Summary of project status and achievements:
February was a busy month for the Women’s Centre. Jacqui, the Project Coordinator, delivered her baby on February 1st and is now on maternity leave. Florinda, who had traveled to Lusaka for medical attention, is still out and not likely to return. Annita, the only remaining employee, has been running the all of the Center’s activities herself and doing an incredible job at it.
The outreach program, held currently at Road 26, teaches knitting Mondays and Tuesdays and does informational workshops on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Ten women are enrolled and attend regularly. They will be able to sell the tablecloths they’ve knitted in the market after the workshop is over, and they seem equally passionate about the well-being/health material they are learning in the workshop. The Centre also held a 4-day workshop on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, which was attended by both men and women of a range of ages. The workshop was so successful that the participants expressed interest in attending another one in March.
The savings circles, for the most part, are running well. The rain occasionally interferes with attendance. Jacqui, though on maternity leave, is still running the Road 12 circle from her house. The Road 44 Savings Circle was scheduled to begin meeting again the last week in February, but no participants attended. Annita has left word for the participants to try to meet again next week.
Future activities and projections:
The PM hopes to hire a part-time worker for the Centre for the month of March. Though the PM has met with several women in the past weeks, none have proved qualified enough to work for the project. Two more interviews are scheduled for the first week in March, and the PM is hopeful.
The outreach workshop will end in mid-late March, and another one will begin shortly thereafter at Road 30 in a church off the main road. There are many women there who have never participated in a Women’s Centre workshop before. We will also be holding another 4-day workshop on Reproductive Health, starting March 9th. Jacqui is scheduled to return to work in early April.
Substantial problems or issues:
None.
Wishes or requests:
None.
