects, and how they can contribute to society through knowledge-based themes that not only provide knowledge systematically and practically, but also promote awareness, advocacy, and dialogue.

Mentorship Program

In addition to the capacity component, the ShE portfolio oversaw the mentorship program, which matched ShE Leaders with seasoned professionals on the African continent. The AMI Mentorship program provides Leaders with the chance to be exposed to and connected with professionals who can help them improve professionally and personally. This mentoring experience is the first step in achieving the goals they have set for themselves, and it will assist in navigating the barriers to pursuing leadership. They were matched based on what both parties stated they required out of the mentorship relationship.

The matching process was successful, and 80% of the Leaders were assigned to their suitable mentors.

Community Engagement Projects

Our program places a strong emphasis on community engagement as we believe that the Leaders must have the necessary resources and tools to effect change in their communities. That is exactly why we upskill them with those skills in the capacity building component. 18 Leaders have started the planning stages of their community engagement projects and 2 have successfully started execution. These projects are related to critical issues such as Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Education, Mental Health, and Skills Development.

The Leaders have diversified the manner in which they incorporate education. Education focusing on empowering young women and girls, as well as promoting financial literacy and political participation. Additionally some are incorporating creative ways to address the issue of Gender-based violence (GBV) in their SRHR community engagement projects, as well as focusing on environmental conservation, especially water management.

As the ShE Team, our ultimate goal is to support the Leaders to acquire specific skill sets that can assist them in generating income transformation in their communities. We do this through highlighting the importance of Social Entrepreneurship throughout the program.

Upcoming Activities

As we approach the halfway point of the year, the program has been able to provide essential skills to the participants. The portfolio will continue to facilitate the remaining capacity-building sessions, which will further increase the Leaders' understanding of themes related to youth involvement and leadership. Now that the participants have begun planning their community projects and some executing, the program will prepare to move to the execution phase, where impact, empowerment, and serving as change catalysts will occur. In addition, the portfolio will be preparing for the 2024 application cycle.

Closing Remarks

We are immensely grateful to all supporters of AMI, and especially of our program, who have contributed to any and all success of our program. We have had a rewarding half to our 2023-24 program cycle, and with more changes up ahead, we are happy to know that we have the avid support of many who believe in investing in African youth and their personal, professional and leadership development. It is this belief that inspires us to continue to grow and succeed, enabling us to work alongside African youth in their journeys to create tangible and transformative change where they are.

You can continue to contribute to this journey by donating to our program via GlobalGiving or by reaching out to us for potential partnership and sponsorship opportunities.

Thank you once again for your unwavering support. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at she@africamattersinitiative.com

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