Campaign Story

The programme invests in education, vocational training and psychosocial support for vulnerable young women in Zimbabwe, working to address gender disparities. ZET hopes to build their skills, confidence and independence to live a full life.

Girls comprise only about 35% of the pupils in upper secondary education. This is largely down to a history of gender imbalance, in which cultural ideologies have resulted in the preference of boy children over girl children in education. Young women, often orphaned, struggle to afford their education and therefore face a bleak future in a country where unemployment is at 80%. Many of these girls are also HIV positive and face discrimination due to the stigma attached to their virus.

With ZET the girls take a range of introductory courses including cookery, computer skills, sewing, health and hygiene and time management, giving them life skills needed to be lead an independent life. They then take specialized training like pre-school teaching, nurse aid, dress making, hotel and catering, with every effort taken to find them long term employment after their course or programme. The girls are also educated about HIV and urged to get tested to know their status, so they can get help early.

Rafiki Girls Centre gives hope for a sustainable future to 62 of these vulnerable young women, who live in extreme poverty, by providing education and vocational training. 90% of Rafiki’s graduates have continued into further education or found work as a result of their training, empowering the most vulnerable to rise out of poverty. The project is bridging the gender gap in education and promoting economic opportunity for young women, their families and local community.