Go-Sisters Questionnaire.
1. Why is Girl empowerment and equality important to your organization?
Angaza’s focused impact on the community is to change the perspective where by women are and/or will be seen as capable human beings who can bring change to the world and not as confined to roles of domestic chores and serving others. And the strategic focus and result here being to build their self-esteem and leadership skills, increase their gender consciousness, raise awareness and exchange of information concerning the various issues affecting young females in the informal settlements hence providing an opportunity to them to participate in the socio-economic development in the society.
In Angaza we believe that, women have a key role to play in sustainable development that needs recognition in Africa and the rest of developing world. The current statistics informs us that 65% of the 780 million people who can’t read are women in the world, whilst over 50% of women in the world constitute the work force in the most important industries as manufacturing and agriculture/food production etc. How advanced will Africa and the rest of the developing world be if Girls are empowered and equality emphasized in our day to day endeavours? Girls also forms the backbone to our countries future socio-economic stability, their empowerment gives them more opportunities to stand on their own and better support themselves, families, communities and the larger society.
We do this not forgetting gender balance and equality by building programs that lead to an equal society because if programs are in isolation, then we shall be creating a future problem.
2. What challenges face girls in your local community?
Girls in our local community face a number of challenges as out lined below:
a. Perceived as weak human beings, and should only be submissive to their parents, brothers and what the society thinks of them.
b. They get few opportunities to advance with academic education.
c. Forced and early marriages.
d. There are a lot of teenage pregnancies and prostitution.
e. Women are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, STI’s and more rape cases, gender based violence.
f. They usually don’t have a say in their communities in matters relating to socio-economic development.
g. They lack sexual reproductive health education, which is very fundamental, especially to a girl child.
h. Not able to make decision for their life’s.
3. If you could speak to every woman and girl around the world what would you say?(Please answer in four lines)
Stand up, get educated, and be empowered as you provide the surety of a better society in the future. And this will give you more opportunities to stand on your own feet and better support yourself, you families, communities and your society. In addition when you women and girls transform, your influence is enormous and impact life changing.