We Focus Our Efforts On Women

In a gender biased socity, the burden of care for children falls on women

Village of Love focuses on women, because this is the best way to benefit the children in their care.

• 75% of small businesses in Kibera are run by women. When these women are economically empowered, the benefits go directly to their children. The children are fed, clothed and go to school.
• Women know how to save. They repay loans and provide for the children’s needs.
• Empowered women can speak out on behalf of family needs. They advocate for clean water, health care and education.

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Most women have a small business. In addition, Village of Love offers livelihood skills training. The women can borrow interest-free micro-loans from a revolving fund and attend a small business management training workshop.

Within three days of the workshop they receive a staff visit to help them apply what they have learned.

As groups of five they support one another in paying back their loans. When they run into difficulty, they have access to counselling from women skilled in business management.

Women find their voiceWOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT MEETINGS

Women attend a meeting every two weeks, where they share with one another best business practices and tips on cheap sources of goods.

Speakers address them on relevant topics: nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention; children’s rights; parenting orphaned children and children who are HIV positive. They discuss, do their own research and present information to the group.

As women gain courage in speaking at a women’s group, and as they achieve business success and are able to provide for their families, their status in the community and their self esteem increases. 

As a result of these empowerment meetings, the women participate in community events, where they are willing to speak out to government officials. Women’s voices are being heard!

One of the many Village of Love women who were excited to vote in the 2017 elections.POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Part of Village of Love’s educational task is to impress on women the importance of casting their vote.

Usually women are forced to vote according to their husband’s wishes, which does not result in leaders who will address women’s issues.

Counsellor Neddy Mutstotsi encourages other HIV positive women to live positively.PSYCHO-SOCIAL COUNSELLING

There are huge challenges not only in raising orphaned children, sometimes HIV positive, but living in poverty in a crime ridden and corrupt environment!

An important Village of love programme is the one-on-one psycho-social counselling by staff trained in social work.