In South Africa, the Goal programme has 1,272 girls enrolled for the year 2017, up from 600 in 2015 and 750 in 2016 and currently operates in Mamelodi in Pretoria. The group has plans to expand Goal to Johannesburg in 2018.
“Partnerships with NGOs, corporates and government that share similar models, play an important role in expanding Goal,” says Geraldine Matchaba, head, corporate affairs and brand & marketing, South & Southern Africa.
The Goal programme is implemented and delivered in schools and communities and the curriculum is based on training modules, with play based learning and sport at the core. Modules cover financial education, communication; hygiene and life skills that collectively seek to empower and raise the confidence of young adolescent girls from low-income families in urban areas. An additional module was introduced in 2017, which provides practical experience on employability and entrepreneurial skills.
The summit further expanded on the importance of addressing the barriers to girls’ empowerment and employing leadership as a tool to take control of their lives and using their voice to influence their communities. Girls live in a diverse world characterised by great pressures and responsibilities, evolving technology and challenges in the job market. The summit unpacked the opportunities and challenges and highlighted the roles of technology and advocacy in girls’ empowerment.
Building partnerships to champion adolescent girls and young women is critical to reaching the 600 million adolescent girls living in low-income countries. As part of its involvement with the Clinton Global initiative, Standard Chartered committed to reach 600,000 girls though Goal by the end of 2020 and further support 10,000 girls in their transition from secondary education to higher education or work.
For more information, go to www.sc.com.
