On the 20th February, we launched our GirlsGotThis 'Works' (GGTW) programme with a small group of 7 young women, aged 18 -24.
Women and girls in the Philippines are facing a number of challenges in regards to their safety and well-being during COVID-19. These are matters such as access to healthcare services, gender-based violence, dropping out of education and economic insecurity. Children haven't been to school for 12 months exactly and many are not able to access distance learning during COVID-19. Women and girls are among the most vulnerable to disruptions in their education, which leads to this having a negative impact on everyone. Girls are twice as likely to drop out of school due to the negative impacts of the pandemic;
the chances of them returning to school thereafter are very limited.
Girls not returning to school will not only affect their chances in the future but will also affect the lives of their children, resulting in a never ending cycle of poverty. The disproportionate economic impact on women is likely to result in increased extreme poverty, and reduce opportunities for labour force participation, including through business ownership and enterprise, thereby further exacerbating gender income disparities. GirlsGotThis 'Works' is a post-COVID-19 project to up-skill and provide dignified employment through micro-enterprise for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 16-26, from marginalized communities that were hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Selected participants for GGTW would have already completed a previous FundLife training or will be recommended by one of our community partners. During this first session, the job trainer focused on getting to know the young women, they shared their passions and motivations and they explained which skills they already have and what skills they would like to work on.
'My greatest goal is to have my own business and become a young entrepreneur someday' - Maria, 18 years old
We are looking forward to sharing more updates on this incredible journey towards a positive future full of opportunities!