Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program
What is AGEP?
The Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP) is a pilot program that was founded by Child Protection Society (CPS) in the year 2014. It is an initiative specifically targeting the empowerment of adolescent girls between 10 – 19 years of age. In practice it has attracted beneficiaries who are of ages 8 – 24 years. Each week the beneficiaries registered meet with trained female Community Based Facilitators to discuss topics that include Sexual Reproductive Health, Leadership, HIV/AIDS, GBV, Human and Child rights, financial literacy, Communication, Job preparedness, child marriages and others as per need. As an extension of the program, we have engaged females in society from different business sectors to mentor the girls and provide guidance and emotional support while raising aspiration levels among-st the beneficiaries.
Analysis has shown that prevalent are cases of child prostitution, juvenile delinquency, unemployment, school drop-outs, teen pregnancies that often result in illegal abortion, maternal morbidity, high levels of newly identified HIV/AIDS infections, child headed households, low aspiration levels, substance abuse, forced or early marriages, teen sexuality and unreported gender based violence which often is in the form of sexual abuse. However, all these quandaries have inevitable effects on the psychological wellbeing of the adolescents involved. Apart from the physical and pronounced problems, these girls are subjected to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, aggression and a general feeling of helplessness. These girls lack financial independence and as a result they resort to early marriages and transactional relationships. There is need to provide them with opportunities that generate income as a way of delaying the marriage debut.
AGEP Goal
To help the Adolescent Girls
build social, health and economic assets in a safe and fun learning environment
AGEP Key Players
- AGEP beneficiaries
- AGEP Caregivers
- AGEP Facilitators
- AGEP mentors
- Department of Child Welfare and Probation Services
- Ministry of Women, Gender and Community Development
- Local schools including headmasters and teachers
- Local clinics
- The Zimbabwe Republic Police
- The Justice for Children Trust
- The Girls Legacy of Zimbabwe – Zvipo Communication tool
- SOS children’s village Zimbabwe
- Family Support Trust
- PSI Zimbabwe
- Lord Orphan Care
- Faith Community Support Trust
- Barclays Bank Zimbabwe
- Harare Polytechnic
AGEP Objectives
- To create a direct link between young women and GBV and HIV prevention services.
- To improve self confidence among-st young girls to participate in policy dialogues of GBV and HIV.
- To increase communities knowledge and skills on GBV and HIV infections among adolescent girls.
- To improve the care environment.
- To mentor adolescent girls into self-sustainable citizens and promoting awareness to HIV/AIDS issues.
- To enhance job preparedness for the girls by tapping into the corporate world through facilitating internships.
- To fight against cases of child prostitution
Navigation
AGEP Updates
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Child Protection
Society of Zimbabwe
Established in 1952, Child Protection Society (CPS) is a Not for profit Child Rights Organization based in Belvedere, Harare with operations across the Provinces of the country. We registered as a welfare organization in 1967 with the Department of Social Welfare. Its original thrust was in the care of children in difficult circumstances. For more than 50 years CPS has been promoting the well being of children, and protecting them from abuse, suffering and neglect.