Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
The Women's Centre saw a smooth month of programming with both Teen Health and Maternal and Child Health courses going well, although both experienced slightly lower attendance than the previous month. Because the Maternal and Child Health course ended earlier than most other FORGE programming, Odette assisted with other miscellaneous tasks for other projects and the central office to utilize her time.
Indicators or Statistics:
See November spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
None.
Substantial Problems or issues:
None.
Wishes and Requests:
None.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
Contrary to the struggles the Women's Centre faced most of the year, it ended the month with stronger numbers than any there FORGE project. Odette continued to do a fantastic job teaching Maternal and Child Health for her second intake at Friendly Corner 2, where 20 out of 26 students completed the course. Likewise, Charlotte demonstrated great initiative and commitment, with nine out of the original 14 completing the course. With the exception of one, all dropouts were a result of repatriation.
Indicators or Statistics:
See October spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
To finish final intakes with more than 10 in each class.
Substantial Problems or issues:
None.
Wishes and Requests:
None.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
Following the difficult month the Women's Centre had in August, September saw all three classes run successfully.
Odette began Maternal and Child Health at Friendly Corner 2. Although we anticipated around 15 based on interest received from the survey and subsequent follow-up, the class finished with an impressive 33 graduates and Odette did a great job with her first intake of the course.
Charlotte , the new Teen Health teacher, also began her first intake at the Women's Centre with nine out of 15 completing the course. Before Charlotte took on the class, former teacher Rose had shortened the intake length to accommodate the general availability and willingness of teenage girls to take the course. However, Charlotte found that although she could complete the course in four weeks, she changed the class from meeting three days per week to four to make sure she could cover all of the material. Because all FORGE classrooms were in use in the afternoons, Sara spoke with World Vision about using one of their buildings for the additional class. World Vision gave FORGE permission to use a preschool near the FORGE compound any afternoon, and the Teen Health class along with one of the letter writing courses began meeting there in the middle of the month.
After recruitment for the Women's Leadership and Community Economics course ran into problems last month, Marthine taught a small intake of five women twice a week at the Women's Centre. To reach more women, Marthine also spent three afternoons per week doing one-day seminars on leadership and reintegration in the community generally attracting between 8-15 women each time.
On September 29th, Marthine informed Sara that she would be repatriating that week, so September marked the last month of the leadership course. With no time to train a replacement, the minimal interest the course drew, and overall difficulties with the Women's Centre, it was decided that the leadership class would not continue during FORGE's last months in Kala.
Indicators or Statistics:
See September spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
To recruit more students for the Teen Health and Maternal and Child Health classes.
Substantial Problems or issues:
Rains stopped Marthine from attending all classes. Also, Marthine only provided two days notice before repatriating.
Students continually came late to classes.
Wishes and Requests:
To show a video about fetus development inside
By Sara WasserteilSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
The Women's Centre struggled throughout the month of August with disappointing levels of attendance and effort made by Women's Centre staff.
As mentioned in July's report, a new intake for the Maternal and Child Health class was postponed due to teacher and coordinator Mwanza's trip to Lusaka. She returned in mid-August, at which point she began training Odette to become the new teacher upon her resignation in late August. Training with Odette finished at month end, and it was planned that she would begin her first intake as the Maternal and Child Health teacher at Friendly Corner 2 at the beginning of September.
Because Rose, the Teen Health instructor was eight months pregnant, Sara and Augustine met with her in early August to discuss who would take over her course once she went on maternity leave. Nyota Mwando, an IOM Activity instructor and former FORGE employee was selected for the job, and it was decided that she would not only teach and recruit for the Teen Health class, but would help recruit for the Women's Leadership and Community Economics course as well since teacher Marthine is limited by a wheelchair. Sara, Rose and Nyota also revised the Teen Health curriculum, lengthening the class time but shortening it from six weeks to four because Rose believed that this would improve the completion rate.
Sara continued revising the Women's Leadership and Community Economics curriculum that she and Stephanie had began rewriting in July. Due to women's limited schedules and because the knitting component was cut, the class was shortened to three days/week for three weeks. In order to reach more women and for Marthine to maintain her level of hours, it was decided that she would also spend 4-5 hours in the community teaching traveling seminars on the leadership and economics material.
