EmpowerHer Programmes Coordinator Khadija Salim in her office. [Photo/Maxwell]
A programme geared towards economically uplifting widows, girls and single mothers has been launched in Mombasa.
The programme under a Non- governmental organization ‘Empower Her’ will equip single mothers, girls, widows and other women with relevant skills so that they look after their families and fight poverty among the community through small businesses.
The ‘EmpowerHer’ Organization Programmes Coordinator Khadija Salim said that the project was launched after a research revealed that many women within Old town area and other parts of Mombasa County were living in poverty after losing their husbands or some having children outside wedlock.
She said that the women have already been receiving training on various skills including pastry, plaiting hair in a modern way that will enable them to initiate salon business as well as other beauty related income-generating projects.
She said that it was through such training that the women and girls will be able to make their ends meet as well as those with families able to take their children to school.
“The women are only required to pay 15 percent of the whole fees of the training, whereby we issue them with a certificate at the end of the three months courses as well as show them how they will initiate their small businesses,” she said.
She said that the organization was also creating a database to link up the women to other service seekers which will make it easy for them to get clients and earn a living.
“With pastry, henna beautification and hair plaiting, these women will make a living. We already have existing clients and our duty is to link them up with these clients and enable them to source for more potential clients in future” she added.
She said that the programme will also involve youth who will be trained on how to manage hardware parts of computers and other electronics as well as other electrical courses.
Mrs. Salim said, “If youth are also equipped with necessary skills to enable them to earn a living then none of them will indulge in criminal activities”.
In its first phase of three months training, a total of 130 women and girls and 100 male youths graduated in various courses of who Khadija said most of them now own small business and are earning a living.
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