My Skills, My Money, My Brighter FutureHighlights from Qualitative Research on

Economic Strengthening Interventions for Adolescent GirlsIn Vulnerable Children Programs

Carrie MillerSenior Technical Advisor for HIV

CORE Group Fall MeetingOctober 14, 2011 - Washington, D.C.

Focus & Purpose

• Programs not designed with a “girls lens”

• Interventions most likely to influence economic outcomes

• Purpose:• Successes• Challenges• Recommendations

Educa-tion (vo-cational training) Economic

Strengthening

(savings groups)

Food Se-curity &

NutritionPsychosocial support

Shelter

Health

Child Protec-

tion

Context

• PEPFAR Track 1 OVC program (2004 - 2010)– Child-headed households– Vocational training– Adolescents integrated into adult

savings-groups

• Out-of-School-Adolescents Project (2007 – 2010)– 1 in 4 children orphaned– Vocational training: private sector

apprenticeships – Savings-led microfinance for

adolescents

Source: CIA Fact BookSource: CIA Fact Book

Why Vocational Training?

• Pregnant girls not permitted to attend school

• Need to balance household responsibilities

• Prohibitive cost of school fees & supplies

Vocational Training Structure

• Center-based or Community-based

• Technical Skills• Complementary Skills

6-month Classroom Training

• Local entrepreneurs• Graduates• Private sector entities

6-month Apprentice-ship

Successes

• Girls valued complementary skills

• Extensive support system• Increased self-esteem• Less likely to engage in

transactional sex

“My sewing machine is now my

boyfriend. It is what gives me

money.”- Adolescent girl vocational

trainee, ZimbabwePhoto: Wendy-Ann Rowe

Recommendations

• “Earning while learning” • Market assessments• Provide job

counseling/modeling to support non-standard options

• Link with private sector for job placement

Photo: Melita Sawyer

Sithandazile’s Brighter Future

• Now employed• Supports self and

family members• Serves as a role

model for other girls

Photo: Melita Sawyer

“We’re orphans, and our guardians can’t take care of us. To keep going with our education, and to take care of ourselves, we decided to join SILC.”

- Adolescent girl SILC participant, Zimbabwe

Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC)

What is a Savings and Internal Lending Community (SILC)?

• Group of self-selected members

• Meet regularly to save, borrow & repay

• User-owned and self-managed

• Independent of outside investments

Successes

• Financial benefits– Improved access to

healthcare & education• Non-Financial benefits

– Peer support– Increased self-esteem and

confidence– Mentoring from adults– Development of

entrepreneurial and problem solving skills

– Reduced transactional sex for girls

“There was a temptation before to have sex for food, but now if I’m approached, I say I don’t need it. Now I can pay for my own lunch.”

- Adolescent girl SILC participant, Zimbabwe

Recommendations

• Engage adults • Ensure sound

child protection practices

• Include additional services

Photo: Melita Sawyer

Take Away Messages

Economic Strengthening: Not a stand alone activity

Work at all levels to create an enabling environment

Institutional

Community

Household

Adolescent Girl

Acknowledgements

• Participants: All the girls, boys, caregivers, community and local leaders who generously shared their time with us

• Nike Foundation: Amy Babchek• Partner staff: Caritas Kibungo, ORAP, ASAP• CRS staff: Wendy-Ann Rowe, Rwanda,

Zimbabwe, Central and Southern Africa Regional Offices

Thank you

“Get all the knowledge you can, so you can stand on your own and earn a living.”–Sithandazile

Thank you for your attention

Photo: Wendy-Ann Rowe

What were the food security interventions in Rwanda?

• Bio-intensive kitchen gardens

• Goat fairs and pass-on scheme

Photo: Rick D`Elia Photo: Jean Claude Mugenzi 

What do adults have to do with it?

• Adolescent & youth participation is essential, but adults are important too...

– Project staffo Skills & capacity to work with adolescents and adults

– Parents and caregivers of adolescents:o Encouragement & support - first savings, IGA ideas, assist with IGAs, time

management

– Teachers o Create supportive environment for learning & earning

– Community Leaderso Legitimacy & enforcement of SILC constitutions

What we did...

• Population: program participants and key stakeholders

• Informed consent• Data collection

– Local language– Group discussions– Key informant interviews– Document review

• Data analysis– Synthesis of themes– Verification

Photo: Wendy-Ann Rowe