On August 21th, Sara had a discussion with Rose since she had missed two classes due to unanticipated pregnancy-related trips to the clinic. Because she was due to give birth within days, it was decided that it would be best for her to begin her maternity leave beforehand since it was affecting her work. Mama Nyota was supposed to finish her intake; however, when she was called for a meeting to discuss details of her role, she informed FORGE that she was no longer interested in working for the Women's Centre, leaving both the Teen Health and Women's Leadership and Community Economics classes in a pinch since they were both relying on her. Although a current FORGE teacher volunteered to finish the last week of the intake, none of the 15 students showed up, which is believed to be a result of Rose's unreliability throughout the intake. On August 22nd, Charlotte Ntesya, another IOM activity instructor, was hired as Rose's replacement and began training. Charlotte demonstrated commitment and a good work ethic and we are confident she will do a great job with the Teen Health class. In addition, it is hoped that a nurse from AAH will assist her as a guest lecturer for some of her sessions.
Indicators or Statistics:
See August spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
To have all Women's Centre programming running successfully throughout the whole month. More specifically, having Odette teach Maternal and Child Health at Friendly Corner 2, Marthine to teach her class at the Women's Centre as well as around the community, and to have Charlotte begin teaching Teen Health classes.
Substantial Problems or issues:
Various problems and issues led to the completion of only one intake throughout the whole month.
Wishes and Requests:
None.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
As with all projects, attendance of adult women has been low and inconsistent due to repatriation preparations and other family obligations(especially in the morning), and the Women's Centre has remained the weakest of FORGE projects in Kala. To strengthen its programming and provide it with extra support, it was planned that Sara would spend a significant amount of time working with the Women's Centre while Stephanie was still in Kala. Unfortunately, this plan was interrupted due to Stephanie's sudden departure at the end of July.
As the Single Women's Group has shifted its focus towards leadership and community economics, Stephanie and Sara worked on rewriting the curriculum to meet the new emphasis. They met with Andrew Tshimanga who used to teach the community economics class in the CDRC to learn more about relevant topics for Congo, and developed a curriculum which will be shared with the teacher, Marthine. Upon this change, this class will expand its audience from just single women to all women.
The Maternal and Child Health class which had been popular in the past had problems with attendance and recruitment. One reason teacher and coordinator Mwanza reported was that women from sections further from the Women's Centre were unable to come due to its far and isolated location. To address this issue, the PMs spoke with World Vision about using the camp's Friendly Corners to teach the class in other locations and thus reach new potential students. While a new intake was set to begin on July 27th, it was postponed for recruitment; however, before it began, Mwanza informed Sara that she needed to go to Lusaka for a family emergency and would be resigning upon her return to repatriate. Mwanza committed to training a replacement upon her return from Lusaka, and without any prospects for a replacement from within the Women's Centre, it was decided that Odette, a Youth Group teacher from the Health Centre would be asked to take on her class. The Maternal and Child Health class will resume at a Kala Friendly Corner once she is trained.
The Teen Health class, which had also been popular in its first two intakes, suffered from low attendance and high dropouts with the beginning of its third. It was discovered that students were missing class because the time conflicted with choir practice so the time of the class was adjusted. After a conversation with Mwanza and teacher Rose, attendance had increased by the end of the month, however, Rose suggested that attendance would increase even higher if the classes was shortened from two months to one, thus allowing more students to finish the intake instead of dropping out.
Because Rose is eight months pregnant, she will go on maternity leave soon which will leave the Women's Centre with another vacancy.
Sara plans to discuss the best strategy for the Women's Centre with Nick upon his visit to Kala in early August.
Indicators or Statistics:
See July spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
To reduce the period of intakes to enable more students to finish the class.
Substantial Problems or issues:
Like other projects, the Women’s Centre faced problems with attendance due to preparations for repatriation and the womens' family commitments. In addition, two teachers will be leaving the Women's Centre in August due to repatriation and maternity leave. Sara is looking into different programming options to keep the Women's Centre a viable and successful project for the remainder of FORGE's time in Kala.
Wishes and Requests:
None.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
There were no major problems in the women’s centre in June, but this project continues to lag behind the others in programming and reporting. Upon the arrival of the new PM, one PM will devote significant time to organizing and improving all women’s centre functions. Mwanza reduced the length of her current intake because she plans to repatriate in July. Because her class is quite popular and it has been budget for, a replacement teacher will be found. The teen health class continued to be successful, although teacher Rose will potentially repatriate in July or August, pending family tracing in Lubumbashi. If this occurs, a replacement teacher will be found. The committee elected to significantly change the Single Women’s Group. The class will now be open to both single and married women, and the knitting component has been eliminated. The class will instead solely focus on leadership, community development, and basic home and community economics.
Indicators or Statistics:
See June spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
None.
Substantial Problems or issues:
None.
Wishes and Requests:
None.
By Stephanie Puccetti
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