Women

Project Location

Country: 
Pakistan
City: 
TM Khan

Organization

Organization Name: 
Sindh Community Foundation
Organization Type: 
Other

Website

http://www.scfngo.org

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Project Type

Helping youth step in the job market

Project Description

Description Frase (max. 500 characters): 

The project will benefit 1000 girls and young women of slums of TM Khan City trough advanced IT and job skills in conducive and more learning environment.

Project Summary (max. 2000 characters): 

The project is about the provision of low cost facilities of IT education to poor girls of the slums of Tando Muhammad Khan. SCF has established a Girls Resource Centre-GRC in 2009 in Tando Muhammad Khan with the idea and motive to equip girls of the poor families of the slums of the area with modern IT skills so that they can play active role in income generation for their family in future. The main aims of the establishing this GRC was that because the computers centers in the city mostly are mixed so due to strong gender barrier girls do not feel comfortable to learn while attending such courses at centers because of various social barriers and most of the families does not allow girls to get IT skills with boys, the other reasons was that the existing fee structure of computer education at commercial centers was very high so girls from poor families were not getting benefits from these facilities at local level because the fees structure was not affordable. Keeping these issues in consideration Sindh Community Foundation conducted a need assessment in the area and then developed an idea of Girls Resource to provide IT, carrier planning skills, library facilities and social education on various themes of leadership and gender etc. SCF succeeded to start GRC with support of Mama Cash Netherlands in Sep, 2009 and provided IT training to 119 girls with very minim and low fee structure and also provided career planning sessions to 99 girls and trained groups of 30 active girls on leadership, gender, human rights, confidence building, volunteerism, and life skills awareness. Girls feel very pleasant having learning environment at GRC because it is only for girls where they can speak and express their opinion and thoughts to each other. The current admission of computer course at GRC is 50 girls while computers are only 5 so most of time practical things are not completed by each trainees, there is need of more 10 computers so that girls can work on practical of computer with huge time and these expanded facilities can reach more new 200 girls from the poor families for computer education and more girls will get benefits from this. At GRC girls/trainees were also provided learning and awareness on various social issues through debate competitions, seminars on women rights, and importance of IT for girls, newsletters women voice to encourage them to write articles on social issues of women, library facilities updated their current affairs knowledge and information and job information. So the GRC has very good place where women meet each other and discuss their issues freely and their confidence has increased. Till the date GRC has been trained 220 girls and 180 girls for career planning. Brochure of YRC is attached for detailed understanding of GRC and facilities for poor girls and successes of the GRC are also highlighted in SCF’s annual report 2010 attached here.
Sindh Community Foundation (SCF) conducted a survey in the slum settings of Tando Muhammad Khan and opened a dialogue with community members about girls’ education and community needs. A report was developed based upon the observations as well as meetings with parents and girls separately. This assessment helped Sindh Community Foundation discover priority problems and determine ways to fix them.
See attached for more info.

How long has your project been running?

2010-09-29 22:00:00

Objectives and Innovative Aspects

The project was aimed
To train girls in slum areas in Tando Muhammad Khan City on basic and advanced computer skills;
To provide career counseling, awareness, and job skills training to girls;
To establish a Girls Youth Resource Center (GYRC) in order to provide a platform for freedom of expressions, views and discussion;
To build the capacity of 30 girls on social activism and understanding of social issues ranging from confidence building, life skills, HIV/AIDS, RH problems, gender, human rights, social activism, and leadership.

The establishment of Girls Resource Center and providing the integrated facilities to the girls and young women for increasing their income generation opportunities and getting information platforms to get information on job skills and jobs to be active economic actors .Provision of carrier counseling for encouraging girls for higher education higher education and leadership and social awareness program was the innovative ideas in the area and the GRC has become nervous of the girls empowerment in the area. Library facilitates for girls to prepare for pre entry test for higher education was also new approach. Exposure e of potential girls was conducted with the higher education institution to get know how about the admission systems due to strong gender barrier girls normally rely on their brothers and male family members to do these activities so through visits they became confident and inspired for higher education.

