The Contribution of YWCA Rwanda Towards Empowering and Integrating Vulnerable Girls and Young Women through the DREAMS Program
The world over, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) face many problems that are detrimental to their health. These include among others high HV prevalence, teen pregnancy and gender based violence. In Rwanda, despite the fact that the HIV prevalence rate has remained low at 3%, AGYW remain at risk of contracting the virus. According to the Rwanda demographic survey, teen pregnancy rates have been increasing from 6% in 2010 to 7% in 2014/2015. This therefore poses a number of health risks to AGYW including HIV, maternal and child mortality, low birth weight, social stigma, and lack of birth preparedness among others.
With funding from USAID, Young Women’s Christian Association of Rwanda (YWCA Rwanda) has been implementing the DREAMS program in Kicukiro district in partnership with Global Communities from 2018 - September 2020 and ACHIEVE DEAMs program through PACT Rwanda from October 2020-2021. DREAMS is an acronym that stands for “Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored and Safe”. The program aims to ensure that Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) have an opportunity to live Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe lives. It seeks to prevent new HIV infections among AGYW (majority of whom are teen mothers, female sex workers and survivors of gender based violence), reduce sexual violence and to become economically independent through a comprehensive package of interventions. Through the program, YWCA Rwanda fosters the development of AGYW aged 10-24 including teen mums, female sex workers(FSW) and survivors of sexual gender based violence(SGBV) enabling them to realize their full potential. The program is currently implemented in 10 sectors of Kicukiro district namely ; Kicukiro, Kagarama, Niboye, Gatenga, Gikondo, Gahanga, Kanombe, Nyarugunga, Kigarama and Masaka. Kicukiro district was selected because it is among the districts with the highest rates of HIV prevalence, teen pregnancy, and sexual violence among AGYW .
YWCA safe spaces for AGYW are complex and dynamic physical and emotional environments that require constant caretaking. The safe spaces are accessible, in safe locations, promote leadership, participation of all, share accurate and reliable information and build trust. Therefore YWCA strives to maintain girls and young women-led spaces that foster strength through leadership and solidarity towards the attainment of the AGYW’s goals. This also contributes to the achievement of YWCA Rwanda’s vision of seeking a world where all women live free from poverty and where their rights are respected. The DREAMS program has managed 75 safe spaces and applied a holistic approach of trained 82 young women literally known as mentors in monitoring and cascading of the comprehensive empowerment program package to 19,481 AGYW.
A mentor sharing to the AGYW Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) messaging during the safe space sessions in Kicukiro sector
Our contribution towards empowering and integrating AGYW focuses mainly on risk avoidance and risk reduction through the following packages ;
SRHR and PrEP services : Survivors of SGBV, the teen mum, female sex workers (FSWs) experience high levels of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) morbidity. Hence, we prioritized cascading of SRHR messaging to those AGYW. Family planning, hygiene for reproductive system, HIV prevention are some of the packages that have been received by 19,481 AGYW which has supported them in making informed decisions about their lives. To complement the SRHR message, 4,691 sanitary pads have been provided to 3,335 AGYW aged (12-24) to boost their hygiene practices well as 227,010 condoms were distributed to AGYW aged (18-25) as an HIV preventive measure. The FSWs and the teen mums are also referred to the health facilities for family planning services. Similarly, the family matter program (FMP) promoted the interactions between parents/ guardians and their children (adolescent girls). The FMP has educated parents/caregivers on girls’ vulnerability to HIV and build their knowledge and skills to enable them protect girls and young women ; provide parents/caregivers with education materials to help them manage focused conversations on sexuality and HIV and violence prevention with their children hence strengthening families. 1,059 parents and guardians of AGYW 10-14 years have been reached with the FMP sessions.
Because of the knowledge that I got from the DREAMS program, I can’t engage in risky behavior again. I have used the knowledge I got to make informed decisions about my health, started a small charcoal selling business that helps me support myself and my family basic needs Says Grace Uwineza, a beneficiary of DREAMS.
Grace Uwineza in her charcoal business
On the other hand, Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), antiretroviral medication for prevention of HIV-acquisition, is promoted in the safe spaces for the AGYW at risk of HIV infection especially the FSWs who are a key population. Upon screening and found to be at risk, initiation on PrEP services follows. Apparently, PrEP is being used by the 159 FSWs who were found to be at a high risk among the 3,936 AGYW who were screened. This protects them from HIV acquisition and guards them against infection from their regular partners.
HIV and STI prevention : Knowing one’s HIV status is the first step in getting the appropriate treatment and care for HIV infection. Therefore, we provides HIV testing and Counseling (HTC) education among AGYW through safe space sessions to enable them to be aware of their HIV status. We conduct screening among AGYW for HIV/AIDS and SGBV cases using the HIV risk assessment tool. The process determines AGYW who are at a risk of contracting HIV infections. Then, the AGYW are sensitized on HIV testing and facilitated to access HIV/ clinical services. So far, 19,481 AGYW have been reached with HTC education and HIV risk assessment process. Furthermore, we strengthened the referral and linkage services. 13,838 AGWY and 279 FSWs male sexual partners have been referred for HTC services to health facilities and know their HIV status. Similarly, AGYW were provided with health insurances to support them in accessing health care service. The program interventions have contributed toward more protective behaviors for those AGYW who test both negative and positive.
