Source: NAC’s initiative transforms lives of vulnerable girls – herald
Victor Maphosa
Mashonaland East Bureau
VULNERABLE adolescent girls and young women from Mutoko district are benefiting from the Sista2Sista programme of the National AIDS Council with beneficiaries commending the initiative.
The Sista2Sista programme is one of the initiatives introduced by NAC in the fight against the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. This programme targets adolescent girls and young women from the age of 15 to 24. The girls are equipped with life-changing skills to ensure they are economically empowered.
Yesterday NAC officials from Mashonaland East visited Mutoko district’s wards 9 and 16 where they met beneficiaries of the programme.
In ward 16 about 50 people divided into two groups are engaging in income-generating projects which include farming and poultry. In wards 9 and 15 NAC has partnered with Plan International in these empowerment programmes where beneficiaries are doing projects which include baking and hairdressing.
NAC Mashonaland East provincial manager Dr Wilfred Dube said the programme is helping to reshape beneficiaries’ lives.
“As NAC we are doing a number of programmes that are targeted at problems that are emerging in communities. We have a challenge of adolescent girls and young women who get pregnant and drop out of school and we have this problem here in Mutoko district.
“So we have selected vulnerable girls who are not going to school from the communities into the Sista2Sista programme. These girls are getting life lessons which are useful in keeping them out of HIV infections. In addition to these lessons they also get life skills training,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries Ms Brenda Manyengera said the programme has empowered her.
“I am doing a poultry project together with other members in my group. I was never employed and I am one of those people who had lost hope in life after what I went through. But after I was introduced and joined the Sista2Sista programme I became empowered and I thank NAC for that.”
The post NAC’s initiative transforms lives of vulnerable girls appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.