Results

Describe the results achieved by your project How do you measure (parameters) these. (max. 2000 characters): 
• 500 girls from poor families have been trained on basic and advanced computers skills and applications such as: Microsoft Office, web development, Adobe, internet operating, in-page Sindhi, In-page Urdu, and Coral draw. • Out of 2500 trained girls, 50 girls have received jobs in the private sector, companies or NGOs as computer operators or computer teachers/ instructors in nearby cities . • 200 girls received career planning aid, necessary jobs skills and career counseling. Thirty girls are following career plans for higher education and future direction. • Ninety girls received awareness and knowledge on current affairs and social issues through reading newspapers and books of their interest at library facilities. • The Girls’ Youth Resource Center was established, managed and supervised by the Management Committees which were comprised of the girls themselves. The Center provided a supportive environment, and 90 girls were able to utilize the GYRC as a center of information, discussing their issues and social problems freely and without hesitation or fear of criticism from their parents and male family members. • GYRC has been utilized by the girls in celebrating special occasions and for holding meetings of the Management Committee and Girls Association. • Thirty active girls trained on confidence building, life skills, HIV/AIDS, RH problems, gender, human rights, social activism and leadership • Girls have been involved in volunteer activities • Leadership skills and knowledge of 90 active girls was enhanced, and their engagement in social activism was boosted and supported • Girls Association was formed to manage and monitor the GYRC and helped in arranging seminars and debate competitions on International Women’s Day focusing on Human Rights and Importance of IT for girls. See attached for more info
How many users interact with your project monthly and what are the preferred forms of interaction? (max. 500 characters): 

100 girls and young women users are interacted monthly through IT facilities, library facilities and carrier counseling activities at GRC. GRC also provide job skills for young women through CV development, interviews skills, motivation and communication skills and awareness session on social issues and job information and linkages with the employers

Sustainability

What is the full duration of your project (from beginning to end)?: 
From 1 to 3 years
What is the approximate total budget for your project (in Euro)?: 
From 30.001 to 75.000 Euro
What is the source of funding for your project?: 
Grants
Specify: 
NGO
Is your project economically self sufficient now?: 
Yes
Since when?: 
2010-12-30 23:00:00

Transferability

Has your project been replicated/adapted elsewhere?: 
No
What lessons can others learn from your project? (max. 1500 characters): 

The parents of the girls in Tando Muhammad‘s slum areas are now very aware of the opportunities available to women and girls. They were mobilized through face to face and door to door meetings and interactive seminars at the Girls Youth Resource Center. They allowed their girls to get computer and social education so that they may become effective social and economic players. The girls who have been trained in social education and leadership convey their acquired knowledge regarding gender, human rights, and career possibilities to their parents. Twenty families allowed their girls to work in the private sector, and education about the girls’ involvement in economic and social development has occurred. Targeted communities’ behaviors towards girls have changed, and women now participate in decision making regarding choosing their life partner, education, and employment. Girls Association has addressed the issue of girls’ education, especially in girls’ primary schools in the slums and rural areas.
Girls and uneducated young women also demanded for launching vocational skills must be provided and other job skills for receptionist, accounting training, teaching skills so that can avail local private sector job market in the area and can improve the income sources.

Are you available to help others to start or work on similar projects?: 
Yes

Background Information

Barriers and Solutions (max. 1000 characters): 
The parents of the girls in Tando Muhammad‘s slum areas are now very aware of the opportunities available to women and girls. They were mobilized through face to face and door to door meetings and interactive seminars at the Girls Youth Resource Center. They allowed their girls to get computer and social education so that they may become effective social and economic players. Demand is high and seating arrangement and timings are the major concerns because of the number of computers, timing are opened for evening time so there is need to open GRC from morning to the evening.10 computers were requested to German consulate at Karachi and supported some equipments were placed to adjust more 30 girls. Relocation of the GRC because it is the rented to sometime number of girls left the IT course before completion because of the new area was far and their parents restrict them not go there because of gender barriers, SCF staff provide an open meeting invited parents met with teachers and invited them in a seminars on importance of IT for girls so after this they realized and allowed their girls to continue the courses.
Future plans and wish list (max. 750 characters): 
1. SCF intends to expand the rooms to hire a big building where at one time at least 200 girls and young women can be adjusted to get learning in various sectors. • For this purpose GRC needs at least 3 years rent to become more sustainable to reach large number of girls and young women for employability skills • Furniture and fixtures would be required for 200 girls • New courses of vocational and other courses to get variety of jobs • 04 Courses will be developed in local languages 2. IT launch new courses on teaching skills, receptionist and management skills, vocational skills, accounting skills to get more jobs in private sectors mainly schools, NGO and emerging construction industry. • Establish advanced and decent computer laboratory by purchasing 30 new computers with advanced accessories and installations • Most competent computer instructors and salaries for 2 years initially 3. Monthly basis carrier counseling session for 1000 girls and young women and jobs information events • Support for arranging monthly session the fee of trainer/speakers in relevant field is needed • Develop a cohort of 120 active girls on social consciousness of various issues, confidence building, carrier learning skills, financial planning skills and leadership skills so that would be addressing girls issues in well manner. See attached for more info.
Spaces for Girls girls leadership ICT access to job market EMPOWERMENT Women Girl
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