Emelyne, one of the beneficiaries of the DREAMS program had this to say, “Since I joined the DREAMS program, I have gained alot of knowledge on sexual reproductive health, HIV and saving. and I gave up prostitution started a small business of selling soft drinks like soda, juice that help me meet my needs.
Violence Prevention and Post-Violence Care : In a bid to prevent and respond to SGBV, skills on first line support (LIVES) and its relationship with SGBV response and Referral and Linkages to GBV survivors are cascaded to both the 82 mentors and the health facilities providers. This is aimed at preventing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and Violence Against Children (VAC). The skills have built the capacity of persons coming into contact with survivors of violence to be able to meet their specific needs. Additionaly, conducting of GBV awareness sessions through the safe spaces with AGYW is aimed at ensuring that they fully understand their rights and how they can play a role in ensuring their own protection. We have provided psycho-social support and conducted referrals for survivors of violence to service providers such as the Police, health facilities and Isange one stop centers to enable them to access clinical and non-clinical services. Similarly, we use the Start Awareness Support Action (SASA) model to mobilize the communities to address/challenge social norms that expose AGYW to the risks of SGBV, HIV, unintended pregnancies and other associated circumstances. We use platforms including parents’ evening (Umugoroba w’Ababyeyi) sessions, campaigns, saving groups, umuganda days, and other community events (including international events commemorated locally such as the Day of the African Child, International Women’s Day, World AIDS Day etc.) to rally the public to address the problems that AGYW face.
Social Asset Building : In order for the AGYW to be able to have the ability to make strategic choices, we promote the economic strengthening activities throughout the DREAMs program. This is aimed at keeping girls in schools, reduce the likelihood of transactional sex for the FSWs, delay early marriage and pregnancy, and reduce on the chances to AGYW getting infected with HIV. In light of the above, the program applies the Internal Saving and Lending groups (ISLGs) approach and the BRAC ELA model to facilitate the AGYW’s access to financial services. Both the ISLGs approach and the ELA model have strengthened the economic strengthening and life skills interventions of AGYWs who are in age band of 15-24 years. The program support has resulted into the creation of 338 saving groups that has boosted the saving activities for 6,734 AGYW. Access to financial services was eased as 43,933,796 francs which is equivalent to USD 43,933.8 was saved by the group members which eased access to loans. On the other hand, life skills has been given to 14,455 AGYW.
Education support was given to 4,521 AGYW including school fees and school materials namely ; note books (120), register books, blue pen, red pen (alright), pencil, rubber, mathematical set, and ruler packed in a school bag. On the other hand, 299 AGYW have been supported by the program to attend technical and vocational education training (TVET) skills. We also supported 340 AGWY in different TVET activities through apprenticeship. As a result, 340 youth (AGYW) do specific jobs after the skills they learn during apprenticeship period. Some of the skills included a mix of on-the-job trainings and work experience, and formal, classroom-based learning. AGYW acquired skills needed at the market place and they are prepared also for self-employment. In addition, TVET kits were distributed to the 340 AGYW who completed apprenticeship courses (215 in Tailoring and 125 in Hair dressing), 32 working groups were created in 8 sectors in Kicukiro district The initiatives have contributed to the AGYW’s having decent income generating activities and some have stopped the sex work.
INKINDI ISLG consists of former sex workers and some young Girls who have been enrolled in schools and benefited from education support, especially in TVET schools, where they learnt different techniques like sewing, hairdressing, etc.
Together, these Adolescent Girls and Young women in all categories have benefited from trainings on financial education. Today, the members from INKIND ISLG invested some money from saving in small business activities, among them selling charcoal, cooking gas, outside catering, restaurants and selling water with the goal of generating more incomes and increase the incomes of the group.
“Our total investment is equivalent of more than two million Rwandan francs without counting the interest ! The financial education skills gained from DREAMS program was our core stone as an ISLG group”, noted Nzabamwita, the ISLG group leaders.
Members of the INKINDI ISLG during their saving group sessions
Mentorship : YWCA applies the mentorship approach to reach out to the AGYW. The recruited mentors support service delivery through the safe spaces. DREAMs program activities specifically are supported with 82 mentors. We have given the mentors capacity building in areas like, SRHR, life skills, ELA model, saving methodology among others which they too have cascaded to the AGYW. Daily monitoring and mentoring as well as beneficiary profiling is also a key activity for the mentors. We also organize quarterly review meetings with the mentors to share lessons learnt, encourage each other, discuss challenges and devise strategies for the future.
Looking forward, YWCA seeks to reach 16,000 AGYW in Kicukiro by 2022 to ensure that they are empowered to protect themselves from HIV, live free from violence and can make informed decisions about their health. We are also keen to support the national and global 95-95-95 HIV targets where 95% of the people know their HIV status, 95% suppress the virus and over 95% have access to HIV treatment. YWCA is grateful to all our partners in both government and civil society for the continued support in ensuring that Adolescent girls and young women get the necessary support they need. YWCA calls upon all stakeholders to join us in this noble cause.
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