Project
Rwanda: textile training for teenage mothers
Every year, around 2.5 million girls in developing countries give birth to their first child before the age of 15. The problem is also serious in Rwanda. Sex education is lacking and young girls do not receive information about being pregnant, giving birth, motherhood, caring for children or safe abortion. Due to the great gender inequality, girls do not know that they have the right to decide with whom, when and how many children they have. Getting pregnant far too young; for many girls this means dropping out of school because the baby needs to be cared for. If the father is known, the girl must get married. But if not, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to start an education after giving birth.
Future perspective
To give all these young girls, who have to deal with an (unwanted) pregnancy and having a child, a future perspective, founder of 'Necessary Generation', Jean Paul Nduwimana, has started a textile training course for teenage mothers in Rusizi, Rwanda. The girls come together at the Yego training center and learn to make a product. At the same time, they also get the opportunity to share with eachother what they have been through. They are given business skills to subsequently set up their own (textile) company. In addition to clothing, they mainly make reusable sanitary towels. A lack of this prevents many young girls from going to school when they have their period.
About the project partner
This project was set up by radio DJ / producer / designer Jean Paul Nduwimana, whom we know through a collaboration with OneWorld Citizen. With his local radio station Country FM in Rusizi, he reaches a large audience in the region and draws attention in a positive way to the challenges faced by the vulnerable population in these rural areas.
He invests in the project for teenage mothers with the income of his recording studio and his own music. He has now started the clothing label GAAFAADE, also with support from Net4kids. By designing and selling designer clothing, mainly to famous and wealthy Rwandans in Kigali, the aim is to make the center for teenage mothers self-reliant within two to three years. His dream: various (franchise) centers throughout Rwanda for teenage mothers. He sells the clothing with this 'story' behind it so, in addition to a flow of money for the center, he also raises awareness of the problems teenage mothers have in his country.
How we contribute to this project
The textile training courses for teenage mothers in Rusizi are still given in the Yego Center. An existing center where multiple skills training courses are provided. With Net4kids we will invest in our own center for teenage mothers, so that more girls (the goal is 300) can be reached. In this way we really offer the often traumatized girls a safe place to share their experiences. The new center also provides a space for IT and business training. Childcare is also taken into consideration, the children of the young girls are looked after when the training sessions take place. Would you like to join us in offering these teenage mothers a safe place and vocational training that will give them a future perspective?
