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YOU’RE IN FOR A TREAT!

Welcome, Morris Family Foundation, to your six-month report!

THANK YOU

Thanks to the Morris Family Foundation’s ongoing contribution, we’ve been able to reach even more girls and their families in Sierra Leone with access to life-changing education!
We’re very excited to share with you some amazing results!

PROJECT DETAILS

 What
One Girl's Business Brains Program

Where
Sierra Leone

Funding period
1 July 2019 – 30 June 2020

Grant amount
$100,000


PROJECT ACTIVITIES

It’s been an exciting start to the new phase of Business Brains, and we've been integrating all our learnings from the evaluation!
Introduction to all partner schools
The program was expanded to include 24 additional partner schools!
Training alumni to lead the program  
Our new approach focuses on young women’s leadership and voice, so when we expanded the program into partner schools,
we recruited our own Scholarship program alumni to run the program in their former schools.
We now have 20 inspiring young women leading the classes across 24 partner schools!
Leadership Clubs 
Building on this excellent leadership from our alumni, we formed the first-ever girls’ leadership clubs.
We now have 24 clubs of approximately 10 female students each, who act as steering committees in the schools.
Gender Analysis 
We completed our first-ever gender analysis in the first quarter of the program! This looks at the access and
control of resources and how power relations between men and women intersect. We used this analysis to
make sure our program is challenging traditional gender norms and roles. 
Key findings from the analysis: 
1. Girls and boys are still expected to marry at different ages. Girls: 16–17, Boys: 18–25.
2. More girls are using contraception but more unqualified people are administering them (mostly implants).
3. Child and teen pregnancy is an ongoing issue, with girls as young as 8 engaging in sexual activity;
4. Police personnel are long-term residents, and personal relationships with perpetrators can influence their judgement of the law.
“Men don’t actively participate in pregnancy, their only role is to impregnate their wives. They don’t take proper care of their
wives during pregnancy not to mention accompanying them to hospital. Sometimes they are not even around
during delivery and in such a case, the neighbours will have to assist the woman to hospital and later inform the husband about the sex of the baby. Women in this community are treated like plastic bag by men”.
 –Community member
Baseline study completed
We kicked off measuring the impact of Business Brains by asking girls and their communities what they think about sexual reproductive health, menstrual hygiene management, careers and advocacy before the program began. 

Creating space in here for a border

WE  SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

But you already knew that. What we really want to tell you is how we've performed against our achievement indicators!

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4: ENSURE INCLUSIVE AND QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL AND PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING. 

By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.

13,170

young people in One Girl partner schools were trained on life skills,  business management, financial literacy and career development.
Target: 10,000
Indicator 1.1

13,170

young participants in Business Brains are now aware of further education and training opportunities and how to access them.
Target: 10,000
Indicator 1.3

67

alumni, and focal teachers have now been trained to deliver the Business Brains program in schools!
Target: 67 
Indicator 1.5

Indicator 1.2 has changed to % of young women who have increased economic opportunities and have future career aspirations. The target is 65% and this will be measured in the 12-month report

Indicator 1.4 will measure the number of young people in One Girl's Business Partner program who will have developed career plans! The target is 50, and this will also be measured in the 12-month report. 

One of One Girl's Business Brains alumni, Tenneh* teaches a class on menstruation at a One Girl partner school. Photo: Round3/One Girl.

*We have changed Tenneh's name to protect her identity.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10: REDUCE INEQUALITY WITHIN AND AMONG COUNTRIES
Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

“Before the intervention of the project in my community, we were not even allowed to talk where elderly people talk but the Business Brains Project have broken that barrier and we are considered as young people who can also contribute to development if the opportunity is given to us."

— Business Brains Participant

192

young women trained on their rights, national policies that affect them, and how to advocate for themselves!
Target: 170
Indicator 2.1

130

women's committee members trained in advocacy and girl-child and young women's safeguarding and rights.
Target: 130
Indicator 2.2

7

advocacy events or activities led by young women on the rights of women and girls (4 radio shows and 3 events so far!).
Target: 15 
Indicator 2.3

79

community meetings held to discuss the rights of women and girls, with people of all ages, religions, and ethnic backgrounds.
Target: 180
Indicator 2.4

“This is a good opportunity. I have learnt a lot from this radio discussion. This will help us achieve a better future for girls! I will take this program very seriously and learn from it, and also continue engaging stakeholders and community people to ensure girls' safety and wellbeing”.

– Community member talking about radio programs and advocacy events held on International Day of the Girl, 2019.

"I am happy for this day because before now we never knew about the day itself, neither the opportunity to talk on the radio, we will continue to engage our people to ensure we are safe and empowered.”

– Participant, talking about the radio programs held on International Day of the Girl, 2019.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 3: ENSURE HEALTHY LIVES AND PROMOTE WELLBEING FOR ALL AT ALL AGES. 

By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare sevices, including family planning information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.

13,170

young people in One Girl partner schools were trained on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and also on sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response methods.
Target: 10,000
Indicator 3.1

150

One Girl scholarship alumni and women's committee members trained in sexual and reproductive health and rights, and also on sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response methods.
Target: 150
Indicator 3.2

Young women in the program are now starting to report that they can confidently access
family planning services! This will be reported on in the 12 month report. 
Target: 65%
Indicator 3.3

SO WHAT'S NEXT?

In the next 6 months of the program, we will be delivering various interactive activities including:

With the students:

lessons in school;

assembly skits and performances;

radio discussions;

debates; 

quiz competitions; and

mentoring and home visitations for scholarship girls in Tonkolili and Western area.

With the community:

training of women committees in Tonkolili and Western area;

monthly update meetings with the leadership group;

women’s committee; and

educational committee.

WE'RE SO EXCITED TO CONTINUE THIS AMAZING WORK WITH YOU. WITHOUT THE MORRIS FAMILY FOUNDATION, NONE OF THESE INCREDIBLE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE!

With love, 

Sarah and the One Girl team