The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) project Voices Against Violence, tackles lack of awareness of violence against women and girls in East Africa, and the various forms that violence may take. The COSARAF Foundation funding has supported young women and girls to help them identify key areas where abuse often happens, and how to avoid them in the future.
The project has had an immediate impact on young girls; Amina, a 13-year-old from Kilifi primary school has witnessed many girls becoming commercial sex workers in her community due to poverty. Amina observed that the project was particularly important to her as she has learnt about the different forms of abuse that exist, especially emotional abuse, as she was not aware of this.
Amina feels the project has enabled her to articulate her position, especially on gender based violence. She has learnt to say no to any form of abuse and to report any cases of abuse immediately.
Amina intends to use her knowledge to inform other girls to say no to gender based violence especially in her church.
Using her own words ‘Mtu akinidhulum kijinsia nitatafuta uzaidizi kutoka kwa mtu ninayemamini’, which is translated as ‘If anyone abuses me
because of my gender I will look for help from a trusted adult’.
This level of awareness is exactly the impact the Cosaraf Foundation strives for from projects.
Young leaders who participated in the programme praised the curriculum as eye-opening, as many realised they face one or more forms of violence in their lives, and/or described experiences they had gone through in schools, at home, or in their personal relationships. Schools were set a target of training 30 girls per school in the Voices Against Violence curriculum. Most were incredibly receptive, and a number surpassed this target.
A questionnaire was carried out among the young leaders and national trainers who attended the training pre- and post-curriculum, and an analysis of the results showed that after completing the programme:
– 98% demonstrated a very strong understand of gender-based violence (GBV)
– 93% felt comfortable delivering the Voices against Violence curriculum to the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
– 97% felt they could comfortably articulate what GBV is and why it occurs.
– 93% felt they could challenge beliefs which perpetuate violence against girls and women.
