By Serley Eises | Project Leader
Summary of Activities This Quarter
During this reporting period, Lidar Community Foundation successfully expanded its economic empowerment model into schools through the establishment of the Learner Mothers Fudge Project. This initiative introduced a structured, school-based income-generating model targeting learner mothers who remain in the education system.
Working in collaboration with Life Skills Departments and school leadership, learner mothers were organized into Fundraising Clubs, where they participated in the sale of affordable fudge products within the school environment. This model ensured that income generation did not disrupt academic time while directly addressing the financial challenges faced by young mothers in school.
Highlights
A key achievement this quarter was the successful implementation of a self-sustaining financial model within schools.
Through daily sales:
Learner mothers actively participated in structured fundraising activities
Schools began benefiting directly through a 25% allocation to Learner Mothers Support Funds managed by Life Skills Departments.
The project demonstrated strong feasibility as a low-cost, scalable intervention
This initiative has strengthened school retention by providing learner mothers with a practical way to support their basic needs, including transport, food, and childcare-related expenses, while continuing their education.
Testimonial
One learner mother shared:
"Before this project, I struggled to have money for school and my baby. Now I can contribute something small, and I feel more confident staying in school and focusing on my future."
This reflects a shift from vulnerability to empowerment, where young mothers are not only supported but actively participating in improving their circumstances.
Challenges
While the project has shown strong early success, challenges remain, including:
Limited production capacity to meet growing demand across schools
Need for continued mentorship and monitoring within school environments
Expansion constraints due to resource limitations
Lidar continues to strengthen coordination with schools and refine operational systems, including the use of structured Fudge Sales Logs to ensure accountability and transparency.
Next Steps
In the next quarter, Lidar aims to:
Expand the project to additional schools within Khomas Region
Train learner mothers in fudge production during weekends and school holidays
Strengthen sustainability through improved production and distribution systems
Continue advocacy linking economic empowerment to school retention
Your support continues to make a meaningful difference by enabling practical, community-driven solutions that help young mothers remain in school and build a more secure future for themselves and their children.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
