Together We Can DRC (TWC) works towards promoting girls’ and women’s empowerment in East Africa. The organization operates 10 community-based clubs within the city of Kalemie. TWC provides training on girls’ rights and ending child marriage, promotes girls’ leadership, and supports reproductive health for adolescent girls. Through its programs, the organization aims to create a society in which women and girls have equal access to rights and opportunities. To date, 3200 girls have benefited from TWC’s training programs. TWC also engages parents and community members, teaching about the importance of eliminating discrimination against girls and the negative consequences of child marriage.
Since it’s founding, TWC has seen changes within the communities it serves, including increases in school enrollment, reductions in rates of child marriage, and an increased understanding of social inequalities affecting women and girls. Nonetheless, many problems relating to gender discrimination and inequality remain. There is a lack of access to sexual and reproductive health information, limited inheritance and land rights, and restrictions on women’s decision making within the home and family.
TWC hopes to continue its work in challenging gender discrimination and inequality. The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support a project focused on ending child marriage and violence against young girls. Specifically, TWC will set up girls’ clubs in schools and community centers in Kalemie to teach girls at risk of early and forced marriage about their sexual and reproductive rights with the goal of preventing early pregnancies. The organization will also provide training on leadership, vocational skills, financial literacy, and professional development. Additionally, TWC will create a community learning space to offer a forum to exchange ideas and dialogue around the issues of child marriage and violence against women. TWC aims to reach 1,350 girls with this project.
Learning about the importance of reproductive health, girls will be knowledgeable about the steps to to protect themselves against early pregnancies. In turn, by addressing one of the main causes of school dropouts among young girls, TWC’s project will help to increase access to education for adolescent girls. Furthermore, the training provided to girls will help them to expand their horizons and aspire to ambitious goals. As a result, girls and women will have the opportunity to pursue dreams they may not have previously envisioned for themselves.
See more projects: Africa, Central Africa, Child Marriage, Leadership & Life Skills Development, Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights