Women and Girls Promoting Change
This project to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable women, with funding from the Hilden Trust, and facilitated by BLB, was implemented by AMPDC (Associação de Mulheres para a Promoção do Desenvolvimento Comunitário) in Manga. After introducing the project to local leaders. AMPDC created and trained a local Women’s Legal Committee on Gender Based Violence (GBV), Psychosocial Support, Legal Processes, Human Development, Associativism and Leadership and set up a Help-desk AMPDC held awareness sessions on GBV in public spaces, and the Committee reinforced the information to women and girls, house-to-house. During this work, AMPDC identified specific cases of GBV and provided counselling: resolving some cases and escalating others to the legal process. The women in the Committee are now seen as “local peacemakers”. AMPDC also held classes for vulnerable women. The mothers in the literacy class said they had never dreamed that they would be sitting in a classroom learning to read and write, and are happy that they can now sign documents (especially ID cards), read phone messages and more; adding “no-one will be able to deceive us now”. One of the women in the sewing class said “I am passionate about sewing and it makes me happy, because I hope that if and when I get a sewing machine ....... and have an opportunity to support my children.” The savings group have been paying in £1.50 each per fortnight and are now starting to have enough money to pay interest and lend out to members who want to start small businesses.
Learning Pack
Bristol Link with Beira are pleased to present our Learning Pack with Activity Sheets, initially designed for KS2 – some sections may be appropriate for a wider audience. New generations can discover the amazing relationship that exists between Bristol and its Mozambican Twin City. As well as learning about Beira, Mozambique and Sub-Saharan Africa, we hope that students and staff will be inspired to develop school links, get involved with Twinning, and benefit from the partnerships we set up. Part of BLB’s remit is to raise awareness in Bristol about issues of urban sub-Saharan Africa, and the coastal impact of Climate Change: these learning documents contribute to this. The pack uses Beira and the Twinning Link as a case study, to widen pupils’ understanding of the world through local and global issues, whilst contributing to their own identity and sense of place. Exploring topics in the context of Beira will enhance students’ understanding of other cultures and environments, with alternative perspectives and ways of living. Intercultural understanding is key to children’s comprehension of tolerance and living in harmony with others. This is the essence of why twinning was established in the first place. We hope that this learning pack will spark a curiosity in the twinning links of all Bristol´s twin cities and encourage students to strive to be global citizens. We start with a section on City Twinning, followed by a section on Geography, History & Environment and then Culture & Sport. The final section of this teaching pack is ‘Making a Difference’ which we hope will catalyse ideas for students and schools in Bristol to get involved and connect with those in Beira. Enormous thanks to Bethan Simpson, Caroline Pitt, Ollie Silvester, Monika Arendarczyk and Ali Camp who all contributed their time to assembling these documents.
ICT Equipment and Training
BLB have long-supported community group Amai Mussananhi (Women helping Women),, who wanted to address issues of food insecurity through the provision of catering equipment and training for the Amai pre-school. 20 vulnerable women were selected to receive catering training to provide both school lunches, and snacks for sale out of hours. 4 of these women dropped out during the course due to pregnancy and/or caring duties. The 16 who completed the course benefited from small business training.
Small snack businesses will promote income generation for these vulnerable women.
BLB fundraising now provides ingredients for daily pre-school meals. The improved school meals for vulnerable children, improve their welfare and provide the nourishment needed for their development.
Catering at Amai Mussananhe
BLB have long-supported community group Amai Mussananhi (Women helping Women),, who wanted to address issues of food insecurity through the provision of catering equipment and training for the Amai pre-school. 20 vulnerable women were selected to receive catering training to provide both school lunches, and snacks for sale out of hours. 4 of these women dropped out during the course due to pregnancy and/or caring duties. The 16 who completed the course benefited from small business training.
Small snack businesses will promote income generation for these vulnerable women.
BLB fundraising now provides ingredients for daily pre-school meals. The improved school meals for vulnerable children, improve their welfare and provide the nourishment needed for their development.
Sharing Knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health
ADS (Associação para o Desenvolvimento Social), financed by the Coles-Medlock Foundation, engaged young women as mentors in women’s health, and establishing girls’ clubs. ADS share knowledge about the dangers of sexual violence and early pregnancy; protection against early pregnancy, reproductive health, sexual and reproductive rights; and also nutrition. Through sessions at girls’ clubs, the knowledge spreads, and women and girls will be empowered to make responsible decisions regarding their sexuality, reproduction, health and nutrition. The ADS director is dedicated to the causes of girls and improving their lives. She is pro-active and motivated towards 'added value' through additional voluntary activities with the girls. “BLB's support has been very important in increasing knowledge about Sexual Reproductive Health and other topics relevant to women and girls, which culminates in behavior change. To BLB our thanks. Cheers BLB, we give you credit for the example of your solidarity.” Bendita Enosse, Director of ADS
Covid 19
BLB provided sewing machines and materials for the community group Amai Mussanhani (Women helping Women) to make facemasks. These were then distributed by ADEL with packs of soap to disadvantaged families in Beira. Amai supports vulnerable women, orphans and vulnerable children. The sewing machines provide long term income generating opportunities for these women, who are now making clothes and household goods.
