Information Girls AIDS in Africa

This Go Sisters programme is trying to contribute to the achievement of the MDG3 in Zambia - promoting gender equity and empowerment. The programme is increasing the number of girls taking up leadership roles at the community and district levels. The project has this year trained 45 girls as peer leaders/educators who in turn cascade their life skills and knowledge on health and girls’ rights issues to a further number of girls.
This year the programme has managed to retain a number of girls in school- 9 have completed secondary education while 6 have progressed to college level.
Outside their class work, many girls have formed up teams in soccer, volleyball, basketball and netball.
Just yesterday, over 16 girls aged between 12 and 18 travelled to Livingstone for a festive season tournament where they will compete against their friends from Livingstone for the next one week. At the tournament, girls will show how much skills they have acquired in coaching, refereeing and playing. Besides that, they will be involved in a number of debates on issues that they feel are currently affecting them. After the event, the young girls will run tournaments in 5 communities in Lusaka and 8 communities in Southern Province dubbed Go Sisters Christmas tournaments.
The demand for this girls programme has greatly increased with inadequate sports and training equipment standing as the main challenge.
Girls are now saying-“Lets go Sisters, 2009 is a year for Breakthrough-we can do it!”

Pictures:

• Girls in workshop (JPG)
• Girls perfoming a dance at the world AIDS day tournament (JPG)