Khulisa hand-picked to pilot Global Give Back Circle initiative
To be implemented in the Amajuba district, 50 school-going girls finishing Grade 12 this year in rural areas were selected to participate in the project.
Khulisa Social Solutions’ Newcastle branch has been selected to pilot the Global Give Back Circle initiative for South Africa.
To be implemented in the Amajuba district, 50 school-going girls finishing Grade 12 this year in rural areas were selected to participate in the project. The girls were identified and selected specifically from orphaned and vulnerable backgrounds.
The Global Give Back Circle integrates mentoring, private sector engagement and government and community support in a ‘circle of empowerment’, guiding young girls vulnerable to social vices towards completing their educational journeys, gaining employable skills and finally transitioning into the workplace. Tailoring the project’s goals to the needs of the girls selected to join the programme, the girls will receive training and instruction in IT, English, life and financial skills and entrepreneurial and career development.
Initially implemented in Kenya, after six years of development and refinement, the Global Give Back Circle is now the largest tertiary education programme for at-risk girls in Kenya. What started as 10 girls in Kenya in 2006, has since grown to more than 580 girls. With the support of governmental departments such as the Departments of Education and Health, as well as the community at large, Khulisa Social Solutions aims to achieve an even greater degree of success in the Amajuba district and South Africa at large.
“This is an incredible programme; the Department of Health will be looking to work closely with the project,” said Department of Health representative, Amanda Malinga.
An integral part of the initiative programme is linking up each of these 50 girls with a female ‘mentor’ to guide, support and advise them throughout the process. To this end Khulisa Social Solutions met with potential mentors on November 20.
During the programme, possible mentors were explained the tasks and requirements on becoming a mentor. A question and answer session was held and attendees were asked for their input and concerns surrounding the process of mentoring these girls through a five-phase programme.
“The role of the mentor is to become a role model to these girls. To support them in acquiring self-knowledge, confidence and achieving big dreams, we are not asking women to become mothers to these girls, but we want them to be mentors,” said Paul Bushell of Khulisa.
The placement of mentors and mentees will be tailored to each of their circumstances to be ideally suited to each other as closely as possible.
To ensure sustainability, the circle’s initiative is designed to be implemented at a grass-roots level and perpetuated by the girls over time. “We want these girls to give back to THIS community. We encourage them as much as possible to give back and keep to their give-back commitments throughout the process. We want them to become an agent of change in themselves,” said Mr Bushell.
Community support in the form of mentoring the girls through the programme is integral.
Anyone wishing to find out more about the programme and what it takes to become a mentor can contact Sureka Bhadhai at Khulisa Social Solutions on: 034 326 3664.
