LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

365 DAYS OF LOCAL ACTION TO END VIOLENCE AND

LESOTHO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND GENDER JUSTICE SUMMIT AND AWARDS 230412 KOPANONG

EMPOWER WOMEN

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT IDENTIFYING THIS PROBLEM?

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

As Dynamic Womens Club we noticed a rise in the number of teenage mothers. A rise in crimes committed by women from Police Reports

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

IS THIS ISSUE IMPORTANT?

This issue is important because these challenges produce broken women who cannot make logical decisions, but become vulnerable to committing crimes and end up in prison, or involved in early sexual encounters and become teenage mothers. We believe every broken woman in our society deserves a second chance to rebuild her life and become a better person. To break the vicious cycle of poverty, HIV or gender based violence.

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

HOW ARE YOU GOING ABOUT ADDRESSING THI S PROBLEM?

We are currently working with women in prison and teenage mothers. We visit these women every month to have discussions with them to motivate them to live better lives. These women choose a topic they would like us to talk about and we prepare to give them the information we have and in cases whereby we are not knowledgeable about the topic at hand we invite an expert in that area (e.g. health education or business topics). This is to ensure they get proper information on that issue.
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DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

HOW ARE YOU GOING ABOUT ADDRESSING THI S PROBLEM? Cont.

We also act as a link between resources and the identified girls and women; for instance, where a donor or partner wants to donate money for studies or an income generation project, we connect the beneficiary to the donor and see their lives transformed. We also support these women by donating cosmetics (bath soaps, body creams etc.) and clothing we receive from our partners and donors like individuals and World Vision. We target winter and summer seasons to distribute these items.

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

WHAT IS THE TIME-FRAME FOR THE PROJECT?

As long as we have disadvantaged or vulnerable women in our society Dynamic Womens Club plans to lend a hand and support them. The number is increasing especially teenage girls that are vulnerable and with more assistance we aim to do more.

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

WHO IS THE KEY TARGET? WHO IS INVOLVED? ARE WOMEN AND MEN EQUALLY INVOLVED?
LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Key target Vulnerable or disadvantaged women (unemployed, inmates and former inmates, teenage mothers)
Those involved - DWC members, friends and partners

Men cannot be members but can be involved as partners.

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

PARTNERSHIPS FORMED THROUGH THE PROJECT

Good Shepherd Centre for teenage mothers The Prison Fellowship Female Correctional Rehabilitation Centre Sechaba Morojele (Donor) BLIA Chinese Computer Sponsorship BAM Consultancy & Promotions M. Rakubutu Professional Counselling
DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

RESOURCEFULNESS: WHAT FINANCIAL, HUMAN AND OTHER RESOURCES WERE MOBILISED?

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DWC depends on voluntary support and member contributions. We recently acquired a donor who is sponsoring our monthly visits to the Female Prison and the Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers and some of these funds will be used to pay fees for two teenage mothers (who are double orphans) at the Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers . We have an accountant who compiles detailed financial reports for our supporters on the use of funds.

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

CREATIVITY: ARE YOU USING ARTS, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO POPULARISE THE ISSUES?
Our club joined Facebook as a group and we post motivational statements and hold discussions on the network. We also talk about our upcoming events and whatever we are up to. We are also partners with one of the media houses in Lesotho called BAM Group and use their magazine to talk about these issues. Youth groups identify us through the media and contact us for support. During the 16 Days of Activism on Gender based Violence on the 26th November 2011 we held an event whereby we invited young women and we also invited women from Ifo Lapeng as motivational speakers of the day, who focused on leading the participants in identifying issues in relationships that can make women vulnerable to Gender based violence.
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DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

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DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Every project is reported on in terms of number of beneficiaries and the items received and the annual report is the summation of all initiatives achieved. During the AGM we evaluate our work and take corrective measures where necessary.

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

WHAT RESULTS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED?

Through one of our partnership (BLIA Chinese Computer Sponsorship) young ladies were trained on basic computer skills i.e. Microsoft Two teenage mothers (who are double orphaned) are being sponsored with school fees at the Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers. We were able to help two former inmates find employment in the past year. The warden from the Female Prison and the Principal at the Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers do testify to the positive impact our partnership has on these two groups.

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

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LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

IMPACT (BASED ON THE SADC PROTOCOL TARGETS)

Article 19 Equal access to employment and benefits: vulnerable women have been disadvantage by their background and other socio-cultural issues that can push some to criminal behaviour, but they deserve a second chance to access to employment and making a living so that their lives can turnaround from negative influences. Article 23 Support services : In Partnership with Correctional Rehabilitation facilities, a network of support is build for women not to engage in criminal behaviour and those that have been exposed to turn a new leaf. LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICATION

Because of the constant income we receive from our Donor this project will go on for a long time also from the constant support from our partners. The partnerships are also formed with reliable institutions such as Government department, churches and devoted individuals.

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Our beneficiaries are also devoted to supporting other disadvantaged women the way they were supported in their vulnerable state.

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

LESSONS LEARNED
Accountability remains a key lesson to efficiency as DWC is a link from a giver or sponsor to a woman in need. Integrity to distribute clothes and cosmetics as have been received needs a continuous check, especially where a number of volunteers are involved. Prayer has been our pillar of strength as we understand that one can never motivate or encourage someone unless they are motivated and encouraged themselves.

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ANY QUESTIONS?

DYNAMIC WOMENS CLUB